Brownie's Boca Dive and Paddle

[Errol Kalayci]

Check out Brownie's Boca Dive and Paddle if you have not done so already. Really nice store with a vast assortment of Stand Up Paddleboards hung vertically, huge screen wall of dive videos playing, wide selection of Scuba Pro and Halcyon gear along with Brownie Third Lung hookahs and all the toys such as various Halcyon dpvs, lobster and spearfish gear. Wide selection of bottom timers, computers and underwater cameras, lights and video cameras. They have nitrox maker with loads of banked 32% standard gas nitrox. They manufacture and sell compressors, nitrox makers and more for all the yachters needs. The kayak, battery operated third lung with a dpv is unbelievable. I tried it a few times and have covered 7 miles in a single dive while only wearing a backplate and bailout bottle. That is fun!!!!
Check out the store, I was impressed.
Disclosure: I do offfer GUE training out of that store as well, so not totally unbiased but it is an awesome store set up.
Errol

 

[Scott L]

+1 on Errol's recommendation. Very well stocked, professional and friendly service, situated in a beautiful area of Boca Raton, just west of Federal Hwy on Glades Rd...

 

[Chugwhump]

Nice plug.....
I will now be be brutally blunt.

I am LOATHE to talk trash about businesses on line, especially dive businesses as I think they need all the help they can get.
But.... the name "Brownies" conjures up several very bad memories of being disrespected personally by an establishment by this same name in Fort Lauderdale upon several occasions.
Is there a connection with the Fort Lauderdale store?
Specifically, is there a connection with the Fort Lauderdale Brownies store in the Southport area that has no use whatsoever for your interest or business unless you are a "Yachtie" type that intends on buying 20 sets of gear and want to pay full retail.

Chug
Grew up here.
Knows a lot, and does not forgive lousy attitudes and rude sales clerks.

 

[Reck Diver]

Glad to hear they finally got nitrox. All last year I would bring my tanks there, only to hear they had to go to Pompano for Nitrox fills.

Did they get the whips, so they can fill tanks right in your vehicle yet? That is going to be great.

---------- Post added January 12th, 2013 at 08:07 PM ----------

Nice plug.....
Is there a connection with the Fort Lauderdale store?
Specifically, is there a connection with the Fort Lauderdale Brownies store in the Southport area that has no use whatsoever for your interest or business unless you are a "Yachtie" type that intends on buying 20 sets of gear and want to pay full retail.

They are the same. Robert Carmichael is the honcho.
Come to think of it.... they are the originator of the "T00KA".

 

[Scott L]

Chug, I am hear what you are saying, but the principals involved with this enterprise are totally different. They have a focus towards the FAU community and are modeled along the lines of a traditional LDS. The staff could not be friendlier. I am very attuned to being treated well myself and know the difference...

 

[Nemrod]

I have stopped by there several times, got air and bought a few things. The man was very friendly and helpful. The (well known) shop down the road refused to fill my scuba tanks (in date, in hydro, new looking steel 72s and one brand new Faber) and the fellow at Brownies gladly filled them. They had some really cool stuff in the store that you do not see in typical shops. I wish them well.

N

 

[danvolker]

Glad to hear they finally got nitrox. All last year I would bring my tanks there, only to hear they had to go to Pompano for Nitrox fills.

Did they get the whips, so they can fill tanks right in your vehicle yet? That is going to be great.

---------- Post added January 12th, 2013 at 08:07 PM ----------



They are the same. Robert Carmichael is the honcho.
Come to think of it.... they are the originator of the "T00KA".

Actually the owner of the "Brownies" stores is not Robert, but his brother David Carmichael. Robert is actually a very nice guy, but his ownership is of the factory, not the "Brownies" stores. If you were a "Yachtie", David would be really nice to you

In any event, David has zero to do with Boca Dive and Paddle....It would be Jeremy who also owns Pompano Dive Center....Robert may have an interest in the Boca Store, but would have zero to do with operation.

I have been to Boca Dive and Paddle several times now, and I think the shop and their boat will be a great way to get to experience the reefs off the Boca Inlet...which I have had little access to in the past, as the Boynton Inlet boats generally won't go to far South beyond Delray Beach....

 

[tekkydiver]

Out of Business.....
Went there today..... nothing but bare walls. In Boca it's tough to compete against the Force E store.

 

[danvolker]

Well, at least we can say that Force E has great stores. Boca is too far for me usually, but the Riviera Beach Force E is right on my way to diving....AND....of all dive stores I have been in..in my entire life of diving, the Riviera Beach Force E stands out as the BEST Dive Shop I have ever been in....they are fun...knowledgeable, they have Billy who can fix anything--anything!!
These guys in Force E make diving more fun....How many shops can say that? Too many are so busy acting serious about how diving is such a serious business, that you can't wait to get away from them

 

[DiveDivaDM]

Well, at least we can say that Force E has great stores. Boca is too far for me usually, but the Riviera Beach Force E is right on my way to diving....AND....of all dive stores I have been in..in my entire life of diving, the Riviera Beach Force E stands out as the BEST Dive Shop I have ever been in....they are fun...knowledgeable, they have Billy who can fix anything--anything!!
These guys in Force E make diving more fun....How many shops can say that? Too many are so busy acting serious about how diving is such a serious business, that you can't wait to get away from them

Dan, you couldn't be more right. In all my years of diving Force E Riveria Beach is the best dive store ever. They are never too busy to help or be friendly. And Billy is the best. He can fix anything. He has fixed my stuff so many times. He actually was walking out the door to go home when I came in after a dive with my reg free flowing. He came back in and fixed it. I didn't ask him he just did it. I do bring in brownies once in a while and a treat for Billy. They can't be beat as far as a dive shops go. They are all equally friendly and helpful. They are my dive shop and I do support them by buying equipment and going there for fills even though I do have a dive shop closer to my house.