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Chris
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Another dive shop lost.

Tue Sep 05, 2017 1:44 am

My last purchase from our now out of business dive shop. You would think Coos Bay, OR could support a shop with all the certs in the area. Sadly, diving here goes in spurts.Image

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Chris
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Re: Another dive shop lost.

Tue Sep 05, 2017 2:58 am

Im having trouble finding the second stage diaphragm in the store. Does it use one of the ones for a different regulator?

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Herman
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Re: Another dive shop lost.

Tue Sep 05, 2017 6:26 am

The second stage uses the same parts as the Conshelf.
Herman

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georgeaustin
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Re: Another dive shop lost.

Tue Sep 05, 2017 7:40 am

Is that a Sportsways Sea Vu SPG ? - the hex cover thing is throwing me off - mine is smooth.

If it's a Sportsways, does the needle move (down) when you breathe off the reg and then return to whatever tank pressure is when you stop inhaling?

Mine reads about 200 psi more than what tank pressure actually is as well. Troubling but not a deal breaker.
I'm using the Sea Vu SPG on my Waterlung Navy Unit ( integral J Valve ) which is the main suspect in the issue.

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antique diver
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Re: Another dive shop lost.

Tue Sep 05, 2017 9:08 am

georgeaustin wrote:Is that a Sportsways Sea Vu SPG ? - the hex cover thing is throwing me off - mine is smooth.

If it's a Sportsways, does the needle move (down) when you breathe off the reg and then return to whatever tank pressure is when you stop inhaling?

Mine reads about 200 psi more than what tank pressure actually is as well. Troubling but not a deal breaker.
I'm using the Sea Vu SPG on my Waterlung Navy Unit ( integral J Valve ) which is the main suspect in the issue.
Does the pressure gauge needle still drop with the reserve lever down?
The older I get the better I was.

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Chris
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Re: Another dive shop lost.

Tue Sep 05, 2017 9:30 pm

George, it's a Sea Vue. At 500psi the needle drops. At 1500psi you can barely see it move. No j-valve. Maybe it has one of those restrictor plates I think it was Antique Diver told me about. But I haven't gone through and cleaned it either.

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Chris
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Re: Another dive shop lost.

Fri Sep 08, 2017 10:36 pm

Yours like this?Image

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Ron
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Re: Another dive shop lost.

Fri Sep 08, 2017 10:49 pm

People like us put dive shops out of business. We are as much to blame as their own failing business model. It's tough for a shop to stay open when people like us use gear that is 40 years old. I can't even recall the last piece of new dive gear I bought from a dive shop. Fills and hydros don't keep the lights on. I can't think of a single thing I've ever bought from my LDS except fills and hydros. Plus, with very few exceptions, dive shops have terrible business plans. I literally wouldn't take most dive shops if they gave me one for free. Again, the North East Scuba Supplies and Dive Right In Scubas of the world are notable exceptions and are very well run. VDH is obviously an exception because its model is conducive to the DIY model. Some shops that have defense contracts, a full hydro shop, etc are exceptions as well.

Everyone else goes out of business. I've had dive shops laugh at me when I ask them if they have a web page. Of course, they are all out of business now. Georgia, Florida, Pennsylvania, Washington, etc. You can't run a 2017 business with a 1977 mentality.

No malice meant. Just being honest :wink:
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georgeaustin
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Re: Another dive shop lost.

Sat Sep 09, 2017 12:24 pm

Yes, Bill - My Sea VU needle drops with the J valve down.

I'm going to try it right now with the j valve arm UP on a full tank. I have to remove the hose to cycle the J valve as the modern swagelock fitting is bigger in OD and interferes with the raised casting thing on the valve actuator - which makes doing it on a dive kind of tricky - :wink:

A guy gave me a handful of J valve stems and seats on Tuesday (with the condition that I return them if not needed)

Yes, I have the same SPG a smooth rubber protector - no hex molding around the face area

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georgeaustin
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Re: Another dive shop lost.

Sat Sep 09, 2017 12:44 pm

Ron wrote:People like us put dive shops out of business. We are as much to blame as their own failing business model. It's tough for a shop to stay open when people like us use gear that is 40 years old. I can't even recall the last piece of new dive gear I bought from a dive shop. Fills and hydros don't keep the lights on. I can't think of a single thing I've ever bought from my LDS except fills and hydros. Plus, with very few exceptions, dive shops have terrible business plans. I literally wouldn't take most dive shops if they gave me one for free. Again, the North East Scuba Supplies and Dive Right In Scubas of the world are notable exceptions and are very well run. VDH is obviously an exception because its model is conducive to the DIY model. Some shops that have defense contracts, a full hydro shop, etc are exceptions as well.

Everyone else goes out of business. I've had dive shops laugh at me when I ask them if they have a web page. Of course, they are all out of business now. Georgia, Florida, Pennsylvania, Washington, etc. You can't run a 2017 business with a 1977 mentality.

No malice meant. Just being honest :wink:

I can't even use the LDS for VIP's and Hydros anymore and they are about 2 miles up the street - wanna know why? - Because the VIP sticker they insist on using is 9 freaking inches and ROUND! - I'm not being paid to advertise your shop! I paid a ton of money for a pretty, hot dipped DX Faber HP tank and now you've gone and covered up most of that pretty tank with your GIANT sticker? - Where am I supposed to put my vintage VOIT Lung sticker?

It's like they sit around and think - "how can we piss off George today?" The pure freaking nonsense of whomever thought it'd be a good idea to have a VIP sticker bigger than a car door.

