New guy, want family to join the scuba club..

holladay · Mar 21, 2012

So, where can I rent âgearâ to train/teach my family in Kansas??? Guessing I can't

Been diving for years. Tried to get my wife into it awhile ago. She did a "resort" training in Costa Rica....ended badly. She did the pool day training fine, clear the mask etc. Then they dumped her off the back of the boat. She forgot to inflate her BC. Not good. Bad training. Wife is and a was a water baby. Soured her for life

I have an advanced scuba from NASDS. The family is going down to florida and I want to do John Penacamp Park.

I live in Kansas. We are not gonna scuba much at all...There's not much diving around here. So this is a one time expericence at this time. I don't really want to spend a thousand dollars to get my family licensed for one day in florida. And I don't want to spend 4k on gear to train them. I'm not talking about decompression diving, just along the reefs at the park.

So, what I need info about is where can I rent gear to teach the basic's. I'll take them to the pool, then the Missouri river, thus wade in slowly to get comfortable...not drop them off the back of a boat. Take it slowly to train the basics.

Then go have fun off Key Largo for a day.

Again, if we didn't live in Kansas or near a lake, I would spend the money for lessons, that the kids and wife could have for a lifetime.

I feel comfortable in training them for non- decompression dives, I have 1,000 hours diving in the lake of the ozarks. I'm not a professional but feel I can teach for 30 ft dives on the keys. And MUCH better qualified then those YAHOOS in Costra Rica.
Give me some ideas or Flame away

Brett in Kansas.

buddhasummer · Mar 21, 2012

I'm don't think this is a good idea. I'm certain no one would hire you gear if they knew what you were proposing to do.

Being able to dive and being able to teach are not the same, forget about any possible legalities involved how would you feel if god forbid something went wrong? and sometimes it does even with properly trained intsructors.

What about paying for them to do a "Discover Scuba"? it's not too expensive and gives them a safe way to experience scuba.

freewillie · Mar 21, 2012

Just my $0.02 but I agree with buddhasummer. I don't think training your own family is a good idea. There are nuances that instructors are trained for to help students learn to dive. Simply knowing how to dive doesn't translate to knowing how to teach diving.

If you are landlocked then maybe you could inquire about PADI online courses. Your wife and family can do the book part online then try arrange for the pool sessions and open water dives in Florida. They would then have the c cards to last a lifetime.

My daughter completed her PADI training while we were on vacation. She did all the books, tests, pool, and ocean dives in under 4 days. And there were no shortcuts either. She had to pass all the tests, do all the skills, and had special pool session before the last open water dive because she needed work to pass one of her skills. She literally did everything I did to get certified but just few days instead of the 3 weeks took me. You could shorten this by cutting out the book and test portions by completing online.

And don't forget the doctors certification medical questionnaires. No signed doctor form, no classes.

Good luck, hope it works out for you and the family. My greatest joy diving now is with my daughter.

g1138 · Mar 21, 2012

Can't find a dive shop in Kansas? Get them certified in Texas or Alabama. Heck even Minnesota has dive shops. You don't need to go to Florida to become certified.

Teaching loved ones and learning from loved ones is probably the worst way to go. Too much baggage; good way bring back those memories of suppressed grudges and annoying quirks that love tends to smother away. Speaking from experience. My dad was my tennis instructor, driving teacher, and math tutor.

Griffo · Mar 21, 2012

I agree with Buddahsummer. It's exactly what "Discover Scuba" dives are for. Word up the instructor that you have had a bad experience before. My experience was it was not much more than the equipment hire alone would have been anyway.

Simon- · Mar 21, 2012

"walks in, sees the OP, walks out shaking head"

spectrum · Mar 21, 2012

Holladay,

If you are truly certified and experienced as you list you's know the impracticality of teaching the family to dive off the cuff all for a 1 day outing. If you want to have a dive vacation plan to dive with divers and keep the family safe. Besides who's going to support them on vacation with gear, boat and air?

Pete

grantwiscour · Mar 21, 2012

A Discover Scuba class might be what you need for your family. This will get them safely in the water and have DM supervision. Check out Dive Key Largo, Islamorada, Florida Keys with Rainbow Reef Dive Center;scuba diving:diving, Florida keys, florida diving We have used them several times and always enjoy the trip.

swinging pink · Mar 21, 2012

sorry but I think you would be crazy to try something like that.
this is coming from a dad of two boys 12&10.
they both dive with me but we wouldn't be a family if I would have tried to train them.
I to live in a land locked state and we have scuba shops everywhere.
just google them I did and this is what I found for you.
kcdiveshop.com and skinnscuba.com.
skinn scuba has a 25x25 saltwater pool. how cool is that.
please be smart and safe.

oly5050user · Mar 21, 2012

holladay:
So, where can I rent âgearâ to train/teach my family in Kansas??? Guessing I can't

Been diving for years. Tried to get my wife into it awhile ago. She did a "resort" training in Costa Rica....ended badly. She did the pool day training fine, clear the mask etc. Then they dumped her off the back of the boat. She forgot to inflate her BC. Not good. Bad training. Wife is and a was a water baby. Soured her for life

I have an advanced scuba from NASDS. The family is going down to florida and I want to do John Penacamp Park.

I live in Kansas. We are not gonna scuba much at all...There's not much diving around here. So this is a one time expericence at this time. I don't really want to spend a thousand dollars to get my family licensed for one day in florida. And I don't want to spend 4k on gear to train them. I'm not talking about decompression diving, just along the reefs at the park.

So, what I need info about is where can I rent gear to teach the basic's. I'll take them to the pool, then the Missouri river, thus wade in slowly to get comfortable...not drop them off the back of a boat. Take it slowly to train the basics.

Then go have fun off Key Largo for a day.

Again, if we didn't live in Kansas or near a lake, I would spend the money for lessons, that the kids and wife could have for a lifetime.

I feel comfortable in training them for non- decompression dives, I have 1,000 hours diving in the lake of the ozarks. I'm not a professional but feel I can teach for 30 ft dives on the keys. And MUCH better qualified then those YAHOOS in Costra Rica.
Give me some ideas or Flame away

Brett in Kansas.

Recreational No decompression diving is what is taught in a open water class. Just as NASDS did when you got yourself certified.
If cost is a factor , then getting certified to dive is not in the cards for your family. No dive operator will rent you gear to teach your family to dive if you are not an instructor with liability insurance. A "fun day" at Key Largo can easily turn into a very horrific day with an accident.
Simple personal gear requirement of mask/snorkel/fins/boots can be a very minimal investment anywhere from $180.-$250. for each person along with class fee and learning materials. If that is a barrier then scuba diving is not for them, do not bother to get certified.
I freely tell people after all said and done from academics/pool/training dives /personal gear/rental fees it can run from $700. to $1.000+ to become open water certified.
That said, they can take a intro to scuba called Discover Scuba which takes 30-45 minutes classroom and about 1 hr in a pool.Then they can go with the instructor/divemaster on a boat out of Key Largo for a very controlled dive experience. Total cost for this can vary ,but would be around $150. to $200. per person + tips

The experience for the day is more expensive than for a certified diver, but less expensive than getting certified. Is it safe? Usually is, depends on the individual student and instructor. If they wish to dive again in a different location/different operator they would be required to do discover scuba over again with that operator.

New guy, want family to join the scuba club..

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