help a student to graduate so she can go dive!

[duffmastaflash]

hey there divers of the world...i just stumbled across this message board while doing research for one of my BIG assignments and i am hoping to get some global assistance!

i am in an outdoor naturalist diploma program and one of our final projects is the development of a business plan for a startup in the outdoor industry. i am conducting some market research for my (GASP!) SCUBA company and would love some feedback..

SO HERE'S THE PITCH....a charming, seaside cabin in Paddy's Head, Nova Scotia is the home to Seascapes, a guide service offering day and night dives walking distance from the site. Our divemasters are trained in various natural sciences and will explore the biodiversity of the Atlantic with you, above and below the surface. Through guided dives from the shore and interpretive talks at the cabin and around the site, we hope to enlighten you to the unique qualities of this ecosystem and the need for conservation practices in our sport. Our focus is to provide an alternative to training based diving through a naturalist dive experience...IN A NUTSHELL! Includes a homecooked meal, all gear...day package (2 dives) for $85CDN, night package (1 dive) for $55CDN.

Any comments you may have would be fantastic!!! Suggestions, alterations, additions, would you do it, would you pay it (would you pay more? ;) ), how far would you travel to come, will i get an A...that kinda stuff!

thanks a bunch!!!

[RonFrank]

For a meal and a guided two tank dive, that is fairly inexpensive.

Not sure how extensive you business plan must be, but have you taken into account insurance, air fill costs, equipment purchase for rentals, etc? Seems that for what you are charging, your costs may well exceed the gross amount charged.

To give you example, a two tank boat dive in FL runs $50-$55 without tanks (generally), without a meal, and without equipment. Equiment rental varies, but tanks are generally $8, and full equipment rental including tanks can run $50 a day (US). Granted they have a lot of costs associated with the boat, however FL dive Ops have a huge advantage you do not in that many people go to FL to dive while Canada is not exactly a destination diving mecca. FL is also warm year around, so their dive ops are not seasonal and can opperate as long as the weather/seas are good.

Would I be willing to pay $85 CDN for a good meal, a guided tour, and two dives, absolutely. Would I go out of my way just to dive there, likely not, but then again it would depend on a number of factors.

Another issue you will face is that the waters there are likely too cold for wet diving much of the year... I foresee bankruptcy in your fantasy business endevour. :11:

[El Orans]

Sounds nice! :)

Laurens

BTW, welcome (Scub)aBoard! :happywave

[duffmastaflash]

thanks for the imput...i have actually done my financials section that includes my cash flow for the first year. good to hear that my price is cheap! ..might have to up that! ...the cold water is a bummer, but my intended operations are only for 5 months. maybe partnering up with some sea kayaking and whale watching outfits would bring up some people from the south ;) ?

[DandyDon]

I don't guess that "day package" included room? Are those boat dives. Two big issues not addressed there?

PM me direct if I can help you find your way around our Matrix.

:cowboy: don

[pjomm]

Welcome!

Hope you enjoy SCUBA Board, I'm sure you will have an opportunity to learn and share. I have found people to be very helpful. If I can help you feel free to contact me.

All the best,

Paul

hey there divers of the world...i just stumbled across this message board while doing research for one of my BIG assignments and i am hoping to get some global assistance!

i am in an outdoor naturalist diploma program and one of our final projects is the development of a business plan for a startup in the outdoor industry. i am conducting some market research for my (GASP!) SCUBA company and would love some feedback..

SO HERE'S THE PITCH....a charming, seaside cabin in Paddy's Head, Nova Scotia is the home to Seascapes, a guide service offering day and night dives walking distance from the site. Our divemasters are trained in various natural sciences and will explore the biodiversity of the Atlantic with you, above and below the surface. Through guided dives from the shore and interpretive talks at the cabin and around the site, we hope to enlighten you to the unique qualities of this ecosystem and the need for conservation practices in our sport. Our focus is to provide an alternative to training based diving through a naturalist dive experience...IN A NUTSHELL! Includes a homecooked meal, all gear...day package (2 dives) for $85CDN, night package (1 dive) for $55CDN.

Any comments you may have would be fantastic!!! Suggestions, alterations, additions, would you do it, would you pay it (would you pay more? ;) ), how far would you travel to come, will i get an A...that kinda stuff!

thanks a bunch!!!

[DaFireMedic]

I like it, kind of a "Yosemite Fireside Chats with the Ranger" meets "The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau". It makes it sound like a camping trip with Scuba Diving as the focus. Almost like nature hikes that take place underwater.

Would it be successful? Maybe. The price is certainly right. Most divers that I know dream of sandy beaches with coconut palms, WW II wrecks, and coral reefs. But I'm sure that most divers would love the program that you are describing, myself included. You would need to convince divers that the $2500 that they have saved for their annual dive vacation should be spent in Nova Scotia rather than Fiji or Grand Cayman.

Your program sounds beautiful though. I would do it.

