Should a Dive Op charge you for rental gear in the case of your own gear failure?

[gamon]

It's always been my understanding that most if not all boat dive ops carry spare gear, primarily regulators to lend to divers if they experience a gear malfunction.

Yesterday I was diving with Pura Vida divers and my first stage crapped out on me. That small hole on the top of the regulator made a popping sound and gas was hissing out of the regulator. I believe this to be a failure of the overexpansion valve o-ring but I'm not a regulator tech. But I digress.. my regulator was not usable.

The boat crew lent me a spare regulator that they keep on the boat and all was good. On the afternoon dive we switched to their other boat and I explained my regulator situation to the crew of the second boat. They said since we had the time I should go to the shop and get a regulator there, so they'd still have the spare on the boat for another diver if needed.

I did as requested, but ultimately was charged for the regulator rental (which would not have happened if I used the spare on the boat).

It was always my feeling that there isn't a charge in situations such as this, and it isn't the best customer service experience to pay for a rental when your own gear fails on a boat dive.

Thoughts?

 

[rhwestfall]

You use it, you pay the rental...

 

[shurite7]

After working in the islands and running a shop it is reasonable for them to charge for the rental. Taking the only spare, right away knowing your reg is kaput, on the boat places other people in the position of not having the spare.

Edit: not charging for using the spare reg on the morning trip is customer service. Charging for a rental on the afternoon excursion is an expectation. Now, if you were with a group, a good trip leader would lend you his/her reg.

When was the last time you used your reg and when was the last time it was serviced?

 

[GF99/99]

From a business perspective yes I would say you should have to pay. Dive are operators trying to run a business and giving things out for free is not really the best business practice. But I think there is some middle ground between good business and good customer service. I see it from both sides. Yes something simple like that probably should not be charged and im sure most places would not charge your but on the other hand if all the other customers are paying to a rental fee then you should also, that is the whole idea behind rental gear. That is just bad luck your reg had an issue.

If you were on a ski trip and you brought your own skis but half way through the trip your binding broke I highly doubt the ski resort will give you free ski's to use for the rest of your trip.

 

[Angelo Farina]

Happened to my son's reg one year ago. I paid for the rental to the dive shop.
It seems normal to me...

 

[scubadada]

Hi @gamon

If you showed up at the boat for diving and found that your regulator was not working, you would get a rental and go diving. This would be just like showing up without a regulator.

In this case, your regulator failed and they loaned you the extra on the boat. In the afternoon, they asked you to pick up a rental and pay for it. I think it was perfectly acceptable for them to charge you for a rental and maintain an extra on the boat, to use for another diver like you. Again, this is like showing up without a regulator and needing a rental. To me, it would have been unexpectedly generous for them to have not charged you for the rental. I would be very grateful that they had the spare to loan me in the morning, so that I did not have to miss the dives.

 

[rhwestfall]

I'm impressed a "day trip" boat had spare gear on board. I hope you gave a really nice tip for them bailing you out of having only gone for a boat ride (along with a rental fee)....

And no, assuming that the next outing allows you to continue using that "dang something broke" gear is improper. It is there to bail someone out....

Back to my post above, you use their stuff, you should pay for it...

 

[gamon]

Ok, thanks for the feedback, I'm out of line on this one.

Appreciate the comments.

 

[arew+4]

The first one, was a save a dive from equipment failure, warranting a very large tip. The second would have been you getting on a boat with a known faulty regulator and hoping to borrow a working one.

If it was a two tank dive with it no trip back to the shop, probably no charge for second dive. But even if they did charge you it would not have been wrong, as you did use their equipment just like any other rental customer.

 

[Tug]

Hi @gamon

If you showed up at the boat for diving and found that your regulator was not working, you would get a rental and go diving. This would be just like showing up without a regulator.

In this case, your regulator failed and they loaned you the extra on the boat. In the afternoon, they asked you to pick up a rental and pay for it. I think it was perfectly acceptable for them to charge you for a rental and maintain an extra on the boat, to use for another diver like you. Again, this is like showing up without a regulator and needing a rental. To me, it would have been unexpectedly generous for them to have not charged you for the rental. I would be very grateful that they had the spare to loan me in the morning, so that I did not have to miss the dives.

My views are exactly the same. I'd happily lend out a spare when I'm driving or crewing if we have one onboard (usually 50/50 chance of a spare unless we have a lot of rentals or OW checkouts going on) but if you needed it for a second charter you'd have to grab another from the shop. I'd never outright say that tipping the crew is mandatory in this situation but if I'm on a charter and the crew lends me something to get me back in the water I'd throw some extra cash in the tip jar (on top of my normal amount) or buy some beers when we get back to the dock.