Why such a hassle to get Nitrox in MA?

[oceancurrent]

When I went to South Shore Divers (www.southshoredivers.com) yesterday to get my 38% Nitrox fills, I was up for an unpleasant surprise. I was told that per their new policy, they won’t fill any tank to more than 36%. The reason – their banked gas is normally at 39-39.5% and they recently had someone yell at them because he got 39% instead of 40% (the world is full of jerks, don't you know :shakehead ). Apropos of this accident the owner set a strict ceiling of 36% for all fills. He further claimed that many other shops have such a policy. Of course, I found the whole thing absurd. Not wanting to support such an unreasonable and flawed policy, I decided to withdraw any future business from South Shore Divers for the good of the dive community.

Being frustrated with South Shore Divers, I set on a quest to find out if there are any other stores in the area having the 36% percent policy. It turns out that East Coast Divers (www.ecdivers.com) is the only other store in this silly category. They refuse to fill more than 36% for basic Nitrox certifications, but will go to any percentage for "Advanced Nitrox Divers". When I asked the owner about the reason for his 36% ceiling, he plainly stated that “36% is the recommended limit for recreational divers”. Interestingly enough, this is the first time I hear about this “recommended limit”. I know that PADI puts a 40% restriction on their basic Nitrox certification cards, but that’s about it. Needless to say, ECD is not getting any of my hard earned dollars any time soon either.

Contrary to the first two, North East Scuba (www.northeastscuba.com) has no problem giving up to 40% premixed Nitrox fill. Furthermore, they only take 10-15 min to fill tanks with Nitrox (a record, in my opinion). Unfortunately, their Nitrox service will run you $16 for 80 cf, $17.50 for 100 cf, or $19 for 120 cf tank. On top of this, they charge 5% sales tax for the Nitrox fills (huh – since when do we have sales tax for services?!). Overall, this is by far the most expensive Nitrox fill I have seen in the whole diving world. :money:

The only other shop with premixed EANx I was able to find in the Boston area is Mass Diving (www.massdiving.com). For $12.50 they will fill your tank with any mix up to 40%. While more expensive than South Shore Divers’ $10 fills, they don’t impose their personal views and attitudes on Nitrox on their customers through arbitrary ceilings. Overall, this is the best deal in town in my book.

For completeness, I will mention that United Divers (www.uniteddivers.com) also will fill Nitrox tanks with your desired mix (for $16, if I recall correctly). Unfortunately, they only do partial pressure fills and thus are out of reach for most divers, who can’t afford the luxury of keeping O2 clean tanks around. :nonono:

So, to sum it all up…

• SSD and ECD have set an arbitrary limit of 36% which I cannot tolerate so I vetoed them out. :thumbs_do
  
• NES charges in gold for their Nitrox, so they should only be called as a last resort. :thumbs_do
  
• UD does partial pressure fills, so can’t use regular tanks with them. :sad:
  
• Mass Diving is all right – no silly restrictions and reasonable price.

Can anybody explain to me why it is such a pain to get decent Nitrox fills around here? Why are some dive shops frivolously imposing limits (below 40%) on percentage? Perhaps they will impose a 32% limit next! Why do we have the most expensive Nitrox in the world? Why is there just one (remote) dive shop willing to do up to 40% premixed at reasonable price? I just don’t get it… :confused1

I believe I have surveyed al the dive shops in the area about Nitrox fills. However, I’d love to know if I’ve missed a dive shop here. Also, how do you people get your 36-40% with all this silliness around? :help:

 

[voodoodiver]

Only speaking as far as the 5% tax. Nitrox is a product that is produced. ( O2 + Air ) there for under state tax guide lines it must be taxed. Atleast thats what my CPA told me.

 

[mike_s]

Sales tax on air fills and nitrox fills are also the "opinion" of the local city government tax moron. Our local government tax moron says that compressed air is a product and that the LDS's have to charge tax on them.

As for the LDS shop owner in this thread that won't fill over 36% because he's think's its reccomended, well it sounds like he's moron also, but I've learned that a majority of dive shop owners fit into this category.

 

[jchaplain]

Needless to say, ECD is not getting any of my hard earned dollars any time soon either.

Even though I got certified by ECD I have to say that I wasn't pleased much by them. It took me several months and even calls to the SSI agency to make them give me my cert card after they lost it on me two or three times...:shakehead
They are not very on the ball there so it doesn't surprise me that they have such an attitude about the fills.

 

[Scott5644]

As for the LDS shop owner in this thread that won't fill over 36% because he's think's its reccomended, well it sounds like he's moron also, but I've learned that a majority of dive shop owners fit into this category.

Have you been to South Shore Divers and met Al? Judging by your quote I would say the answer is no. Do you own a business and have to worry about liability? Judging by your quote I would say no.

 

[mike_s]

how is 4% difference between 36% and 40% going to keep him from being sued in an accident? (liability)

why not just stop at 32% or 21% if he's that worried about liability.

 

[Scott5644]

how is 4% difference between 36% and 40% going to keep him from being sued in an accident? (liability)

why not just stop at 32% or 21% if he's that worried about liability.

In Oceancurrent's 1st post, he mentions he was told “36% is the recommended limit for recreational divers”. Like him, I do not know who it is that recommends this, but I'm sure it's in writting somewhere, and that's all someone would need to bring suit in this litigious society.

 

[Diesel298]

Have you been to South Shore Divers and met Al? Judging by your quote I would say the answer is no. Do you own a business and have to worry about liability? Judging by your quote I would say no.

If somone has a c card that says they are trained to use up to 40% who is the shop owner to say hes not..
if the shop owner is the leading authority then he shoud start his own training agency.
if i want 50% is he not gonna fill my tank..
ill show him whatever cert he feels is nessary

if hes worried about liability then mabye he should close his doors and go open a hot dog stand..

the #1 thing i HATE in this industry is somone else who THINKS they have all the answers telling me how to manage my dives.

 

[MSilvia]

Funny, I was just at South Shore Divers yesterday talking to Al and Mike about their plans to introduce high PPO2 and O2 fills by this fall. Whatever the reason he wouldn't give you a 38% fill, I can't believe it's because someone gave him a hard time about it analyzing to 1% off.

Frankly, I find your boycott silly absent any real understanding of the policy. I don't know the reason for it, but I suspect it's more reasonable than you're making it sound. It seems incongruous to me that a shop planning on providing fills up to 100% would arbitrarily set a limit at 36%. I don't doubt that they set such a limit, but I also don't doubt they have a better reason for doing so than you've provided.

Furthermore, they only take 10-15 min to fill tanks with Nitrox (a record, in my opinion).

Since when is a record-breaking fast fill a good thing?

 

[PFF]

There are two additional LDS that offer Nitrox fills which you did not mention, Atlantic Divers out of Danvers and PG Dive out of Newton. Steve at Atlantic Divers just put his system in about two months ago. The last time I talked with Paul at PG they were in the process of putting it in. I am not sure what the status of his system is.

If you are not happy with the other shops, why check these two out.