Scuba shop closed before I finished my training! Now what?

[RX8Bob]

I too went through ShoreScuba and am in somewhat the same spot. I emailed her at shorescubacenter@aol.com

My problem was I paid for the certs (AOW and Rescue) a year ago then in may just before classes started again ruptured an ear drum at work. So i couldn't dive. This summer I can dive again and they closed.

She still has all the equipment so she may be at the OceanWreckDivers Flea Market tomarrow. I know where she lives so i'm going to go knocking on her door tomarrow. Her Instructor # through NAUI is 40845

I'll let you know whats going on with this. As far as I know she HAS NOT filed bankrupcy as per another guy I spoke with that also got certified through her.

 

[diveguy1]

Primus67,

Sorry to hear about your troubles. The scenario isn't good but I hope you'll stick with it and get certified. You have a lifetime of diving ahead of you!

I'm a NAUI instructor on the West coast. I know that if a student came to me with this situation, I would work with them to help them get their dives done and get them certified at a reasonable cost to both of us and within NAUI standards, but hopefully without you having to retake the whole class. If you've already finished your classroom and pool sessions, you should be able to take a written review test with a new instructor, go through a pool session to verify and review your skills, then finish up your checkout dives. Realistically, this could be done over a couple of evenings and a weekend of diving.

I would suggest though that you do your classroom, pool, and openwater sessions somewhat close together so you retain the knowledge and skills. The skills you learned and used in the pool need to be used in the open water, so if you haven't done them in many months it's going to be uncomfortable for you during your dives. To be clear, I'm not in favor of doing all your class, pool, and openwater dives in one weekend, but within a few weeks time of each other would probably be best.

I looked on the shorescuba.com site, and 3 of the instructors listed are NAUI course directors, and one is an instructor trainer. They should definitely be of assistance to you, and should be sensitive to your situation. If all else fails, contact NAUI member services and they'll point you in the right direction.

Hope this helps!

- Chris

.

 

[RX8Bob]

I want to continue diving. My ear being healed now and the wait after surgery to repair it going to be around 7 months to give it plenty of time, plus a second opinion by another ENT I want to get my other certs. (Sorry if that didn't make sense, long day at work).

But me being a broke college student the money I may have lost out on is what will prevent me from doing much. Off NJ most of the good diving is from a boat, and i'd say 90% of the dive boats in NJ require at least AOW or OWII, Seeign as how Shore Scuba has my money I don't know what i'm going to do. I didn't have time to go knocking on her door, but I may go knocking on tuesday when I get home from school. I'll let you guys know the situation.

Do you think if I could at least get the $600 or so she owes me in gear it would be a bad choice? At this point i'm thinking if she just gives me the money she owes me in an equal amount of gear i'd be satisifed. From what I heard she was having a problem selling the left over gear after the shop closed.

She also has at least one set of my friends doubles and i've been unable to contact her. What pissed me off, is I was at the shop in december and asked her about getting the certifications done this summer since my ear is healed and she said it wouldn't be a problem. Then the shop closed less than a month later.

 

[RX8Bob]

Sorry For the double post. I received an e-mail response back from the owner of Shore Scuba Center.

Hey Bobby,

...as for the classes, we are still teaching. With the economy in the tubes, the shop became a huge financial burden and could no longer support itself. So it was decided to close it. We will be starting to teach again when the water becomes temperate/tolerable. Probably sometime in late April or Early May.

You will be able to reach me at this email address.

Jackie

That email address being shorescubacenter@aol.com

 

[RX8Bob]

Anyone have any news on this? i've been trying to get ahold of her. SHe still has a freinds 3 sets of doubles and owes me money or certifications. I know this is old. just hoping for an update.

 

[ScubaSteve]

RX8Bob....you have her NAUI number and were talking to the owner. You have not had any success with all of that? I also saw that you knew where she lived. Seems like you are not doing much to help yourself if you have that information and nothing has changed.

 

[RX8Bob]

I've had some luck calling her, but I didn't persue much of it until after I knew I could dive again. I had ear surgery and a year an a half down time from diving until just this past monday when I took a shallow river dive to make sure my ear would work with me.

I was just wondering if anyone who may have had problems with her had any success.

 

[ScubaSteve]

I've had some luck calling her, but I didn't persue much of it until after I knew I could dive again. I had ear surgery and a year an a half down time from diving until just this past monday when I took a shallow river dive to make sure my ear would work with me.

I was just wondering if anyone who may have had problems with her had any success.

Then you are way nicer than me. Your three sets of doubles is worth a fair bit of cash to you (or somebody) assuimng they are full 2 tanks/manifolds etc. per set and not just components. I would definitely suggest using the information that you already have top at the very least get your property back so that you can sell them on Ebay rather than buy them on Ebay from her.....you just never know these days.

 

[Primus67]

i gave up. i'm looking into legal action. jackie never returned any of my calls, her voicemail is now full and the instructor who said he'd contact me when the water warmed up had his phone disconnected.

mighty professional experience.

 

[RX8Bob]

Primus, who was the other person you tried to contact? And if it should come down to legal matters, please let me know. I have also considered filing against her. I will PM you my cell # if you like, give me a call and i'll let you know how far i've gotten. I've also talked with other people that have had issues and I may think it would be a class action suit. So if you file against her let me know i may be interested in joining it against her.