In my dubios career as I trukdriver, which started in 1974, I have done natural gas pipeline work for Delta Gulf outta Shreveport La, and Henkells And Mccoy, outta Blue Bell Pa. On all the spreads I worked on, the truck of choice was the Ford lt 9000 with a big cam cummins, coupled to a fuller roadranger rto 9513. With all the big name and big money trucks they could have had or used, they used a ford. Up until these spreads I thought as a truckdriver I was pretty good. But when you're stringing pipe up a mountain, with a 8 infront pulling, another 8 behind you pushing........well let's just say it's the real deal. Those hands on the line move more equipment in a day then these folks move in a lifetime.
It's apparent your dis-like for Scubapro, and I respect you for that. The problem is, wether we like a company or not, we can not ignore the fact of what that company has acchieved, in this case some of the things Scubapro has invented. If you had read some of my other threds in other forums you would see that, I now have to drive four hours round trip to get the service I had become accustom to. I was what you would call a shop rat, I lived breathed spent all my time in Providence Rhode Island. The original shop owner was somebody I trusted and respected as he himself had been diving forever. When he spoke, I listen. I never once had to second guess him, nor did I ever have to call the company.....not once. WELLLLLLLLLLLLLL don't you know that one day he decided to retire...........AND DID NOT ASK ME! He sold the shop to new owners and that was that. At that point I became a Ronin. From that point to about two years ago I was having a hard time finding people who could rebuild a sp mk5 first stage,109 adjustable second stadge. You see my shop would rebuild it right in front of me. Now I was getting," well we will have to send it out", or " well we've seen pictures of a mk5". I don't want somebody working on my reg from a schematic because that tells me that they heven't done it enough times for them to be comfortable. Now once again my regs are rebuilt right in front of me as I wait. I'm given alittle zip lock bag with the old parts and off I go. The trouble is around here alot of the experienced shops are gone, and the new ones that come and go, frankly, just dont have the experience. You might have the largest inventory in the area, but if you do not have the experience with the line or a particular piece of gear, you are not best serving your customer.
I know you have been following this post, and in doing so you have seen I have said some derrogatory remarks about Scubapro. I have named names, given time frames, provided pictures, all of which are not flattering. This is not the first problem with a piece of thier gear I have owned. There was this little problem last year of my wifes alladin prime computor eating batteries. In my video to the company, I made refferance to that incident as well.
Through this all, I have tried my hardest to be objective, to seperate opinion from fact. I have a ton of opinions none of which mean anything. When push comes to shove, you had better have your facts straight, or you are going to look like a fool. I am not as concerned about what I look like, as I am about the final outcome . I would like to achieve that in a honorable way, as I won't hit below the belt. Shame on me.
Finally I would like to leave you with this little piece of history. The facts are accurate, and though we hate what had happened, we can't change the facts.
On 14 October 1939, Commander Guntien Prien of the uboat u47 apparently did the impossible. He took the u47 into a heavily Gaurded English harbor at Scapa Flow Scotland, and sank the English Battleship Royal Oak.....right under the noses of the British. Then to add insult to injury, he got away undetected. Dirty rotten nazis SOB!!!!!!!!
I am not going to waste your time with detail here, but apparently the wreck is comparable to the Arizona in that it is a sunken tomb as I believe 800 men are still entombed inside.
Now, if I were running the show, and had to comment on that incident, I know what I would have said, and it would not have been pretty! But after reviewing the details of the incident, I was shocked at Winston Churchills response. This is true character and leadership........
" A remarkable exploit of professional skill"........ Sometimes in our Character halemano We have to give the devil his due, now that doesn't mean you can't hate him in the morning!
