Waning SCUBA Participation

[TMHeimer]

I certainly can't disagree when I so often read about shop closures. I have often mentioned that the shop where I DMd here always seemed to have full OW courses (almost all weekends March-early Dec.), and that the majority of students I met were young--20-30. I don't know how many of them continued to dive regularly because most of my own diving was 50 miles from the usual local sites. But I've heard that there is a big problem with people just taking OW and doing a few dives to check something off on their bucket list.
In the U.S. the 5 or 6 shops I have patronized seem to all be doing OK financially, with the exception of one on the FL panhandle that closed up over a decade ago.

 

[ScubaWithTurk]

@ScubaWithTurk

Tone? I can't tell how you are listening. Just trying to stick with the facts. Rarely are you able to take dreams to the bank.

The FACTS are - the scuba biz in the USA is in decline and the decline is severe. The decline is reflected in the losses that Johnson Outdoors breaks out for their diving segment - ScubaPro. JOUT is a publicly traded company and their financials may be taken at face value. There are no other sources I know of that serve as a reliable proxy for the dive industry's health. Perhaps you have more reliable sources?

Me? I have a few friends in the scuba biz and they relate; 1- declining sales, 2- fewer customers, 3- profits turning to losses. All compounded by manufacturers entering the direct to consumer channel.

The industry - like golf and skiing - has lower participation, lower sales, decreased profitability. Notwithstanding this fact, some players within the industry will prosper.

It's easy to make suggestions as to what might make the industry more attractive to new participants - especially when a persons capital is not at risk.

We have a saying in the USA, 'whistling past the graveyard'.

In the USA, fewer - divers, shops, charters, companies - will ultimately equate to a better environment for those that are able to survive and prosper with few dollars spent in the scuba industry. Right now? Too many folks chasing too few dollars.

I am a US citizen so I know well the quotes and the dive scene.

I am not sure why you seem so hostile. I, nor anyone here, has argued the scuba business isn't in decline. This entire thread is about how it IS in the decline.

As far as making suggestions, an internet message board is for just that, discussing ideas and thoughts. Could one of those lead to something that helps the industry? I do not know but it is possible. As far as capital being at risk, no one risks capital without first discussing the ideas and plans with either friends, family or business partners. The real world version of a message board. But maybe that point is lost on you.

I merely wanted to figure out what you were trying to state, hence my question. No need to be abrasive.

 

[boulderjohn]

The dive shop for which I used to work and still have a working relationship had a record year in all departments last year. That shop has existed for 30 years. The decline does not seem to be consistent throughout the country.

 

[J-Vo]

I think an individual LDS closing is more a factor of bad management and failure to adapt to the modern economy. For a long time the growth in participation may have been able to compensate for these issues, but that no longer exists on top of shoppers being more price savvy in general. Do we really need an LDS on every block in Denver, CO? Maybe these owners should quit competing and consolidate? Either way this thread was intended to be about participation, not financial viability of the LDS or industry.

What is the hold up? Many other sports have a much higher cost of entry, so I really don't think its economics.

 

[abnfrog]

absolutely @jvogt good business models are just good business as a whole , the cream as they say rises to the top , for years here instructors just say to themselves im an instructor I should own a dive shop . they don't get they need to be a businessman/women first THEN an instructor ...the stores around here that close just have a flawed business model . the drop out factor is just is part of your planning and target market .

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Scuba has always grown very slowly historically. At first it grew because the only way was up. Yes the TV shows helped for sure, but even then not everybody was cut out to be a diver.
It was also a different time, things were simpler then. You can even see by the plot lines in Sea Hunt as an example of what was produced and considered “high adventure”. Nowdays children's cartoons have more drama and suspense.

Now days there are so many other distractions in life. There are numerous more hobby activities that didn’t really exist back then. Money is tighter, just the cost of living and getting by is a lot higher.
Back then you had rabbit ears on your TV and one phone in the house.
Now there is cable or satelite or internet or all the above, and a lot devices, video games, etc.
The cost of housing and mortgage/rent is astronomical. All this takes away from hobby money and time.
People are also less physical. I see many young people who just look physically soft. Rigorous physical activity is going out and more brainy thinky sedintary activities are taking it’s place.

Scuba is also expensive in this day and age.
Back in the day all you needed was a tank strapped to your back or maybe on a simple backpack, a single reg; either a double hose or single hose, mask, fins, wetsuit, weightbelt. If it was warm water even less.
You saw It on Sea Hunt, that was pretty much how it was.

Now it’s a $600+ BC, $200 fins, $400-$800 full regs set, $2000-$3000 drysuit, and a computer from $300 to over 1K, plus a bunch of other “mandatory” gear.
So now what is considered “standard gear” is way more than anything from back then, both in cost and quantity.

No wonder the sport is in decline.
Too much.

 

[Ojai Diver]

Anybody ever read William Finnegan's excellent memoir Barbarian Days, about growing up during the early days of surfing?

He writes about his youth, sure, but he is also writing about a sport and way of life that no longer exists. This was in the early 1960's before surfing became an international commercial extravaganza with everybody and their brother learning to surf, and once obscure surf spots became well known and trod by the (every growing) world populace.

We should be glad that Scuba remains a niche sport, or we'd be slicing each other's air hoses and leaving Locals Only! graffiti at dive sites.

 

[J-Vo]

[QUOTE=".....Scuba is also expensive in this day and age......"[/QUOTE]

Yes, but no more than other sports.

I just finished kitting up for full Trimix certification. I now have 12/13 tanks of various sizes, two side mount rigs, a back mount rig, 7 reg sets, can light, 3 backup lights, 4 pair of fins, and all the other accessories. All of that equipment cost less than my new mountain bike. Add in the training and we may be a little higher. Now all that equipment could last me a lifetime. I buy a new mountain bike every 3 years due to the old one being worn out.

I know not everyone has my means, but total budget is relative. Why are people choosing other activities?

 

[abnfrog]

just life , its hard to commit to ones significant others now let alone a hobby for 10 or more years ,

 

[kelemvor]

.....Scuba is also expensive in this day and age......

Yes, but no more than other sports.

I just finished kitting up for full Trimix certification. I now have 12/13 tanks of various sizes, two side mount rigs, a back mount rig, 7 reg sets, can light, 3 backup lights, 4 pair of fins, and all the other accessories. All of that equipment cost less than my new mountain bike. Add in the training and we may be a little higher. Now all that equipment could last me a lifetime. I buy a new mountain bike every 3 years due to the old one being worn out.

I know not everyone has my means, but total budget is relative. Why are people choosing other activities?

Sure there are other sports where you can spend insane amounts of money. You must be buying $20-$30k bikes every couple years. Aviation might be even more expensive. I can think of few sports or hobbies that match those three in costs. Scuba is not the most expensive hobby in the world there is no doubt but it's far, very far, from being inexpensive. I only do maybe 50 dives a year and I probably put close to $10k/year in associated costs. Other hobbies of mine, even amateur radio, computers, and firearms were all far less expensive. In the case of firearms, I was shooting 3-5 days a week every week all year and I spent about half what I spend on scuba.