flots am
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Club requires members to sign "no solo diving" contract - So I won't be renewing
- Thread starter DelrayDM
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You can always point out that since they are now controlling your diving activities outside of the club's activities that could be interpreted as them assuming responsibility for them as well. 
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I'm in a solo diving club. We have one member. My friends like it that way....
GrumpyOldGuy
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I just dive with my good buddy Al.
Like others have said, if there is no penalty for breaking the rules, it only as big of a deal as you make it.
Like others have said, if there is no penalty for breaking the rules, it only as big of a deal as you make it.
Dsix36
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While I hate it when people try to control my actions or tell me what I can and can not do, I would be the first person to get in there face with a WTF is going on with this contract.
With that said, you might look at there possible motivation for doing so. Many clubs will have some kind of contract that is meant to help preserve the club image to outsiders. Since solo diving is thought to be dangerous and taboo by many people, perhaps they are just trying to show an image of safe diving to others????
Just something to think about.
With that said, you might look at there possible motivation for doing so. Many clubs will have some kind of contract that is meant to help preserve the club image to outsiders. Since solo diving is thought to be dangerous and taboo by many people, perhaps they are just trying to show an image of safe diving to others????
Just something to think about.
lindenbruce
Contributor
"If you like your club, you can keep your club." Hum.... This sounds familiar. Where have I heard something like this before? Dictators have a way of taking the fun out of things we once used to enjoy. B.
OP
To those that think I should just sign it and do what I want.... Not me... my word is my reputation, my character, my life.
This is probably a matter of a 'copy and paste' document provided to the club by insurance agent or lawyer; I'll ask a club official politely if that is the case.
Wookie:
I would not want to join a club that would let a person like me be a member. (That's a joke, people.)
This is probably a matter of a 'copy and paste' document provided to the club by insurance agent or lawyer; I'll ask a club official politely if that is the case.
Wookie:
I would not want to join a club that would let a person like me be a member. (That's a joke, people.)
drrich2
Contributor
Delray:
Admire your personal moral integrity.
As a matter of philosophical integrity, I recommend not signing the thing as it stands. This over-reaching controlling crap is wrong and ought to immediately come back and bite them in the butt.
In fact, I recommend persuading any others you can not to sign either.
Divers can exist without the club, but the reverse is not true.
Richard.
Admire your personal moral integrity.
As a matter of philosophical integrity, I recommend not signing the thing as it stands. This over-reaching controlling crap is wrong and ought to immediately come back and bite them in the butt.
In fact, I recommend persuading any others you can not to sign either.
Divers can exist without the club, but the reverse is not true.
Richard.
Man, lots of anger here.
Not sure about the details of this club, but I have served on the board of ours for the past few years, and having wrestled with the very real concerns about club liability on sponsored dives, appropriate waiver language and the like. I would suggest that you be a bit more charitable and give people the benefit of the doubt before jumping to conclusions, drawing a line in the stand, or leaving the club in a huff.
Dive clubs for the most part are run by your fellow divers who do a lot of work as volunteers to try to facilitate fun dive activities, bring newer divers into the sport, arrange for trips, lectures, parties, etc... It's not like this is some big business that is trying to scam you. No one running the show is getting anything out of this - people are putting in a lot of work just so the members will have a good time.
One possibility is that they simply meant that you can't dive solo on a sponsored club dive, and whoever put the waiver together just got the language wrong. I'm in the process of reviewing our bylaws right now, and I can tell you that over the years there's a lot of cruft that accumulates. Not everything is written by a legal professional, believe it or not.
There are actually lots of pros and cons of specifying stuff like this for club dives. We actually try hard not to do things like vet divers' skills, arrange buddies, or determine who can go on what dive, because these things seem to increase your exposure. But another legal counsel may have advised the OP's club differently. Who knows.
You don't have to join a club at all to dive, but I can tell you that my dive club has made diving SO much more enjoyable for me, and that includes when I solo dive (there's lots of time to socialize during surface intervals!). So maybe ask for a clarification, but if that was their intent, and if you really like the people but not the agreement, then sign it and forget about it, as Dr. Lecter recommended.
Not sure about the details of this club, but I have served on the board of ours for the past few years, and having wrestled with the very real concerns about club liability on sponsored dives, appropriate waiver language and the like. I would suggest that you be a bit more charitable and give people the benefit of the doubt before jumping to conclusions, drawing a line in the stand, or leaving the club in a huff.
Dive clubs for the most part are run by your fellow divers who do a lot of work as volunteers to try to facilitate fun dive activities, bring newer divers into the sport, arrange for trips, lectures, parties, etc... It's not like this is some big business that is trying to scam you. No one running the show is getting anything out of this - people are putting in a lot of work just so the members will have a good time.
One possibility is that they simply meant that you can't dive solo on a sponsored club dive, and whoever put the waiver together just got the language wrong. I'm in the process of reviewing our bylaws right now, and I can tell you that over the years there's a lot of cruft that accumulates. Not everything is written by a legal professional, believe it or not.
There are actually lots of pros and cons of specifying stuff like this for club dives. We actually try hard not to do things like vet divers' skills, arrange buddies, or determine who can go on what dive, because these things seem to increase your exposure. But another legal counsel may have advised the OP's club differently. Who knows.
You don't have to join a club at all to dive, but I can tell you that my dive club has made diving SO much more enjoyable for me, and that includes when I solo dive (there's lots of time to socialize during surface intervals!). So maybe ask for a clarification, but if that was their intent, and if you really like the people but not the agreement, then sign it and forget about it, as Dr. Lecter recommended.
waterpirate
Contributor
Human nature is a real bummer. When ever you seek to organise anything there is going to be a power struggle, some people will be happy and some will be pissed off. IMHO the best club is the one that does not exist on paper. A group of people who all show up to a boat to dive on the same day, who hapen to know each other and share the cost of te charter. No leader, no hassle, and my favorite no lawyers.
I would ask for clarification, and base my actions on their answers.
I was asked to leave a club. The reason given was that I was a bad example to new OW divers when I showed up for club dives in doubles with my stage bottle???? I left.
Eric
---------- Post added December 4th, 2013 at 02:57 AM ----------
Would you be 21%'r or one of the new breed of dive club?
I would ask for clarification, and base my actions on their answers.
I was asked to leave a club. The reason given was that I was a bad example to new OW divers when I showed up for club dives in doubles with my stage bottle???? I left.
Eric
---------- Post added December 4th, 2013 at 02:57 AM ----------
I refuse to join a club because, I am NOT wearing a stupid leather vest when I dive that says, in big letters,................... Live to dive, Dive to live.
Would you be 21%'r or one of the new breed of dive club?
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