Setting up a GVRD dive club

[DaleC]

I floated the idea last year about forming a regional group but the consensus at that time was that the SB format (discussing dives and linking up via the board) was working well. The Chilliwack club works well for us out in the valley and I am sure, if anyone was interested, we could link up our activities with individuals in the GVRD. We're a friendly bunch.

I will say I hear VJ's concern about keeping track of all the different tangents down here and I have been working on creating a site that collects the data and presents links updates etc... as well as relevant articles and interviews. I hadn't mentioned it yet as I am still considering the best format but it is in the works.

 

[vjanelle]

I'm just thinking a website and convincing Royse, Diedre, Henry, etc etc to post their trips to it, and setting up something so that people can organize and promote their dive trip ideas here, along with a user search.

I googled "starting a dive club" and got something about $20 and a 3 ring binder with noise about bylaws, etc. I agree you only really need them if the club owns things, and given that a club won't really need to buy a compressor and fill station or boat here... Don't really need something other than a location to meet and people to meet with.

While I like scuba board, it makes for a ****ty user experience to arrange meets/trips with.

 

[Sintax604]

The trouble with having a regular dive club (and the reason that I don't currently publicize our weekly dives) is that there are very few local sites that have enough parking for large groups of divers. With the exception of Whytecliff, Porteau and Ansell you'd have trouble accommodating more than 4 cars worth of divers at any given time and risk upsetting people who live in the area if you bring more.

I'm 100% in favor of a more organized buddy finding system/club but we'll have to tread carefully.

 

[vjanelle]

One of the things I'm more interested in though is collective bargaining, but I don't know how much people here are buying gear.

 

[DaleC]

A few of us just went through that process with lights; getting a break on the price for buying in bulk.

 

[DaleC]

To add:

There are some benefits to a club and some drawbacks I have found so far.

Some benefits are that it is easier to organize events like chamber visits, charters, inservices and trips. Being an outlying member (not attending meetings etc...) would still be a benefit in this regard. In the last year or so our club has done a couple of Nanaimo trips, Campbell river trips, a "save a dive" and chamber inservice and has members planning future Port Hardy, Alder Bay, Guadaloupe (sp?) GWS cage diving, Nanaimo and Pavillion lake trips. Also, there are a lot of social things that go on as well (not really my thing).

Some negatives are that clubs can try to become restrictive (with diving rules etc...) and can become dominated by a few personalities. They can also have a lot of non active (or tropical vacation) divers who try to "relive" the glory days and poo poo the younger, gung ho local folk. Clubs can also promise a lot but come up short on delivery. That was a problem with a previous club that some of us belonged to and something that some of us now keep trying to push with the current club. The success/failure of events depends, to a great degree, on someone just stepping up and get'nerdun and clubs tend to have an ebb flow as the worker bees come and go.

 

[TheWetRookie]

I hope you don't mind but I am going diving

 

[DaleC]

If you must... but where's the fun in that?

 

[vjanelle]

Well, my other option is to make a social media site for diving and let you guys form your own groups inside of it.

 

[sunkmail]

Well, my other option is to make a social media site for diving and let you guys form your own groups inside of it.

How about this - Vancouver Area Scuba MeetUp Group (SMUG's) (Burnaby, BC) - Meetup.com

It is a place where people can post messages, trips, events, and jusdt for fun dives. Free to sign up, and quite cheap for a yearly dues to the site that runs everything (Meetup.com)

MeetUp is also good for anyone that wants to get out and do things - lots of hiking, climbing, social, vacation, education, artistic ....... groups available to join, if you're interested.

I'm sure Clarke (the guy running this group) would be happy to get a few more members - there aren't too many of us yet. I think the number of 'assistant organisers' can be quite large, or possibly unlimited, allowing people to post their own events. (ie, I quite often post when I'm heading out to the Annapolis to see if anyone is interested.)

Thoughts?