Should a Dive Op charge you for rental gear in the case of your own gear failure?

[Angelo Farina]

It looks as a MK5 clone, not an original Scubapro.
Possibly an Oceanic, as already suggested.
If it leaks by the small hole in the center of the seat holder, the fault is definiyely related to the seat. Just unscrew the holder and replace the seat (easily available on the Internet) and test it again.

 

[TMHeimer]

I never carried a spare reg on a charter boat. I dive regularly so figured mine would work, or I'd pay for the boat's spare (to be honest, I never really thought of any of that). I do carry my pony reg. in the car as a spare as do do almost all shore diving.

 

[Scared Silly]

Ok, thanks for the feedback, I'm out of line on this one.

Appreciate the comments.

I would not say you were out of line, but you had the wrong expectations. Regardless you stepped up, asked the question, got responses, and went from there.

 

[gamon]

The knob is stamped Oceanic (just noticed that when I checked it again) and I recall purchasing an Oceanic 1st stage 2-3 years ago from a regulator tech who has serviced several of my regulators. He sells them fully serviced and I hadn't done anything to the regulator since I received it.

Thanks for the repair suggestions but I'm not going to mess with it, this one's off to the regular tech.

 

[Couv]

Either:
The seat retainer is not screwed down all the way.
The seat retainer seal is compromised. Size -015
The hp seat seal is compromised. Size -013

All easy to remedy if you choose to do so by removing the seat retainer.

 

[JahJahwarrior]

If you rent, you just pay the rental fee. If they loan you something, your tip should be atleast double the rental fee. We can argue about the % all day long, but tipping generously at that point is just kind of common sense. If they didn't have a spare, you'd have been sitting on the boat all day, and it's not their job to bring spares for you.

If you don't want to do that, then buy a second reg to keep around. Bet it costs more than tipping.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

It's always been my understanding that most if not all boat dive ops carry spare gear, primarily regulators to lend to divers if they experience a gear malfunction.

Yesterday I was diving with Pura Vida divers and my first stage crapped out on me. That small hole on the top of the regulator made a popping sound and gas was hissing out of the regulator. I believe this to be a failure of the overexpansion valve o-ring but I'm not a regulator tech. But I digress.. my regulator was not usable.

The boat crew lent me a spare regulator that they keep on the boat and all was good. On the afternoon dive we switched to their other boat and I explained my regulator situation to the crew of the second boat. They said since we had the time I should go to the shop and get a regulator there, so they'd still have the spare on the boat for another diver if needed.

I did as requested, but ultimately was charged for the regulator rental (which would not have happened if I used the spare on the boat).

It was always my feeling that there isn't a charge in situations such as this, and it isn't the best customer service experience to pay for a rental when your own gear fails on a boat dive.

Thoughts?

I do have an opinion but since I was on both of the charters with you Saturday I will refrain from commenting.

 

[Storker]

You use it, you pay the rental...

Bottom line. /thread.

My gear is my responsibility. If I need to use some others' gear, that's on me. If the available gear is a rental, I pay the rent.

 

[Storker]

I never carried a spare reg on a charter boat. I dive regularly so figured mine would work

I hardly ever dive with commercial ops. On any dive, the onus is on me to have working gear. If I havent, I sit out the dive. If I'm diving with a commercial op and they provide gear, I pay the rent for that gear.

 

[gamon]

I do have an opinion but since I was on both of the charters with you Saturday I will refrain from commenting.

I remember, you were sitting across from us towards the front of the boat, you were diving side mount.

You're still allowed to comment even though you were physically present.

Sorry I held you and everyone else up while I swapped out my nonworking 1st stage with my spare non working 1st stage.