I'm moving and need a new dive shop - what questions should I ask?

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wolflegresley

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Scuba Instructor
Divemaster
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Location
Canada
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I'm a Fish!
I will be moving in the next couple of months to a new location (Ottawa, Canada) and will be asking potential new dive shops some questions. Here is what I have so far... would love some input from my fellow scuba board members on some questions they feel are important to ask.

1. Do you service Apeks/Zeagle/Suunto regulators and equipment ?
2. Does your shop offer VIP and Hydro services ?
3. Is your shop associated with a dive club ?
4. Does your shop offer PADI dive master and Technical training ?
5. Does your shop organize any charter trips (to the Kingston area for example) ? if so how often and what is the shops diving season??
6. Does your shop organize any shore diving excursions ? if so how often what is the shops diving season??
7. Does your shop organize any dive trips to other locations (I.E. Cozumel, Florida etc..)
8. I see you offer a nitrox service, how often are your facilities inspected?
9. Do you offer an in-shop oxygen analyzer for use when I purchase Nitrox?
10. If I want a piece of a equipment and you don't carry it can you special order it for me?

Of course I have a totally diffrent list for potential instructors.
 
Some very good questions.....but the choices of shops in Ottawa are very few. You'll probably be utilizing all of them for different reasons and services. Good idea to join the local dive clubs there, active divers and good local info.


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I will be moving in the next couple of months to a new location (Ottawa, Canada) and will be asking potential new dive shops some questions. Here is what I have so far... would love some input from my fellow scuba board members on some questions they feel are important to ask.

1. Do you service Apeks/Zeagle/Suunto regulators and equipment ?
2. Does your shop offer VIP and Hydro services ?
3. Is your shop associated with a dive club ?
4. Does your shop offer PADI dive master and Technical training ?
5. Does your shop organize any charter trips (to the Kingston area for example) ? if so how often and what is the shops diving season??
6. Does your shop organize any shore diving excursions ? if so how often what is the shops diving season??
7. Does your shop organize any dive trips to other locations (I.E. Cozumel, Florida etc..)
8. I see you offer a nitrox service, how often are your facilities inspected?
9. Do you offer an in-shop oxygen analyzer for use when I purchase Nitrox?
10. If I want a piece of a equipment and you don't carry it can you special order it for me?

Of course I have a totally diffrent list for potential instructors.

What is your objective?

I'm guessing that at least 5 of those questions can be answered by visiting any shop's website. 8 if their website is any good. There are two - possibly three - that I think you can confidently assume that the answer is "yes."

You can also visit the appropriate subforum here... http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/canada/ and ask for recommendations.
 
For shop recommendations,

kanatadivingsupply.com (or orleansscuba.com if you are in the east-end)
diverswearhouse.com
sharkyscuba.com

These are the ones I can think of off the top of my head. Like RJP said, most of the info you're looking for can be found on their websites.

There's plenty of trips to various parts of the St. Lawrence offered by these guys. While you're up there, and if you don't mind a short detour, hop down to mallorytown and take a look at the divetech.ca shop.
 
They are all also in different parts of the city - which you use may depend on which is more convenient to you.

Scuba Geek is another one. http://www.scubageek.ca
 
Be sure to sample check their coffee.
+1 if they have one of them Keurig machines.

Otherwise, I'm with RJP here.

11). Do you have a discount card for frequent air fill purchasers?
 
I'm intrigued by the idea of nitrox inspections in Canada. Is this a government thing? Who does the inspections? What do they look for?
 
You're moving to someplace where there's a choice of dive shops?

Huh ...

Whoda thunk?
 

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