Some Questions

[ValiantLlamma]

I recently gained an interest in scuba diving. i have always loved the water, but for some reason, scuba had never really occurred to me until recently. i haven't dove yet, nor purchased any equip or had any training. So i have been trying to pick up whatever i can from reading the forums. I have some questions though.

1. I live in Seattle WA, so the water is fairly cold, and many times dark and murky. I was wondering about how thick should my wetsuit be? Also, would an underwater flashlight do any good in murky water, or is it just pointless do dive in that condition?

2. I am trying to figure out how much i would need to spend to get myself a decent setup (decent=something that won't break when i'm underwater and kill me), but i don't really know what i need exactly. I guess obviously a tank, suit, regulator(don't even know what it is, just seen them mentioned on tv and such). Or i get all these abreviations or initials of items. I think i saw BSC or something about a diving computer(not a clue what thats for or if i even need one.) Is their a website that would help me out in this predicament?

3. What is a fair price for scuba training? I've seen a few that run around $300. you get a about 5-7 pool dives, and 2-3 open water dives, plus a bunch of class time and "learning resources". The resources are $70!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Its like a dvd and some books.!!!! Does all this seem somewhere around what you paid (adjusting for inflation of course )


Thanks

 

[spectrum]

I'm on the other side of the country in Maine but there is a very active dive community in your regoin. That speaks volumes about what there is to see and do as as scuba diver.

1. I could give you answers about wetsuits and such but that will all come to you from reading here, in books and in your training if you decide to go forward. Lights and other accesories and techniques will allow you to enjoy safe diving in limited visbility. Some of the most astounding dives can be made at night in the dark!

2. I can see you are beginning to absorb some of the dive gear lingo. Keep reading and it will all come together for you. being a scubaboard junkie before starting my OW course was VERY helpful to me. Depending on your needs and what you get new gear will run about $2000. give or take $500. Used gear is also an option but be sure to have trusted guidance. Make sure any BC or regulator is profesionally serviced before taking it into the water. Becoming gear savvy is in many ways more challenging than getting certified.

3. You have a pretty accurate idea of the training steps and costs. The course fee may be give or take $100. for a group class.

Diving is a great sport that can stay with you for a lifetime. My only regret was not taking it 33 years earlier when I was your age. If you can't swing it now hold onto the dream.

Pete

 

[Storm]

I recently gained an interest in scuba diving. i have always loved the water, but for some reason, scuba had never really occurred to me until recently. i haven't dove yet, nor purchased any equip or had any training. So i have been trying to pick up whatever i can from reading the forums. I have some questions though.

1. I live in Seattle WA, so the water is fairly cold, and many times dark and murky. I was wondering about how thick should my wetsuit be? Also, would an underwater flashlight do any good in murky water, or is it just pointless do dive in that condition?

2. I am trying to figure out how much i would need to spend to get myself a decent setup (decent=something that won't break when i'm underwater and kill me), but i don't really know what i need exactly. I guess obviously a tank, suit, regulator(don't even know what it is, just seen them mentioned on tv and such). Or i get all these abreviations or initials of items. I think i saw BSC or something about a diving computer(not a clue what thats for or if i even need one.) Is their a website that would help me out in this predicament?

3. What is a fair price for scuba training? I've seen a few that run around $300. you get a about 5-7 pool dives, and 2-3 open water dives, plus a bunch of class time and "learning resources". The resources are $70!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Its like a dvd and some books.!!!! Does all this seem somewhere around what you paid (adjusting for inflation of course )


Thanks

Not to scare you off but the top end of cost in diving it limitless. She a money sucking mistress from which there's no escape . Once you're hooked you're done for so you might was well resign yourself to spending a fair bit of cash before you're trainned and set up gear wise but that will come over time, so you need not have to worry right from the start.

Now, if you still feel the itch and have to scratch, forget about buying gear. Go the local forum here for your area, and ask around in your local area as well for the training center with the ABSOLUTE BEST reputation (REGARDLESS OF AGENCY) for turning out competent divers.

Then go and talk to them about course options, and the entry level gear (fins, boot, mask, snorkel). You will learn about the rst of the gear on the course.

Now to your last point...DO NOT LET COURSE COST dictate where you get your training. Some shops have longer courses and higher costs, some shorter courses and lower costs. The quality of the shops training also depends on the instructor. Ask for references. IF there a local non dive shop affiliated dive club, ask them, they would be tuned into who's doing a good job and who's not.

The perfect combination (for me) wold be a shop with a slightly longer (yes it will cost more) and more detailed training plan, with a top notch instructor, and more confined and open water dives than the minimum...but that just me.

 

[scubafool]

First, if you haven't already, check out this thread. http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=153194 The basic intent of the thread is the same as Storm's last two paragraphs. I must say that I wholeheartedly agree, do a lot of research to find the best training available, then figure out how to pay for it. I know that, especially considering your age, the dollar amount is really important, but I encourage you to keep this in mind. I wish that my original training had been a little better.

As far as equipment goes, if you were to buy all of it at once, that would run into some serious money. Almost any instructor that you take a course with will require you to have mask, fins, snorkel. Some might require more. As far as a suit goes, I would imagine that the minimum that you will need is a 7 mil one piece. A 7 mil 2 piece might be warmer, but would require more weight to sink it. Gloves and a hood would also be nice. I imagine that if you continue to dive in your area you will end up in a drysuit, but that is considerably more expensive. The BC you mention is a bouyancy compensator, this piece of equipment helps you to get neutrally bouyant so that you can "float" at whatever depth you are in the water. You don't need a computer to start out with, learn the basics of using the dive tables and your depth gauge and bottom tables to start with, and worry about a computer later.

