Scuba...the "rich man's" sport

[Jim Lapenta]

Scuba is like golf, it can be for the rich and for the not so rich. However, rich golf and poor golf are two different things --- playing at Doral country club for 200 bucks a round using Callaway Clubs isn't the same as playing at a public course for 20 a round using hand-me-down clubs. But a person can have fun and satisfaction doing both...rich isn't necessarily better.

It also depends on how dedicated one is to the sport. The wealthy can afford to have many hobbies. A poorer person can dive, but may not be able to do much else. Thus, a poor diver tends to be an avid diver. I suspect wealthy divers, like wealthy pilots, have more accidents. The rich can afford to dabble in things like scuba and flying, sports where dabbling may not be enough to be safe.

I dive at local quarries where the cost is 5 dollars per day entrance fee and 5 dollars for each air fill. The people there are of modest means and dive every weekend, even ice diving there on the winter weekends. Being a former surgeon, I also have friends who wouldn't be caught dead in a quarry, preferring to hop on a plane to the Caymans when they have the urge to get wet. To me, I like diving, I don't care where it is or who it is with, just as I love to golf, no matter whether it's on a club course or a pitch and putt.

I've been lucky in life and can afford to travel to places like Aruba or the Keys four or five times a year, but I still like the local diving.

I love your handle doc. Really cool . But is it why you are a former surgeon?:11:
As for the question, I've got about 12 grand in gear and training since july of 04. But I also rent cheap from my fiance's mom, I work two jobs plus the dive shop where I get paid in air and discounts. Is it a rich man's sport? It can be but so are cars. I've seen kids who put those spinner rims on their vehicle and I know some of those are 500-1000 each! Where are they getting their cash? It all depends on your priorities and needs.

 

[TheRedHead]

I truly do not think this is a rich man's sport.
I race cars and it is a drop in the bucket by comparison.

Many of the divers are I run into traveling and diving are spending from $10 to $30K per year. Just one liveaboard plus air for 2 divers can easily run $6,000. It adds up quickly.

 

[FunkyDiver]

When my brother talked me into scuba, I didn't think too much about. But then the costs just kept mounting from the day I signed up. My son and I both got certified which definitely is an eye-opener paying for 2 people! I ended up buying all my own gear which definitely is expensive. But now that I have it, it sure is nice. But my son is going to have to rent for awhile. Although I might get him a reg and BC for now. Being as he is 16, I anticipate him still growing some more, so I think a wetsuit is out for him for now. Anyway, as others have already stated, it is initially a very expensive sport, but I'm convinced that you could pay big bucks learning to knit if you wanted the most ergonomical knitting needles, comfortable chair, light that doesn't strain your eye after long periods etc.....

BTW, I am very happy we learned and got ceritified! My only regret is that I didn't do it a long time ago when one of my friends tried to convince me to do it.

Happy diving!

 

[cerich]

You should repeat this poll in single divers only show what they pick. The singles may find it usefull....

 

[k4man]

you forgot to think about those who work in the profession of scuba.... so there needs to be a "less than your neighbourhood paper boy" option in your list....

 

[k4man]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....

Let me check..............

Primary job= high school teacher

Part Time job= shop monkey/scuba instrctor

Location= South end of Florida

Conclusion= pretty much broke

Thanks, from one HS teacher to another!!

 

[RonFrank]

It USED to be a rich man's sport even if those doing it were not rich.

I looked into getting certified back in the early 80's. At that time a low end regulator cost about $500 if memory serves. To put this in perspective, my Honda Prelude (one of their Top of the line cars) had a sticker price of $5500 at that time.

Considering that a similar car today runs around $30,000, in terms of todays money that $500 regulator would now cost $2700. These numbers maybe a bit off as it was a LONG time ago, but manufacturing, CAD design, increased market and other factors have resulted in gear costs going way down.

So the real question is, why are cars so damn expensive!!

Another way to look at this is..... how does scuba compare to other hobbies. Hang out with some guys who are into racing, rebuilding classic cars, or even just riding Harleys!

These guys may spend more on ONE part then an entire set of gear runs. I've found this to be a great argument pro scuba with the wife!

 

[Fastmarc]

Let me put it in perspective.

There are many people on earth that do not even have enough to feed themselves or their families...........

It is a 'rich mans' sport whatever we think, say or believe. Compared to many, we are lucky enough to have time and money to pursue our sport and passion.

True..................

 

[wallacm]

Full time college student and part time worker = very very poor. The money that I do get from work is spent keeping my car running to get me to dive sites, and dive trips/gear/training.

 

[Charlie99]

not a rich mans sport, but like anything you can make it one all depends on all suff you wanna buy

Very true. It wasn't a very expensive sport until I started doing multiple trips per year to tropical dive spots. And then bought a condo in Maui. :banana: