Dive shop requirements for equipment purchases

[redacted]

Some manufacturers require this, but not all.

what manufacturers currently place such a requirement on their gear sales?

 

[The Chairman]

what manufacturers currently place such a requirement on their gear sales?

Most do and for good reason. Go read the agreement between a manufacturer and a shop (if they'll let you or still have it) and you'll find all sorts of little gems in there like that. Why? Manufacturers, like the rest of America, are frantically trying to limit their exposure to liability. Getting sued is not a question of "if" but of "when" and they want things like this stacked for them. I remember reading the disclaimer on a Mares' reg one day and was completely blown away by the legalese.

 

[toliver66]

I bought my first set of dive gear from various pawn shops before I got certified. I am amazed at how scuba gear has almost no resale value. I had the reg serviced and serviced the BCD myself. I got the same spew from the LDS i got certified at "You have to buy this $250 dollar mask, fins, snorkel set from us before you can take the OW cert". I didn't, I bought a $20 dollar US divers mask snorkel set at Walmart and a $15 dollar set of US divers rocket fins from a pawn shop. LOL Guess what? They still took my money and signed me up for the course.

I would follow Wookie's advice though, and find another shop if I were you. It's been my experience that when a dive shop has questionable policies they have questionable practices as well. The LDS I got certified at supplied all your gear except for mask fins and snorkel with the class. The catch was, all the gear they supplied to their students was the most beat-up crappiest rental gear they had on hand. The BCD they gave me to do pool and open water sessions with leaked like a sieve. When I took it back to the rental counter to change it out, one of the owners was standing there and told me "It's the divers out there diving to 80 and 90 feet dives that I'm worried about and not the OW students under instructor supervision doing pool sessions and 20' open water dives."

 

[Searcaigh]

Well I don't live in the US but I have never been asked to show any proof of certification to buy any scuba gear in the US, UK, Cyprus, Saudi, UAE, Malaysia, Singapore or the Philippines, so regarding the LDS that asks to show proof is as one of my Japanese ex-colleagues would say "talking a road of borrocks"

Regarding Mares, I recently bought a new 5mm wetsuit and there is something written inside stating that it should only be used for scuba diving by certified divers or something to that effect, am on holiday at the moment so have no way of checking.

To the OP, welcome back to diving, and find another shop

 

[toliver66]

Most do and for good reason. Go read the agreement between a manufacturer and a shop (if they'll let you or still have it) and you'll find all sorts of little gems in there like that. Why? Manufacturers, like the rest of America, are frantically trying to limit their exposure to liability. Getting sued is not a question of "if" but of "when" and they want things like this stacked for them. I remember reading the disclaimer on a Mares' reg one day and was completely blown away by the legalese.

Yup... liability has gotten way out of hand in this country. When you can spill scalding hot coffee all over your self and not only sue someone else for it, but sue someone else for it and win with a $640,000 dollar award, then something is seriously wrong with the system.

 

[Damselfish]

I dived for about twenty years before I quit.I do not have certifications of any type now, however I firmly plan to get re-certified before I begin diving again.

Echo all the others to be careful of a shop that spouts caca. May be a predictor of ongoing headaches.

But, it sounds like you did get certified long ago? Certifications don't generally expire, do you just mean you don't have the actual card? Jumping straight back in the water after 20 years off is a bad idea, sure - but for the purposes of "needing to be certified to buy gear" if you can show a card I'd think you're good.

 

[redacted]

Most do and for good reason. Go read the agreement between a manufacturer and a shop (if they'll let you or still have it) and you'll find all sorts of little gems in there like that. Why? Manufacturers, like the rest of America, are frantically trying to limit their exposure to liability. Getting sued is not a question of "if" but of "when" and they want things like this stacked for them. I remember reading the disclaimer on a Mares' reg one day and was completely blown away by the legalese.

does that include aqualung or scubapro? i am looking for a specific manufacturer with such a requirement that i can run down.

i do remember when such restrictions were not uncommon at the lds level [but found it interesting how it could be bent when you started to put the cc back in your wallet as you turned to leave]. i am under the impression that such restrictions are now a thing of the past.

 

[The Chairman]

does that include aqualung or scubapro? i am looking for a specific manufacturer with such a requirement that i can run down.

i do remember when such restrictions were not uncommon at the lds level [but found it interesting how it could be bent when you started to put the cc back in your wallet as you turned to leave]. i am under the impression that such restrictions are now a thing of the past.

I doubt that the manufacturers have changed their requirements. However, without any enforcement people quickly learn that the rules don't mean much. In this case, the dive store owner kept their scruples and did not put their bottom line ahead of the OP's safety. It's tragic that people are demeaning them for doing the right thing, especially in these economically dire times. I would rather do business with a shop that shows such character than with ones who could care less. Asking to see my c-card impresses me and I am proud to show it. Try to go diving off of Wookie's boat without showing a c-card. Mel wouldn't stand for it.

 

[Captain Bil]

Most do and for good reason. Go read the agreement between a manufacturer and a shop (if they'll let you or still have it) and you'll find all sorts of little gems in there like that. Why? Manufacturers, like the rest of America, are frantically trying to limit their exposure to liability. Getting sued is not a question of "if" but of "when" and they want things like this stacked for them. I remember reading the disclaimer on a Mares' reg one day and was completely blown away by the legalese.

You still haven't named one. That's because there isn't one. Liability potential is a separate issue. Not one manufacturer has any policy requiring a buyer to be certified.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

 

[Searcaigh]

Asking to see my c-card impresses me and I am proud to show it. Try to go diving off of Wookie's boat without showing a c-card. Mel wouldn't stand for it.

Going for a dive on a boat without showing proof of certification is totally different from going into a dive shop to buy some kit.

Personally if somebody in a dive shop asked me for proof of certification to buy something I would tell them where they could stuff it. The only time I carry any of my C cards is when I go on overseas dive trips.