Buy my own tank?

[grantwiscour]

2' viz works for me. Awesome wreck diving a mere 3 hours away? What are you complaining about?

Sometimes I grouse about the viz in Lake Travis and then I remember there's a guy in El Paso, AZ, CO, OK wherever that would die to have so much water a mere fifteen minutes from the house.

Great Point! I get bored with the viz and diving at CSSP or Athens from time to time but it's still diving. Last week at CSSP we talked with some fellows from Louisiana who drove out to Terrell to dive. I made me glad that I had a dive park only 45 minutes from home.

 

[Nemrod]

Without getting into the debate as to what constitutes a diver, if one dives locally using an automobile or personal boat to reach the location or charter, then it makes sense to own your own tanks. If you prefer to get on a big ol' jet airliner to reach your dive location then it does not make sense to own tanks.

Some people would rather go bird hunting with Dick Cheney than scuba dive in Lake Travis.

N

 

[chrpai]

Without getting into the debate as to what constitutes a diver

Some people would rather go bird hunting with Dick Cheney than scuba dive in Lake Travis.

Last Saturday we had a good storm come through. San Antonio got flooded and we had 4" of rain come down at Mansfield Dam in a few hours. I got to the boat and it was pooring. I put on my hood and wetsuit and quickly stopped thinking about the rain. After all, it doesn't rain underwater. I got 4 1+ hour dives in that day and had a wonderful time.

Without saying what isn't a diver... IMO, that's a diver.

 

[SeaCobra]

another convenience of owning your tanks is that you can go diving more often and easier.

 

[BradMM]

WOW, thanks for many responses! Diving frequency is certainly a consideration. We've been going to the Caribbean for the past 15-18 years (?) and have migrated to just snorkeling and free diving mostly for the ease of travel and the stuff we want to see if normally pretty shallow. I have access to Spring Lake in San Marcos, Tx, and was an early "Scientific Diver" but hadn't kept it up. I wanted to get back in more now and, to stay out of the way of the boats, need to (and want to) go back to SCUBA. Also, this week, we're helping our son move to Florida so I anticipate going to visit him over the next five years of his residency and would like to dive Florida again (been about 20 years). Again, not sure if it's worth traveling with the tank but certainly here locally.

Thanks!!!

 

[Crass3000]

Simply put.... If you dive enough the convenience will outweigh the price. My four tanks happen to be at the shop for viz now (AL80s) but I'm definitely buying at least couple more for a set of doubles. Not to mention my mom just got certified and If I drive a couple hours for decent diving, I need to dive at least 4 tanks a day so we're gonna be buying quite a few more.

 

[TravisD]

I can say that for us, having our own tanks means that we get to dive a lot more often. No worries about figuring out how to get my the LDS on Friday, and then back on the next day they're open. We can say "yup, feels like a good day to get wet" and go instead of having to think about it a day or three in advance. (We do most of our diving in the local quarry).

 

[MrSam]

Last tank I bought ran me $85. I threw in an extra $5 because I was too lazy to wait for the guy to get change and he carried it to my car. Manufacture dated in 2012, so she's good till 2017.

 

[milbournosphere]

Buy used tanks if you can; they're significantly cheaper than buying new. You can get a very good deal if you get a tank that in good shape with a current hydro. I own two ALU 80s and am considering a high pressure steel tank. I try to average 3-4 dives a week during the summer months, and in the winter I usually go out for two tanks' worth one day a week. Used tanks in good shape will pay for themselves very quickly if you dive semi-regularly. Plus they'll have extra "character" with regards to the paint job.

 

[AfterDark]

I've owned my own tanks since day one. For many years it was just one tank that I took to the LDS for a fill during the SI before a second dive. I've only rented tanks for deep or long dives, these days I have enough tanks for whatever diving I want to do. It is a little expensive but to me it's worth the cost. +1 on the used steel tanks I don't own any tanks that I bought new.