What should families do with gear?

[Isaac-1]

This may not be the best place to post this, but I could not find anywhere better on scubaboard. As I have been reading through the assorted accident reports tonight, a thought came into my head regarding my own mortality, and potential of dying in some form of accident, particularly a diving accident, although the same thought applies to a lesser degree to being hit by a drunk driver, etc. The thought is what would I want my family to do with my scuba gear (not so much the stuff I was wearing at the time, but the spare regulators, computers, BCD's, tanks, and compressors, along with all those other trivial items like lights,knives, etc.). I suspect trying to sell them off a little at a time on ebay might bring in some money, but also know they would not want all the reminders of me such a process would involve. Better yet would be to leave instructions for them to donate it to a good cause, but who and where, and how? Maybe post a message here on scubaboard in the classified section, free to whoever picks it up first, that would be better than leaving it to rot in a shed, even then it does not seem right. What are your thoughts, and what would you like to have done with your own gear, particularly those of you like me that have a fair amount of gear, but no so much to be a major financial issue.

thanks Ike

 

[Sas]

I'd never thought about that til now, interesting point... I would probably want it split between friends who are divers. I.e. if someone needs a computer they can have the computer and so on. My assets when I die will be split 50/50 between my mother and my partner so I guess if they need the money they could sell it and keep the money also. But yea, I like the idea of it going free to my diving friends. I have talked a bit with my partner about what would happen if I died in an accident, particularly a diving accident and my main request has been 'do not sue anybody!' I don't like how people go straight for the lawsuit if anything bad happens to them, even when another person has made a mistake. I doubt adding being financially crippled to the guilt of causing a fatal or almost fatal accident is really going to achieve anything.

But yea I have thought about these things a bit more since I have been diving, especially after hearing about diving accidents and deaths, and even though I am quite young I have lost a few friends (not diving though) already so have raised those kinds of issues with family - like how I want my organs donated, but I do not want my life support turned off - they can keep me on that until I die naturally, for example. Should really sort out what will happen with my stuff, including my gear.

 

[Jim Ernst]

I have thought about this many times...

And I will discuss it with my family.

I feel I would want all of my gear that neither of my kids might want to keep/use to be given to a couple of my friends.

I have three that come to mind.. Instructor Brian La force would be first as most of my stuff will fit him as he is my size and then Zen_man (Buck) and (Ron) Brewski that are of this board.

This way they the three of them would put my gear to great use and they will always have part of my Azz diving with them!

This is something I have very much thought about as I have a very Dangerous day job!

 

[almitywife]

i have thought about this question recently... the fact that we just flew in a few very very small hopper flights had me put pen to paper 2 weeks ago

if hubby was to die first or we die together, a few very good diving friends of hubbys will receive our gear, inc hubbys rebreather - these friends have had alot of good laughs and dives with hubby over the years and i see it as a thank you for their friendship over the years

cheers

 

[spectrum]

It's a good question and I think the scope extends beyond accidents while diving or otherwise. We are all going to die and even even in a terminal situation I'm sure some will hold out with hope or simply never get around to liquidating such possessions.

I'm not aware of any wide spread organizations that would accept donations of used gear. I think I have heard of a few but they aren't big in scope. Also just shipping it off to get picked over would seem like an unrewarding act of goodness.

I think having it passed on to surviving dive buddies makes the most sense for whatever the family does not want to use or retain as keepsakes. Some items will have useful life and some will have sentimental value.

Pete

 

[RJP]

Of course I say it jokingly a lot, but I mean it:

If I die diving please DO NOT let my wife sell my gear for what I told her I paid for it!



But seriously, Mrs. RJP and I have agreed that my buddy TAJKD would simply come and take it all away to get it out of the house. He can keep what he likes, give whatever his son could make use of to him, and then sell the rest or maybe donate it it the Boy Scouts or whatever.

PS: Dave, before you get an "itchy trigger finger" on our next dive, I did advise Mrs RJP that if you should seem a bit too anxious to pick my gear up (like stopping on the way home from the boat to pick it up) that she should perhaps ask for an investigation into how it was that I came to be shot 2-3 time by an unknown speargun-weilding assailant!

 

[ba_hiker]

I have family that will happily fight over my gear.

 

[Riger]

My Wife and Daughter dive (and my Son soon I hope). I guess they can work it out between them. I would hope it would have some sentimental value to them. It would for me if it were reversed.

 

[DRsharky]

I have talked a bit with my partner about what would happen if I died in an accident, particularly a diving accident and my main request has been 'do not sue anybody!' I don't like how people go straight for the lawsuit if anything bad happens to them, even when another person has made a mistake. I doubt adding being financially crippled to the guilt of causing a fatal or almost fatal accident is really going to achieve anything.

Agree 100%!!!

If somebody dies in a diving accident, the gear used at the time of accident is mostly destroyed by investigators (cut up to pieces). Unfortunately I witnessed this before.
And the rest of my gear (I have so much), my wife will sell on eBay and buy a new car for that

 

[sea nmf]

Maybe post a message here on scubaboard in the classified section, free to whoever picks it up first, that would be better than leaving it to rot in a shed, even then it does not seem right.

I don't like this idea because I have witnessed first hand how some folks behave when someone passes away and there is "stuff" like lawnmowers, etc. It is not a sight the family left behind should see.

Please designate someone specific or an organization to get your dive gear.