Question for anyone who got certified in FLORIDA

[CJ Waid]

I am moving to Daytona beach next year, I plan on teaching scuba part time.

CAN ANYONE HELP ME OUT.

One of my biggest questions is how much did you pay for your classes.

I checked out some dive shops in the daytona area and they said that it cost $179 (everything included if you do it from shore) for open water.

Does this sound about right to everyone???

I am trying to find out what they charge for ANY classes, just to give me an idea, I am basing how I am going to approach this part time gig based on the numbers.

ALSO, if anyone is a part time instructor down that way, I am curious what the dive shops pay instructors, is it per class, per student, etc. etc. etc.

THANK YOU
THANK YOU
and THANK YOU for any help.

 

[fldiver1]

From what I have seen most of the shops charge between $299-$399 and then alot of them require your own mask/fins/snorkel. I know of one(a god friend of mine in Orlando) that charges $269 and includes EVERYTHING inlcuding dive site fees unless its a boat dive. At this price he has full classes almost every day of the week during season and still does ALOt during the winter.

 

[jefffalcone]

Wow. Great prices in Florida. In MA you can't find a OW class for less than $470.

 

[johnny_bravo]

Most classes I've seen in both coasts of FLA range b/t 250-350USD.

Cheers.

-J.-

 

[Walter]

No offense intended, but this is a terrible way to determine what to charge.

You need to figure out your costs - pool, insurance, renewal fees, equipment, etc.. Add in everything. After that figure out how many hours you'll be putting into the class. That includes time preparing preparing you lesson plans as well as time actually with students. Now, you have to honestly evaluate your worth. If you teach a quality class and not the prepackaged junk most offer, you are more valuable as a teacher than average.

I always charged more than other folks in the area, we had different target markets. What's your target market?

 

[ScubaKris]

I don't think you will have much luck teaching hear.

I have been certified since 74,..I am an instructor. I have tried teaching. I have a very flexable schedule.

I have lots of gear, two compressors on my own property of 6 acres a few miles from free springs like Morrison, vortex and Cypress. I have done a few people hear. I have not taught anyone in three years so I have not renewed this year. I have no desie to play with open water students,...

Datona is a tough area. Florida is not like Hawaii. Most of the diving in Florida is boat diving, very, very, little shore diving. Catching the weather and tides right is like winning the lottery.

The seas get rough off that atlantic side a lot of the year and there just are not any good springs in the area to try and teach from. You can go up to Alexander, then it is a state park and they will not let you teach. I tried it when I lived in Orlando. I tried it when I lived in Miami.

The private springs like Ginnie are expensive,..$35 a head

If you plan to get over the panama city way,..let me know and we will take the boat to Cypress or something.

Teaching in shops,..not many openings. Most are partners who own the shop and teach part time. they have a real job to support themselves. The full shops that do hire people,.. back in 97 in Orlando they were paying about $6 - $8 an hour.

 

[fldiver1]

Actually, Alexander WILL let you teach in it. Also Blue Springs will. Lake Denton will. Deleon Springs will. There are plenty of free or cheap places to teach in local springs and lakes. Don't take this the wrong way SkubaKris, but if you teach like you spell it's no wonder that you don't get alot of students.
For instance:
hear-here
Datona-Daytona
desie-desire

I think there is alot more shore and spring diving going on here than you realize SK.

 

[diverrex]

------

 

[aowdan]

i payed $250 back in '93 in key west. it included everything but MFS. not sure about the prices now

 

[Stu S.]

Dayo Scuba of Orlando is charging $269 for OW right now. He taught my daughter at DeLeon Springs, and that is not far from Daytona. The owner and instructor, Tom, provides all gear..... right down to the booties, so the student does not need to purchase anything. Classwork is on the PADI CD ROM, so you would not have to go to Orlando. He is very patient and real pro. There's none of the traditional sales pressure, as he's not associated with a dive shop. Check his website.

Happy diving!