want to start

[senorgabriel]

ok im 15 and i want to start over the summer i live in florida and im realy near the beach but ne ways a scuba shop just opened up and i was wondering what i have to do to get started and if i have to buy gear and how much would it cost

 

[Bryan]

Hi Senorgabriel,

I just got started, too. My mask cost about $50, the fins cost about $120, the snorkel cost about $19, and the wetsuit booties cost about $25. Most of the other gear you'll need is provided by the diveshop as part of the course, but some shops charge extra for rental, I've heard.

I started to go the ebay route for some of my stuff and I was told its a good idea to buy your gear from your local dive shop, even if you can find it online cheaper, for the simple reason that the dive shop will stand behind what they sell you. Plus, you'll be getting new gear rather than someone's castoffs, which might have some flaw that is causing them to sell it.

Good luck, and I know you'll have fun! Please let us know when you get certified!

 

[ReefHound]

Well you'll need to start with parental permission. Stop by the shop with your parents/guardians and ask about the content of the course, classroom size, location for checkout dives, credentials of the instructor, the materials you need (typically mask/fins/snorkel plus books), how much it costs (all the costs), and any other questions any of you might have.

 

[Logiconor]

Speak with the dive shop thats just opened...
theyll know more about what they require than we will ;]

 

[herman]

Welcome to the board.
All you really have to do to get started is to walk in to the dive shop and sign up for an "open water" (OW) class....That's assuming your parents will sign for you. Better yet, get them to get certified with you (much much easier to get them to spring for new dive gear and dive trips if you get them hooked ). Some of my best dive buddies started diving because their kids wanted to learn to dive and they took the classes with them. The parents still dive, their kids don't.
The cost of the class varies quite a bit but somewhere in the $250-300 range is about what I would expect to pay around here. Most shops require you to buy your mask, fins and snorkel. They typically supply the rest for your training dives. What the M/F/S will cost you varies greatly but somewhere in the $150-200 range is typical. All the rest of the gear you can rent until you have the money to buy what you want. There is no need to buy it all at once. Dive for a while, see what you like and buy that.

 

[ReefHound]

I started to go the ebay route for some of my stuff and I was told its a good idea to buy your gear from your local dive shop, even if you can find it online cheaper, for the simple reason that the dive shop will stand behind what they sell you. Plus, you'll be getting new gear rather than someone's castoffs, which might have some flaw that is causing them to sell it.

Why do you assume Ebay = used? Nearly all online vendors are local dive shops somewhere and nearly all of them sell on Ebay under one name or another.

I would agree that beginners are best advised to avoid online purchases because they don't know enough to make proper selections and to weed out the good deals from the false economies. Just don't drink the dive shop Koolaid so blindly.

 

[CuriousRambler]

The best step is to get in touch with your dive shop. Ask if they give instruction and what kind. You'll want to get an Open Water certification to start with, it's pretty much the universal building block for any other courses you may be interested in later. You don't want to just go buy gear and jump in the water though, definitely talk to them and take the classes. There are quite a few threads already on beginning scuba diving, I'll see if I can dig up a couple for you real quick....Blah, I hate the search function on this board haha.

Anyway, this is a good place to learn a lot of information from a lot of experienced divers, but your local dive shop is definitely the best place to start asking questions.

 

[senorgabriel]

thx ill call them now

 

[Logiconor]

No Probemo

 

[senorgabriel]

ok how many dives do u need to to get a divers licence?