[abitton]

Here is something that you may find useful:

http://www.infogaspesie.com/villages/la_pointe/perce/club_nautique.php

Here's a place that offers something similar in the Gaspe, but offers restaurant meals instead of home cooked...

Good luck!!

[Firediver]

You should change your name from Seascapes to another company.. I know this is ficitional, but there is a company Called Seascapes that runs out of many places in Eastern Canada...... Just a heads up if someone goes on the net.. Seascapes kayaking tours, do cmaping, kayakying tours....... there site might give you an idea about what else you can add. They don't do diving.. but they do have a wide variety of activities....... I will PM you their link.

[Doc Intrepid]

...the cold water is a bummer, but my intended operations are only for 5 months. maybe partnering up with some sea kayaking and whale watching outfits would bring up some people from the south ;) ?Things like sea kayaking and whale watching as options can only be good. People like other things to do on some afternoons. I don't see the cold water as a huge problem, but others might. (But you'll want some hot tubs... :) ) In general, however, you're competing for the dollars of divers who travel. I travel to the Thousand Islands region, for example, to do wreck diving. To get divers to select your destination over some other, you'll want to describe something that your destination offers that sets it apart, that makes divers want to come there. If, for example, there are many wrecks in Nova Scotia (which I've recently heard is the case), I'd definitely come to check them out. (In which case you'd need to be able to blend nitrox, along with all the logistics that requires.) I know of a number of dive resorts in British Columbia, and they do fine. But...they offer absolutely outstanding diving - cold water, yes, but incredible visibility and a huge variety of life large and small. If they can do it, I suspect you can too...but you may want to study their model a bit...

Here is just one, as an example:
http://www.godspocket.com/Base2.htm

FWIW,

Doc

[Firediver]

The Maritime Museum has a shipwreck database for over 5000 wrecks off NS... that would definitly be good to advertise......Even naming a few wrecks and a litle history on them...............

[duffmastaflash]

thanks for the vote of confidence!!! i love the analogy...i might snag it for my project if you don't mind??!! i'll let you know if it ever becomes a reality and sign ya up!!

ciao..jessie

I like it, kind of a "Yosemite Fireside Chats with the Ranger" meets "The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau". It makes it sound like a camping trip with Scuba Diving as the focus. Almost like nature hikes that take place underwater.

Would it be successful? Maybe. The price is certainly right. Most divers that I know dream of sandy beaches with coconut palms, WW II wrecks, and coral reefs. But I'm sure that most divers would love the program that you are describing, myself included. You would need to convince divers that the $2500 that they have saved for their annual dive vacation should be spent in Nova Scotia rather than Fiji or Grand Cayman.

Your program sounds beautiful though. I would do it.

[duffmastaflash]

hot tubs are a fantastic idea...'cliffside jet pools overlooking the ocean'...might help with my marketing...from the responses i'm seeing, i guess wreck diving is a must..i'll try and work that into my 3-year projections...hopefully my prof won't search my financing section in too much depth!!! thanks a bunch!!

ciao..jessie

Things like sea kayaking and whale watching as options can only be good. People like other things to do on some afternoons. I don't see the cold water as a huge problem, but others might. (But you'll want some hot tubs... :) ) In general, however, you're competing for the dollars of divers who travel. I travel to the Thousand Islands region, for example, to do wreck diving. To get divers to select your destination over some other, you'll want to describe something that your destination offers that sets it apart, that makes divers want to come there. If, for example, there are many wrecks in Nova Scotia (which I've recently heard is the case), I'd definitely come to check them out. (In which case you'd need to be able to blend nitrox, along with all the logistics that requires.) I know of a number of dive resorts in British Columbia, and they do fine. But...they offer absolutely outstanding diving - cold water, yes, but incredible visibility and a huge variety of life large and small. If they can do it, I suspect you can too...but you may want to study their model a bit...

Here is just one, as an example:
http://www.godspocket.com/Base2.htm

FWIW,

Doc

[Hydrophobic]

I know a lot of people I dive with that like to run up to Vancouver Island and dive. I haven't had a chance yet, but Divers from Washington go to BC. If the cost is right and you can get word of mouth to help with marketing, you may have a business.

Drysuit Rentals may help the warm water divers to want to come north.

[snorkelcorey]

Hi, duffmastaflash. I just read your post. It sounds like it would be a lotta fun. How long have you been diving, and how long is this course you're taking? Is it a four or five program? you're, it would be fun to stay at a sea side cabin, the way you described it in your post, it sounds a trip like that is an adventure. I wish I could help you with this project, you're working on. But, I guess all I can do is wish you luck with it. If you want to, you can drop by my profile. And, if you want to, you can leave a pm on my profile. Good Luck with your project. SnorkelCorey

[Jamie_r]

Hey I live just outside halifax, Id love to see this work, hopefully I can be a customer in the near future,


Jamie

[cancun mark]

http://coltcreekdiving.com/ourstaff.html
http://www.busi.mun.ca/lwetsch/
contact this guy,

unless he is already your professor.