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

[Carribeandiver]

For those living close to the shore, diving is inexpensive - air refills and transportation for the short trips. This, of course, is once you get past the initial gear hit. Like plot, I spent around $3000 for my gear and OW course. I since added a few things but nothing major - lights (that's torches for you English and Irish guys), TSA locks, 2nd mask, knife, misc parts)
Unfortunately, after making some carribean dive trips, the Florida panhandle just aint good enough for me anymore. Now I have to spend bucks to dive because my criteria includes ONLY warm water that has at least 80 feet vis. But then again, $1500 is really inexpensive for a week long trip to an exotic island that includes lodging, meals and diving. And $1500 can get me to a long list of dive spots, when I complete that, then I may be in trouble but until then, nah,, diving aint too expensive. Consider that for $6000 I can have 4 week long dive trips in a beautiful setting. Then compare that to an avid Golfer who spends $100 or more per round to play on his local course. I promise an avid golfer will play 50 rounds per year and that equals $5000 to hang around his local course. I think diving offers a better value.

 

[LowVizWiz]

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.

Well put Meng_Tze!

It's all about perspective... Although I wouldn't consider myself financially wealthy, having any money to spend on diving makes me rich next to the guy living under the expressway. It also makes me appreciate that much more what I have been blessed with.

Wys.

 

[Stu S.]

You divers are right... the cost of a sport depends on where you live. No $100 golf rounds for me. Orlando' s home course, Dubsdread, is going to cost me $17 this afternoon. It's a lot like diving. If played correctly, it involves walking about four miles. Good golf requires conditioning, judgement, coordination, PRACTICE, and following the rules.

Both sports provide opportunities to meet people and make friends.

Yesterday's dive at Blue Springs State Park cost me a four dollar air fill. A two-tank dive over at Jupiter is $50. Big bucks? Not really, but I feel rich anyway.

 

[Crazy Fingers]

It's as cheap as you want it to be. I have seen specials to get certified for $99. After you fight off the shop owner, who will be mad that you don't want to buy gear, you can get used stuff so cheap it would blow your mind... if you know where to look. Most people who have dove for years have tons of stuff and don't mind practically giving it away to people they know.

I would say that you could get everything done for less than $300, if you really had to. You'll just be stuck beach diving and looking like a walking junkyard.

 

[Stu S.]

It's as cheap as you want it to be. I have seen specials to get certified for $99. After you fight off the shop owner, who will be mad that you don't want to buy gear, you can get used stuff so cheap it would blow your mind... if you know where to look. Most people who have dove for years have tons of stuff and don't mind practically giving it away to people they know.

I would say that you could get everything done for less than $300, if you really had to. You'll just be stuck beach diving and looking like a walking junkyard.

That's right Crazy, and it ain't all junk. Our state is packed with discount, close-out, and excellent used equipment. My pal knew a diving couple who had a baby on the way. He bought nice Scubapro gear at something like twenty-five cents on the dollar. I believe it was more than $300, though. Everyone was happy.

Many people pull out the credit card when the C-card goes in the wallet. It does not have to be that way.

 

[underachiever]

Depends on what you might compare it against. (SAY, another hobbie, camping-motor home or RV, Motorcycle riding, boating and sking, or fishing w/boat.) In my opinion fishing or camping could be a rich man sport. Time you by the boart or camper and something to pull it with.

Just depends on how you look at it. The wife and I decided this past March to get into scuba to potentially have something we enjoy doing together. All of our stuff has been new but we have shopped and made deals with our LDS on most stuff. The serviceable stuff anyway. Neither of us have any regrets on the money it took to get started. All of of diving so far has been in the Keys (drivable) and we are lookin at other areas a little up the east Fl. coast. A little closer. and most likely we will be headed to an island or 2 next year.

You gotta vacation somewhere.

 

[Bryan]

It's not too bad... there is the initial equipment purchase to contend with, but you can do that bit by bit, and rent as you go. One doesn't *have* to buy top of the line at first

Once you're set up, you just have air fills as your only consumable. If you are lucky enough to live near a divesite, you don't even have dive travel expenses.

Cheaper than getting set up to play golf

 

[akscuba]

So, I'm also one of those (relatively) poor grad students, and I concur with most others that getting started in scuba is totally doable on a small budget.

Here's what I wonder though--how doable is it on a small budget if you want to be more than an occasional diver (and be a safe diver)?

The more one dives (and reads scubaboard), the more one realizes that to be safe, you need to have many things in addition to a "standard" scuba kit: an SMB, a dive knife, an environmentally sealed reg, a pony bottle (with another reg, of course!), dive sheers, and of course, more training....(the list goes on...)

The truth is that it isn't too bad to get certified and get basic gear for a fairly reasonable price, but if you don't want to get all the extra stuff AND you want to be a safe diver, then you then are fairly limited on where you dive. Of course it's possible to do really deep dives in kelp forests or shipwrecks or in lots of current without any of the gear I just mentioned, but you're playing with your safety and your life if you do that.

It's not just the initial costs of scuba that make it so expensive, it's all of the unexpected "hidden" ones, including what I mentioned above, and bungee (to necklace your secondary) or another hose (for your primary) plus everything that goes in your save a dive kit. These things don't cost much individually, but they add up REALLY fast.

I think what really makes scuba a rich man's sport is that it is a sport in which you pretty much take your life into your own hands. To do that, you have to take a lot of safety precautions. Many people with less money who can't afford to do that are not going to scuba as an attractive option.

 

[k4man]

Thanks again for all the input!

 

[serambin]

The average diver wasn't included in the survey because he coudn't afford the 3.75 for the mag.

P.S. Love the Dali, I have a signed one in my dining room.

Stan