And BTW, I love your username. ValiantLamma, that is cracking me up.

 

[jbd]

On scubaboard, seek out the one known as NWGrateful Diver. Travel may be involved, but you can't go wrong with Bob.

 

[Scuba Brunski]

You might wanna visit my webspace. There's lots of links to websites about scubadiving ( http://scubabrunski1972.spaces.live.com ), but that just might confuse you more.

Go to some local dive centres in your area, and fire all your questions at them. As for where to learn diving and how much it costs, maybe you can pursuade your parents to go somewhere warm on the next family holliday and check out the dive centres over there and compare them with what you found out at the dive centres near your home. You might want to consider doing the theory and pool sessions near your home, and do the OW dives at a holliday destination. Usually these "warm" locations don't have murky water, and the water is comfortable enough not to mind the temperature. As for how good their equipment is, I guess any parent is paranoid enough to see for him/herself whether equipments looks serviced enough or worn out.

 

[ValiantLlamma]

Not to scare you off but the top end of cost in diving it limitless. She a money sucking mistress from which there's no escape . Once you're hooked you're done for so you might was well resign yourself to spending a fair bit of cash before you're trainned and set up gear wise but that will come over time, so you need not have to worry right from the start.

Yea, i have had a litle experience with that. My dad and i both ride road bikes and we have been introduced to the whole concept of poring vast amounts of money into something, so it ways less or goes faster, etc. So i will just have to use some judgement and go with what seems to work, without spending too much, or being too cheap.

And BTW, I love your username. ValiantLamma, that is cracking me up.

MUHAHA Thanks!!!!

Go to some local dive centres in your area, and fire all your questions at them. As for where to learn diving and how much it costs, maybe you can pursuade your parents to go somewhere warm on the next family holliday and check out the dive centres over there and compare them with what you found out at the dive centres near your home. You might want to consider doing the theory and pool sessions near your home, and do the OW dives at a holliday destination. Usually these "warm" locations don't have murky water, and the water is comfortable enough not to mind the temperature. As for how good their equipment is, I guess any parent is paranoid enough to see for him/herself whether equipments looks serviced enough or worn out.

My family and I are actually planning our first trip to somewhere farther away than california. Probably hawaii. Thats what got me interested in Scuba. I wanted to get totally trained and everything that is required done, so that when we get there, its all just for fun. I have heard about training at home, and then getting certified while on vacation, but i think i'd rather be ready before i go, unless there is a benefit of being certified on vacation.

 

[ScubaCatgirl]

Yea, i have had a litle experience with that. My dad and i both ride road bikes and we have been introduced to the whole concept of poring vast amounts of money into something, so it ways less or goes faster, etc. So i will just have to use some judgement and go with what seems to work, without spending too much, or being too cheap.

MUHAHA Thanks!!!!

My family and I are actually planning our first trip to somewhere farther away than california. Probably hawaii. Thats what got me interested in Scuba. I wanted to get totally trained and everything that is required done, so that when we get there, its all just for fun. I have heard about training at home, and then getting certified while on vacation, but i think i'd rather be ready before i go, unless there is a benefit of being certified on vacation.

This is how I felt when I first took my open water course. And remember, if you can dive your area with the murky conditions, low visability & colder water...then you can dive anywhere.

With that said, and as other's have mentioned before, many, many, many of us wish we had started our training & diving much earlier in our lives. It's become a great passion to us. Go take the course, find out if you like it & go from there.

All that is needed for equipment right now is the mask, fins, snorkel. You can rent the other where ever you go diving. Granted, the extra rental will cost you some, but an initial outlay for ALL your gear will run you around $2,000.00 to $3,000.00 as mentioned above. I bought my equipment slowly & over time so it didn't kill my bank account. Just this year, I finally own all my gear & I've been diving since 2002.

So don't let this intial outlay of cash sway you. As far as course cost. Padi Book $159.00. Class itself $70.00 - $80.00 & then the cost of your open water dive weekend. Depends on your LDS, whether you pay them for the entire weekend or you stay at a hotel, eat out & pay the lds in that area....usually runs anywhere from $160.00 to $250.00 depending on how they conduct their ow dives.

Have fun!!!

 

[mred]

There are LOTS of people who dive in and around Seattle ... The ones I know who dive there, wear Dry Suits, NOT wet suits ... the bad news is that dry suits are nearly 10 times as expensive as wet suits ... the good news, is they keep you warmer and are not as bulky ... BUT then you will learn all about that while getting your training. You are fortunate to live near any kind of water at all, even realitively cold water. So you have the option to just go out on a saturday and hop in the water... If I want to go diving, depending on the time of year, I have either a four hour drive, or a four hour flight to the nearest acceptable water.

The other good news, is from Seattle there are direct flights to Hawaii ... now there you will find warm water to greet you ......... go for it. You will never regret it!

 

[rongoodman]

I think 3 or 4 times more expensive is more accurate than 10, especially if you're talking about wetsuits adequate for Seattle waters. It sounds like Seattle is a great place to learn to dive, with a very supportive community.