New diver getting my certification, is my instructor doing it wrong?

[robertarak]

It could be me. I am a NAUI Instructor (trainer), I charge well over $300.00, and I require a hood as well.

 

[Quero]

But do you charge $3000? Have you offered a mixed-level course recently with a student named Bailey?

As I teach in a place where hoods are sometimes worn but not required for thermal protection, I am curious as to why a hood wouldn't just be part of the wetsuit rental package in a cold-water locale? Do divers have cooties on their heads but not on their bodies?

 

[robertarak]

Interesting you have focused on the hood and not the booties or gloves. Of the 3, the hood is the only one that needs trimming around the face many times to make for a proper fit.

Oh, and no, no Baileys in any of my recent classes, and I do not charge $3000.00, but I am worth it

 

[Griffo]

Selling new divers "intro packages" seems to be a fairly common business practice. A local shop even seems to claim that dermatitis is infectious..

There are some things that we simply can not provide you and these things are more out of concern for
your health & well being than any thing else. These include a snorkel (risk of orally transmitted diseases), a mask
(to prevent fogging up divers spit in their masks, would you like to put on your face something that someone else
has recently spat in?), dive boots (tinea is a nasty fungal bacteria that loves to jump from one person to another),
gloves (dermatitis) and finally we recommend that to complete your own snorkelling kit you purchase fins.

Knowing the rip-off prices the dive shop that quote comes from charges (e.g $45 for a $3 stainless buckle), each student probably walks into day 1 of their course over $1k poorer.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

Bailey: This guy is a criminal. I dont understand what is preventing you from posting his details (name, website, business etc). I would put a whole report online along with receipts etc so that he does not have a place to hide his face.

 

[Quero]

Interesting you have focused on the hood and not the booties or gloves. Of the 3, the hood is the only one that needs trimming around the face many times to make for a proper fit.

Yeah, I can see that neither gloves nor booties would require trimming around the face for fit.

People tear gloves with long nails and while grabbing rocks, and I know that in some states there are health regulations about footwear that prohibit renting booties, so that's why I was surprised by the hood--doesn't seem like it would be subject to wear in the way that gloves are, and not subject to health regulations like footwear. But if hoods routinely need trimming, having students own their own would make sense. I don't make my students buy even a snorkel (I soak them in an anti-bacterial solution after use), so the whole buying "personal gear" thing is rather alien to me anyway. Plus, I've never trimmed a hood, though I own about five of 'em, so I didn't know that it's necessary in some cases. Thanks for the insight!

 

[Baileywantstoscuba]

Not to make you feel bad but my posts were made on the basis of my own experience, especially according to 'two wrongs not making a right'. I assumed your course fees were reasonably similar to mine (total of $250+tax CAD, that gets you course, material and instructor and gear rentals for the duration). $3000 I'm sure I don't need to tell you is highway robbery and you need a refund on every penny of that.

I agree with Quero, call NAUI- you don't need to know any of the regulations violated, if you had a poor time learning or understanding the material and the instructor wouldn't help you is basis to call them, and that's if they weren't putting your life in danger and charging you copious amounts of money doing so. I'd be surprised if NAUI didn't investigate him and attempt to reach out to others certified underneath him to compare experiences and see if he's able to be charged in a criminal manner.

I was charged for the basic course and then my dive fear and rentals which was around $650 total. Then my boat trip for him, myself and his girlfriend which was another $240. Then told I needed to pay extra for swim instruction with gear on (I have swam for 20 years but thought I was really bad with my gear on) so that was an extra $900, then on my credit card were all this miscellaneous charges. I will name and report after I'm done with my credit card dispute. I came on this forum to see if this was wrong and I'm learning that is was extremely wrong. I feel like an idiot, but I'm taking proper action now. Thanks for all the feedback and support.

---------- Post added February 17th, 2013 at 08:13 PM ----------

Bailey: This guy is a criminal. I dont understand what is preventing you from posting his details (name, website, business etc). I would put a whole report online along with receipts etc so that he does not have a place to hide his face.

The thing that is keeping me is the disput with my credit card right now. I got charged $3000 that's not what I agreed to pay, there where extra charges and it's been a nightmere. I will name and report him however I came on here to find out what were acceptable standard for training. After posting this I found out about the charges and the guy was nowhere to be found. I stopped everything with him and was pursing a new instructor when my credit card was declined for all the charges in my card.

Im taking the actions my bank has suggested. I don't want to be made to feel stupid. I shopped around at first but I'm not farmiliar with scuba classes and pricing and I trusted this guy as I was told I should trust my instructor, I got a bad guy (I know not everyone's bad, in fact everyone has even extremely helpful and nice on this forum).

Im trying the bet I can to move forward, get my money back and report this guy to save anyone else from this headache.
Right now this is being handeled as a possiable criminal investigation with my bank, unless he says it was a mistake on his part or the credit card processing. So I need that to clear before naming him. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[DevonDiver]

My God... for $3000 I'd give you unlimited diving and instruction for a month. LOL

 

[Baileywantstoscuba]

Ear infections can Occur in the outer, middle and inner ear. I had infections in all 3. I have a doctors note stating that I saw him for a physical before my dive and I was fine. After I went diving I came back with an infection in all parts of my ear due to water build up in my ear and an inflamed eardrum. He cuncluded it had something to do with water and pressure exposure.

I know this seemed extraordinary and I can't believe it myself anymore. After researching and talking to naui, I have found he has opened shops under different names about 7 or 8 times and has a reputation for being a very "rough instructor".

I was naive in the scuba department which is why I came on here to find information (not to be put down) I will report him and name him as soon as my bank investigates all the charges to my credit card. I agreed to pay a set amount and he kept charging my card without my knowledge. His shop has not been open since and I can't reach him. I will do what I can to keep anyone else out of this situation and prevent anything bad happening to a potential new student of his. I just have to do as my bank says and then call naui and follow through.

 

[Scott]

i was charged for the basic course and then my dive fear and rentals which was around $650 total. then my boat trip for him, myself and his girlfriend which was another $240. Then told i needed to pay extra for swim instruction with gear on (i have swam for 20 years but thought i was really bad with my gear on) so that was an extra $900, then on my credit card were all this miscellaneous charges. i will name and report after i'm done with my credit card dispute. I came on this forum to see if this was wrong and i'm learning that is was extremely wrong. I feel like an idiot, but i'm taking proper action now. Thanks for all the feedback and support.

:dropmouth:I have heard of paying for an instructors trip, but another person besides? That's just crazy and the $900 for "swim" instruction, speechless!!

Don't give up. There was a recent thread where an instructor took financial advantage of a student, NYC I believe. The student eventually had the guy prosectuted. Don't give up.