The other shop that I was certified at in the misty days of yore (and have worked at and used for 45 years, up the alleyway from my regular beach dive location makes me write down my name and phone number when I take my tank in there for a fill - "Sir, sir! in case you fail to return to pick up your tank within two weeks - it will be added to our rental fleet or disposed of" "Just make sure you come back for it and you won't have a problem" We'll call you first before we decide what to do with it - and remind you that you owe us 8 dollars for the fill" I gasped, seriously gasped the first time the twenty something PADI Instructor / Sales Associate had the gall to speak to me like that. The other old men and women with me laughed and said - "Well, I guess she told you a thing or two" . . . hahahahaha"

Oh, yeah, I love hanging out in "dive shops" Rant over.

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USdiver
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Re: Another dive shop lost.

Sat Sep 09, 2017 3:35 pm

A US Divers Aquarius with a sea-vu gauge? When was your last purchase, 1971?

Seriously, dive shops and bars / restaurants are generally great ways to make a small fortune, providing you begin with a large one [fortune]. I see my LDS as a social club that happens to train divers and sell / repair gear. I think that if the LDS owners had based their business model on making a profit, they would never have invested, it is a labor of love.

Because dive shops area notoriously difficult means to make a living, we as hardcore diving enthusiasts should pick our LDS of choice and be enthusiastic and frequent patrons of their sales and services. I know we all greatly appreciate VDH for the contribution to vintage equipment, but if we actively engage our friends and families in becoming divers and continuing diver education programs through the LDS it may help prevent the loss of more shops.
Too DAAM Many double hoses, It's not a hobby, it's an addiction.

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Chris
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Re: Another dive shop lost.

Sat Sep 09, 2017 6:09 pm

Our shop started good. Dive meetings were full of laughter and razzing each other. Talking about what new idea I fabricated and had the nerve to dive with. Then people started relying too much on the friendship of the owner instead of each other. My buddy and I saw it coming a long way out. People started getting offended and not coming to meetings or dives. The days of seeing each others cars parked out front and turning a 180 with the e-brake pulled and full throttle were gone. Sales slowed, as well as the owners patience. Only way to order something new and get it sooner than six months was through lisurepro, Amazon, or vdh. Buddy and I offered many times to help with classes, that is take students aside to work one on one with mask clearing. But we always got the "insurance " speech. I bought what I could from him though just to support the shop. Online shopping didnt save much anyway after shipping. I did get many "old junk" regs to play, fix, and learn on.
Your right, only way to do it in my town is for the fun and socializing. And no room to make customers mad.

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Ron
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Re: Another dive shop lost.

Mon Sep 11, 2017 7:35 pm

It's strange to me too, because a dive shop closing screws almost everyone. It screws most divers. I can afford a compressor. I even have an outbuilding and a 220 outlet and everything. I just don't want the hassle of funding a compressor for the 3 times a month I go diving. Cost/benefit analysis would make it a dumb decision for me. Therefore, I have a vested interested in my shop not going out of business. Just like you Tripplec. You have to get your fills somewhere right?

The other side is that many dive shops run incredibly poorly. The idea that you can con a guy into your shop and charge 100% markup over wholesale price is now an illusion. Anyone, to Tripplec's point, can go on LeisurePro and get stuff for maybe 10% over cost. Fun fact: I have seen LeisurePro purchasers come into failing dive shops and offer to buy all their stuff. Ironically, that is where at least some of it comes from. Paradoxically, every time a shop goes belly up they make it easier for LP to put more shops out of business. Then again, LP has a great business model and great prices.

Really, the model has to change. The days of getting a guy to drop 4 grand on dive gear all at once are over in my opinion. I have buddies who bought the crappiest Ebay special dive gear, and they aquaseal their 50 dollar drysuit every month. People are cheap, and crappy gear is a dime a dozen on Ebay and Craigslist.

The model has to go to being consumable or training based, or something else. The days of selling enough scuba gear to stay in business, unless you are very large and in Florida or the NE (wreck diving central) are over. Heck, one of our shops rents kayaks. You know you can't make money as a dive shop when you rent kayaks. You are like one step from closing when that happens.

Now, I do own my part in this. I can fix all my own gear minus hydros, so I'm a horrible customer. You have to ask yourself: "How much money did I actually spend there?" If the answer isn't over a thousand bucks, then you were not a value add for that shop.

I don't know a single shop that makes money off of airfills or VIPs. Some shops make a little off of hydros.

I wonder if the future will have everyone buying their gear off the Internet with dive clubs having boats and compressors. Sort of like what clubs looked like in the 60s according to books I've read where you bought gear via mail order and the club had the rest.
The impossible missions are the only ones which succeed. -JYC

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Chris
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Re: Another dive shop lost.

Tue Sep 12, 2017 12:37 am

My guess is I spent around $2500 in the last 5 years. Only way I see a "scuba" shop to stay in business is to have a sporting or out door store with a closet for filling tanks and instructors on the stores insurance that teach because they enjoy it. I would sell used gear and basic new gear, but for the odd stuff just help the customer find quality gear on the web. I dont see a strait scuba store staying in business, and I dont thing anyone is going to try anytime soon.

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georgeaustin
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Re: Another dive shop lost.

Tue Sep 12, 2017 7:37 am

One does quite well here as more of a specialty shop for the large local tech diving contingent.
As well, Hollywood studio work, foreign trips and lots of classes from freediving courses to GUE

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