What is the fundamental reason that prevents scuba diving from becoming popular?

[boulderjohn]

Some related thinking....

Years ago in the same area, I learned that there were many last minute cancellations because so many people did not show up. They did not show up because there were so many cancellations that they had learned to sign up for several dives and then go with one that actually ran.

When I was working on my Trimix certification, my instructor and I got on a boat I had used many times in the past and had had many cancellations in that past. There was only one other diver on the boat that day, so since I knew the instructor went free, I asked him why the boat was running when they normally would have canceled. He said he was pretty sure that it was because the boat was getting a bad reputation for last minute cancellations, and people were starting to avoid it altogether.

There really has to be a better system than the game of dive charter roulette we are playing now.

 

[Wibble]

Simple: you say you pay — or find a substitute.

And pay a 50% deposit at the time of booking.

 

[Bigbella]

From the other end. Friday afternoon I take off early from work. Load up the boat and drag it 3 hours north. I fill it with fuel for the weekend and put it in the water. I wake up saturday morning to someone canceling the charter. Now what?
That is why I charge half of the charter 90 days out and the rest due at completion.
I totally understand being able to cancel at any time, but there is also someone trying to run a business on the other end.

This also goes a bit up the food chain, these last few years.

During the covidiocy, I flew some six times, primarily for work and some fun. Of those times, five flights were suddenly cancelled or rescheduled; so the subsequent connecting flights were also either cancelled or rescheduled.

Meeting up with a Florida dive boat was truly the last of my priorities (though I did call them), when I had little idea whether or if I would ever escape Wilmington; or see my luggage again . . .

 

[boulderjohn]

Simple: you say you pay — or find a substitute.

And pay a 50% deposit at the time of booking.

I am still not happy with the coercive nature of a system that will drive a diver who is feeling ill into doing a dive he should not do.

 

[Blackcrusader]

I have strong opinions about this, but this thread is probably not the place to go into them.

Well perhaps not many non divers reading these threads? It seems the deceased had also been nibbled on by a Tiger Shark. It was not a shark attack caused death. Deaths are part and parcel of all activities. I live in the mountains and know only one other person with a dive certificate but he hasn't dived in years.

 

[El Diablo]

My dive buddy is in Egypt on a LOB and today just saw a deceased divers body being retrieved. Maybe too many dead diver stories put people off.

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Without wanting to be mean, in many 'exotic' destinations, divers are seen like 'cash making sheeps'... when I dove the Thiselgorm 15 years ago, we had OWD going well beyond their certification limits. I remeber those two girls run out of air almost immediately after reaching the wreck. The DM left a bunch of us waiting at 30m (!) to accompany them back to the surface. I was quite surprised no one drowned as pretty soon, we all had low air just from sitting there at depth.

 

[El Diablo]

Yeah, that's absolute horsescheiß.

My niece is taking up diving at CSU and we've been helping her navigate the challenge of a "death by a thousand cuts" of the local dive shops, who insisted upon showing her, within the first five minutes, a 2500.00 titanium regulator, kept behind glass, like a Faberge egg, while she looked, for a moment, what the Japanese call, boketto (sort of zombified); and who reacted with obvious disappointment when she mentioned that she already had a regulator, given to her for her recent college acceptance. My brother and I, both of whom dive, got her suited up for less than twenty precent of what the California shops were offering, by looking out of state and online.

Sadly, it almost takes a preexisting knowledge of the gear; its workings, and what is actually required, to avoid being screwed. I would think that SB could be a valuable resource, as a result.

If anyone truly wishes to know what the fundamental reason that prevents scuba diving from becoming popular, it's the "take it up the greaser" business model that you faced and the mentality of today's local dive shop -- little else . . .

I wouldn't put ALL dive stores in that lame category just because of some bade experience. Like with car dealers, motorcycle dealers, restaurants, etc., there are bad businesses and good ones.

I know the next comment is a little 'machista' but perhaps this happened because she is a girl? From what I remember, my friends and I had consumed quite a few catalogs before entering the dive store to buy our own gear and we pretty much knew what we wanted and at what budget...

Also, today we have social media to quickly 'reward' or 'punish" good and / or bad service. Back then we used fax...

 

[El Diablo]

Yep. Priorities. I was certified in 2016. Met a guy who became a great buddy in 2017 for a while. I’m 53 now and he’s 5-6 years older than I am Really a natural at diving. Kept saying he wanted to dive a famous deep wreck. I always rolled my eyes since other stuff had priority and he never dived very much. I’d be surprised if he had 100 dives. Anyway tells me the other day he’s getting back in shape, etc. I don’t think he’s dived at all for the past 4 years. I told him if he’s really serious about it, he has to make it a priority. Dive his brains out. Going to have to go CCR for this goal. I just hope he doesn’t end up moving so fast and having an accident.

Although 4 years is not a huge amount of time, due to his limited experience, I would suggest to take a refreshment course and also practice in similar conditions (if possible). Shipwrecks tend to have current, lack of visibility, marine life, etc. Just to avoid any unnecessary scares

 

[El Diablo]

I understand those situations, maybe there are better ways to keep visitors and locals happy.

Doesn't affect me anymore, but still remember getting to the boat early ready to go, with the internal happiness that only an imminent dive can provide, gear is set so you wait, and wait. Underway time comes and goes, Captain decides to wait longer because being visitors maybe they got lost, sure there's so many side roads out of the ONE main road in that town.
The internal happiness becomes annoyance, soon after you get the news the trip is cancel because those divers aren't going to show up, and the POS shop/charter has nothing more to say.... oh yeah good times.

Stupid practice IMO. The dive store is responsible to charge cancellation fees and ensure you go out as programed. This way, not only they lost the 'theoretical' income from the cancellation but they are also risking you and the rest of the geared up divers waiting (im)patiently on the boat...

I believe in some instances, the dive store should absorb the damage and see it as mid-long term relationship building (AKA Marketing). A Ford Mustang must consume more fuel than a 40 ft dive boat anyway...

 

[Angelo Farina]

I wouldn't put ALL dive stores in that lame category just because of some bade experience. Like with car dealers, motorcycle dealers, restaurants, etc., there are bad businesses and good ones.

I know the next comment is a little 'machista' but perhaps this happened because she is a girl? From what I remember, my friends and I had consumed quite a few catalogs before entering the dive store to buy our own gear and we pretty much knew what we wanted and at what budget...

Also, today we have social media to quickly 'reward' or 'punish" good and / or bad service. Back then we used fax...

I think that most of these problems arise from the shop-based approach. In many countries, people who approach diving do not go to shops, they go to clubs or to diving schools. These are no profit organizations, they do not sell anything, just the annual association fee. Instructors are unpaid volunteers, the club owns a lot of equipment which is provided free for students, and then rented to associates for a minimal fee.
So the beginner has no big upfront cost. The club environment is very good for girls, they are highly welcome and treated with respect and helpfullness. Many volunteer instructors in clubs are female.
I see that all these problems for beginners are less evident in places where diving clubs are active, and shops are used just in the rare case you are in hurry to buy something and you cannot wait a couple of days for online purchase.