Dishonest LDS ??

[Andy077]

I am the OP and I just wanted to follow up for all those that live in the Fairfield County Connecticut area and wanted to know what shop this was.

It was Saam Greenman of Captain Saam's in Stamford Connecticut. He continued to gives us problems afterwards and my girlfriend eventually had to seek instruction elsewhere. I also talked to several other dive shops in the area and they told me they constantly get students that quit his class and get OW instruction elsewhere for various reasons. So needless to say he has a bad reputation.

He also sells new/used dive equipment on Ebay. So buyer beware if you are looking at his items.

The guy is an ass. I did my cert there this spring/summer.
My actual open water dives? max depth 20 feet, 5 minutes or less of skills practice in each one, and then sit there while he collects clams. Every dive on the exact same spot, nothing but mud on the bottom of LI sound.
THEN, he won;t sign the logbook until you go back to the shop on another day, so he can try to upsell you on something, THEN again to get the card.
His whole business model is to get you into the shop as many times as possible and sell you crap you don't need. If I had a dollar for every time he pushed a BC/reg setup on me, i'd be able to afford them. Add to that his policy of no-return, period . Avoid the place if you can.

 

[floridanewbe]

love split fins. I have scubapro twin jets and am very happy with them. Read about all your equipment on SB before you buy and dont deal with a LDS that wont let you try them out in the pool before you buy. Once you find that great LDS stay loyal to them and you will be golden.

 

[rollerboi]

My home- modified splits are fairly stiff and frog kick as well as my jets. They also do OK turning and backing up.

This comment jumped out at me as I was catching up on this thread.

Modifying any pair of fins is generally not a good idea unless you know very well what you're doing. I'm not saying you don't, awap, I just don't want anyone taking away from this thread that it's okay to modify their fins.

I lost a friend, and his home-modified fins played a large role in his scuba diving death. He cut a pair of fins in order to make them splits, and by doing so lost the thrust he needed to get himself out of a bad situation.

We know - from his computer readout - that he attempted to ascend and made it up to 32 feet before falling back down to 60 feet. We think that, in attempting to kick up and having no air in his BC and getting little thrust from his fins, he basically kicked so hard that he kicked both fins off his feet and then fell to the bottom.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/accidents-incidents/197238-death-socal-last-thanksgiving.html

 

[bill-da-ho]

I wonder where all you people recomending another LDS are from? where I'm at, we have one within 60 miles. Luckily, he is pretty good, his prices are alot of times better than what I've found online, and even if he's a bit higher? He is there to take it back to if I have a problem. I dont think this profession is any different than any other, there are good ones and bad ones,, If the OP is lucky enough to be in a place where there are multiple LDS' and hasnt committed alot of money to this one, then I would look elsewhere, but, I would ask other divers in the area where they would go, word of mouth is the best way to find a good place.

 

[fireflock]

I dont think this profession is any different than any other, there are good ones and bad ones,,

I think the scuba industry is a little different. I can't think of another group of professionals who wouldn't work via manufacturers and trade groups to get rid of the bad shops in order to improve the impression of the industry as a whole.

I think everyone involved in diving suffers when experienced divers can't be confident about sending a friend or relative to the closest shop in town. In my town, you have a 50:50 change of finding a great introduction to the sport or being taken to the cleaners. As long as the bad shop keeps placing orders, the certifying agency and gear manufacturers don't really care what kind of experience the customer have.

The industry needs to work to clean up the bad shops....they have a lot of work to do.

Rich

 

[bill-da-ho]

I think the scuba industry is a little different. I can't think of another group of professionals who wouldn't work via manufacturers and trade groups to get rid of the bad shops in order to improve the impression of the industry as a whole.

I think everyone involved in diving suffers when experienced divers can't be confident about sending a friend or relative to the closest shop in town. In my town, you have a 50:50 change of finding a great introduction to the sport or being taken to the cleaners. As long as the bad shop keeps placing orders, the certifying agency and gear manufacturers don't really care what kind of experience the customer have.

The industry needs to work to clean up the bad shops....they have a lot of work to do.

Rich

I would agree with you on this, its the industry and the divers themselves who have to clean up the bad shops. I have no problems telling someone that I've had a good experience at M&M dive shop in Menominee Michigan, I would also not have a problem in telling people if I had a bad experience in some other shop. Its up to all of us if PADI and the other organizations arent going to police themselves. lets vote with our wallets

 

[divedeepnj]

He's obviously trying to sell you what he has in his shop. Don't fall for it. I don't use splits but they are fine for what you intend to use them for. Find a new shop, quickly. This guy obviously thinks the internet doesn't exist, or that it will go away soon. If you're not sure of something get on here and ask questions. Thousands of people will help you. The best advice I can give is to ask local divers what gear they use. That will give you a great starting point.

 

[grey78]

Hey Blackrock,
I live in Black Rock and have excellent luck with orbit marine which is right down the street. I have met some of Rex Marines staff, actually two this weekend at fort wetherill and they seem great as well. I use atomics and they rock.

 

[river_sand_bar]

I also had a friend who was still new to diving... she was taking an advance class...

Items listed she needed was a dive knife.... (a knife I thought??).. I told her she would be best off getting a pair of sheers and attaching them to her inflator hose.

She goes to the LDS...they ended up selling her a Titanuim Knife ($160) and said the sheers would not suit the dive class requirements. I call BOGUS, cus she never ONCE used the knife nor even took it out of the case for the class.

bad LDS sells what ever they can get away with to newbies.

 

[srhtech]

There are good and bad LDS you just have to find the one that you like. Luckily in Houston there are 9034 differant scuba shops plus the internet.

Oh yeah and my wife and I have Atomic Split fins and they are awesome. We did tired diver tow and several other things and they work great and are very easy on the calves.