Tricks and Tips that Save Pennies

[er1n99]

Hi! I'm a relatively new diver and just invested $$ to buy my own gear (after renting and trying out lots first). After tallying up all the pennies, we figured out that we spent quite a few of them.

We are mainly vacation divers and don't plan on getting any further certification past AOW; so one of the things that we did was instead of purchasing expensive waterproof cases for things we use Lock&Lock brand "tupperware." It's $2.50 at K-Mart (and even cheaper at the Korean grocery store) and not only does it keep our leftovers great in the fridge, it is also waterproof, etc. and so we keep dive stuff in it too (wallet, c-cards, cell phone hotel key, etc) when we are on the boat.

Any other good suggestions on how we can save a penny or two?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Garrobo]

Uh-huh. You can save yourselves quite a few pennies by forgetting about the rediculous cost of the AOW certification and it's inherent uselessness.

 

[ligersandtions]

Off topic: it's a shame you are going to be mainly vacation divers....socal is a GREAT place to dive!

Back on topic: skip AOW and find an experienced buddy....and shore dive more than you dive off expensive boats.

 

[er1n99]

We've found that it is SO expensive to dive in CA. From OC/SD/San Pedro, all boats are $75-80+ per person. For that, we can take a boat in Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, even Costa Rica, and are almost guaranteed great diving...

Skip AOW? I guess we were just waiting for someone to tell us that...

Any more suggestions?

 

[fisheater]

Skip the local boats and join a dive club. Walk into and out of the water. You dive for the cost of gas (petrol and air) and parking.

 

[veritas_et_spes]

Off topic: it's a shame you are going to be mainly vacation divers....socal is a GREAT place to dive!

Back on topic: skip AOW and find an experienced buddy....and shore dive more than you dive off expensive boats.

I agree with you on the first point. I got into the sport from a vacation trip (Los Cabos), but I am discovering that my backyard is just as nice for Scuba (although quite a bit colder).

One the second point, I have to disagree. AOW isn't very expensive if you think about it. Most places will do the AOW course for $200. That's 5 guided dives for $200, which breaks down to $40/dive. By the way, there is a lot that you learn from AOW, which I doubt I would have learned from a buddy.

 

[Noboundaries]

We had a great instructor for our AOW class. The difference in our diving after the class compared to before the class was substantial, especially for buoyance control. The rest of the class dives were basically a reason to practice and improve buoyancy under the eyes of the instructor. We learned a little more about other skills, but learned a lot about control in the water. That was our experience, but without a great instructor it would be a waste of time and money.

Other tips?

Defogger: Use baby shampoo diluted 1/3rd shampoo, 2/3rds water. Buy a bottle of baby shampoo at Costco and a cheap plastic bottle at a drug store ($1). You can defog with no tears for a lifetime for $7-$8.

Knives: get stainless steel EMT shears when they're on sale at a dive shop (often for $5) or a warehouse tools outlet. Get a cheap, stainless, folding pocket knife with a serated edge from Big 5 or Wal-mart. Big 5 often sells a package of 5 knives for $12 on sale. I use them for everything, including diving. They take all kinds of abuse and if I lose one, I lost $2-$3.

 

[The_DivePirate]

From the looks of thing's, the people you are getting advice from have a maximum of 199 dives. It would seem that if you wanted to save some money, you would not listen to a few of them, and get yourself some further training! One trip to a chamber would cost a heck of alot more than any AOW course!! Heck, even if you didn't need the chamber, but needed an ambulance ride, the AOW course would still be cheaper. Besides, if you were to go on a trip and went out on a boat that was going to a site that was below 60', the dive op would not allow you to exit the boat for liability reason's. Your call.
Defogger: Use baby shampoo diluted 1/3rd shampoo, 2/3rds water. Buy a bottle of baby shampoo at Costco and a cheap plastic bottle at a drug store ($1). You can defog with no tears for a lifetime for $7-$8.
While this works well, 500 PSI defog kicks the @$$ of Johnson's and other's on the market. And if used correctly, will last for quite awhile.
As for saving pennies, take advice from others that have more experience than a couple hundred or less dive's. While there may be nothing wrong with that advice, I'd be a little leary of anyone that tells you to skip advanced training. Now some of the agencies have a way of going over the top with specialties, I don't think any creditable diver would consider AOW a waste of your cash. But hey, your a big girl and make a choice on your own. But remember this, " NEVER dive beyond your means, the life you save MAY be your own!!"
Joe

 

[vladimir]

One trip to a chamber would cost a heck of alot more than any AOW course!! Heck, even if you didn't need the chamber, but needed an ambulance ride, the AOW course would still be cheaper. Besides, if you were to go on a trip and went out on a boat that was going to a site that was below 60', the dive op would not allow you to exit the boat for liability reason's. Your call.

A good tip on ScubaBoard is to be skeptical of instructors promoting training--they probably mean well, but they aren't necessarily objective. I have managed over 700 dives without a chamber ride, without an ambulance ride, and without AOW. And nobody has ever tried to limit my diving because of it. Of course, good training is a great idea, but that is the kind of fear-mongering that can get you elected to the presidency. And your DAN insurance (not a good place to save money!) will pay in the unlikely event of a chamber ride or an ambulance ride.

My money-saving tip: fly economy class. If you absolutely have to.

 

[Dtaine]

I took AOW right out of OW training, and would definitely say it's not useless as others have stated. Could it be changed to make it better, sure, but I found it to be a great course that really got me first interested in deep/wreck diving. I'd recommend it as it expands your knowledge based beyond OW and opens up more diving opportunities.