Why are more men inclined to dive?

[UnderSeaBumbleBee]

It makes you want to recruit more folks from our happy culture ... That will be the day when all DM and instructors wear pink suit and fluffy dive caps...

Sensitivity training is all the rage these days! Maybe we could come up with some consulting program and sell it to the Certification agencies and get them to make all the instructors and DM wear the pink suit and other coordinating accessories. And then we could set up humiliation booths were they are given a certain identity and berated! Make them pay a fee as part of their on going right to teach under the agency. We could make a fortune!!

Oh never mind they are already doing that on college campuses for the dorm personal as part of leadership development--well without the pink suit anyway. By the time we get our foolish program in place the other guys will all ready have all the market share!

 

[Spady]

I like the leopard spots idea

Perhaps if the Village People do a reunion tour, they could ditch the Indian Chief (no longer PC anymore) and have a Scuba guy instead? That might help recruit new divers

 

[fisherdvm]

In Japan I'd estimate that more women dive than men.

I have seen a boat load of Japanese tourists off Hawaii. I believe that at least half were women. All were donning little 50 cf tanks...

At least, in Japan, many adult men and women are of small stature, which might explain why they are more comfortable using lighter gear than the US.

 

[H2Andy]

Perhaps if the Village People do a reunion tour, they could ditch the Indian Chief (no longer PC anymore) and have a Scuba guy instead? That might help recruit new divers

this man is going to be a General some day!

 

[fisherdvm]

Also, people with good marriages dive together, so-so relationships...they would rather have the time apart for relief. Exceptions...of course. (andy)

Of the couples I've seen diving, more than 1/2 of the time, the women don't seem to be happy. They are either puking, or white as a ghost. Not to say that women can not develop sea legs like men, but I think these are the ones who were forced to dive to please their husband/boyfriend.

 

[Jon C]

Of the couples I've seen diving, more than 1/2 of the time, the women don't seem to be happy. They are either puking, or white as a ghost. Not to say that women can not develop sea legs like men, but I think these are the ones who were forced to dive to please their husband/boyfriend.

Related: The biggest no-no is for a spouse of boyfriend to teach or assist teaching their mate to dive. I have seen brawls break out where the husband "just wanted to go out and watch" when the wife was doing the check out dives. Big mistake. In one case, it was as if the husband was embarassed that the wife was taking so long to get comfortable. He kept yelling for her to "tough it out". Great advice! It got uglier by the moment and the instructor asked me to escort him to the shore. I had to actually get between them to keep him from swimming over to her. Where is a bang-stick when you need one? The wife did much better after he was gone, but it made us all very uncomfortable.

 

[Spady]

I'm not sure men are less inclined to seasickness, but women are generally smarter and more likely to avoid situations that cause alot of discomfort.

Case in point... every time I dive from Morehead City (NC), I know that I'm gonna throw up on the boat once or twice. There are many who would reasonably regard this as totally idiotic, but I just accept it as a price to pay for diving the great wrecks out there. My wife, who is much smarter, simply avoids the trips that are 'far offshore' (U-352, Papoose, etc.) and instead opts to go with me on the trips to the closer wrecks.

 

[UnderSeaBumbleBee]

He kept yelling for her to "tough it out". Great advice! It got uglier by the moment and the instructor asked me to escort him to the shore. I had to actually get between them to keep him from swimming over to her. Where is a bang-stick when you need one? The wife did much better after he was gone, but it made us all very uncomfortable.

Bet that whole thing really made her want to go diving again. Glad you guys were able to remove him. I am sure the whole time she was thinking this will be the last time I do this again. My Dad did something like that trying to teach my Mom how to drive years ago. He really belittled her and broke her confidence. She later paid and instructor and did just fine. She is the only member of our family to never have a ticket or accident in her whole driving career.

 

[Jon C]

Bet that whole thing really made her want to go diving again. Glad you guys were able to remove him. I am sure the whole time she was thinking this will be the last time I do this again. My Dad did something like that trying to teach my Mom how to drive years ago. He really belittled her and broke her confidence. She later paid and instructor and did just fine. She is the only member of our family to never have a ticket or accident in her whole driving career.

Sorry that happened with your folks. I am glad your Mom overcame the challenge.

The last I saw of that couple, they were friendly again. I always wondered how disfunctional their situation was. He looked like he was capable of hitting her...maybe often. You know, "the roast was burnt", "the clothes weren't done", "I am O.J. Simpson and I own you" syndrome. Have yet to see a wife go off on a husband learning to dive. I wonder if Hillary ever got Bill to put on a tank...Hmmmmm.

 

[Spady]

Sensitivity training is all the rage these days! Maybe we could come up with some consulting program and sell it to the Certification agencies and get them to make all the instructors and DM wear the pink suit and other coordinating accessories. And then we could set up humiliation booths were they are given a certain identity and berated! Make them pay a fee as part of their on going right to teach under the agency. We could make a fortune!!

Oh never mind they are already doing that on college campuses for the dorm personal as part of leadership development--well without the pink suit anyway. By the time we get our foolish program in place the other guys will all ready have all the market share!

I can see it now....at the end of every open water class, everybody jumps in the pool, holds hands in a circle and sings 'Kumbaya'

Seriously, though, I really had no idea that was such a potential barrier. You'd think that a dive shop & instructors would want to be really sensitive and friendly to attract the most customers possible ($$$)