why are there very few young divers?

[george_austin]

Forgot, I did have a wetsuit. It was a torn up old Rubatex surfing long John. No one looked down on you if you had crappy old beat up or borrowed gear. It was not an issue. Nowdays with all the glossy print ads on websites and magazines - it's like you can't scuba dive without investing in 5K worth of regs and BC's - Humbug! - As well, training agencies try to make it seem like you can't clear your mask properly without some "mask clearing" certification.

 

[CamG]

Disposable income that simple.
Most under 20 are being certed and diving on parents dime.
Those over 20-30 either are into it or not yet.
Most of the younger divers I know are pretty successful at other avenues in their life as well.
I see them diving more as they age a pretty consistent number of them might take breaks having kids etc. but they will be back.

Lets face it the economy has limited even the most hearty divers.
It is tougher in my opinion to continue to dive not get certed and go on one trip.
Those that desire to keep diving will and those that don't will never return.

CamG

 

[mod8521]

I am 28. Certified this year in early September. There is multiple reasons why my generation doesnt dive. It is a expensive hobby to start. I probably have atleast 4000 in it so far. I would have started earlier but couldnt afford it. Another big reason is we are a generation of right now. I dont wait to wait 3 weeks I want to do it today. I can go out and get a dirtbike or atv or the like and be riding today. I can go sking or snowboarding today. There are alot of things I can do with next to no training. (I am not trying to make a case for less training just my thoughts). Lastly the economy. I graduated in 03. My age group for the most part has struggled to get good jobs to establish themselves.

 

[danvolker]

I think this is a "rites of passage" and present culture issue. 18-24 year olds particularly, have learned how to socialize at parties, with beer or booze, etc, and they are wanting to meet the opposite sex and "connect"..I think this period where socialization is dominant, keeps this age group away from diving, because there is no perception by this age group that they could get any good connecting in the environment of diving. Alot of this, is just not knowing what they don't know, and having other alternatives that are very easy...like bars and parties. After you do the normal social scene for this group, and work, there is not much time for scuba....not to mention the problem of a late night Friday or Saturday, and any desire to dive early, or at all the next day.

The Dive Industry "could" show how going on a dive boat can be an outrageously cool thing for a guy and girl to do together....a great way to meet another.....and without having to get blasted.....That it is really a better way to meet and to KNOW people you like.

If I am right about this....think about it as a mission...the kids want to "hook up"....and to have a shot, they need a "target rich" environment.....there are not alot of single girls with this in mind, already found on dive boats.....so a 19 year old guy that goes to a party, and sees that it is pretty much all guys, will be on there way out the door fairly soon.

If they want to bring a girl to a dive trip, the guy is going to have to get her certified first....this makes an impossible first date for the boat dive. And the idea that they get certified together--then dive---maybe if they are already long time friends, but this eliminates the majority of the socializing in this age group.

Snorkeling could work for this age group...but no one in the dive industry pushes this....the dive industry is far too short sighted. A whole group of kids could book onto a boat and go snorkeling, and then this is a group that may well decide scuba could be in their near future...with their snorkeling buddies. For this to happen, DEMA would need to popularize Snorkeling on TV or YOUTUBE, and get kids to see how exciting these snorkel trips could be--and how much better they might be than bars or parties--for what they really want. An individual dive operation can't really afford the Media Weight that would be required to popularize/glamorize this new snorkeling option for kids...This would take a large association.

As to the fit.....of course, Snorkeling is far less expensive, for a group paying off student loans and still in low paying jobs...and snorkelers like this can easily become freedivers.....and freedivers will make much better scuba divers than statistically possible with the present training agency models. And when these groups of kids would form, and have fun, you would get an explosive growth of the new fun thing to do with the opposite sex, and the kids VERY WELL COULD BECOME the BIG groups on Dive Boats !!

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I think this is a "rites of passage" and present culture issue. 18-24 year olds particularly, have learned how to socialize at parties, with beer or booze, etc, and they are wanting to meet the opposite sex and "connect"..I think this period where socialization is dominant, keeps this age group away from diving, because there is no perception by this age group that they could get any good connecting in the environment of diving. Alot of this, is just not knowing what they don't know, and having other alternatives that are very easy...like bars and parties. After you do the normal social scene for this group, and work, there is not much time for scuba....not to mention the problem of a late night Friday or Saturday, and any desire to dive early, or at all the next day.

The Dive Industry "could" show how going on a dive boat can be an outrageously cool thing for a guy and girl to do together....a great way to meet another.....and without having to get blasted.....That it is really a better way to meet and to KNOW people you like.

If I am right about this....think about it as a mission...the kids want to "hook up"....and to have a shot, they need a "target rich" environment.....there are not alot of single girls with this in mind, already found on dive boats.....so a 19 year old guy that goes to a party, and sees that it is pretty much all guys, will be on there way out the door fairly soon.

If they want to bring a girl to a dive trip, the guy is going to have to get her certified first....this makes an impossible first date for the boat dive. And the idea that they get certified together--then dive---maybe if they are already long time friends, but this eliminates the majority of the socializing in this age group.

Snorkeling could work for this age group...but no one in the dive industry pushes this....the dive industry is far too short sighted. A whole group of kids could book onto a boat and go snorkeling, and then this is a group that may well decide scuba could be in their near future...with their snorkeling buddies. For this to happen, DEMA would need to popularize Snorkeling on TV or YOUTUBE, and get kids to see how exciting these snorkel trips could be--and how much better they might be than bars or parties--for what they really want. An individual dive operation can't really afford the Media Weight that would be required to popularize/glamorize this new snorkeling option for kids...This would take a large association.

As to the fit.....of course, Snorkeling is far less expensive, for a group paying off student loans and still in low paying jobs...and snorkelers like this can easily become freedivers.....and freedivers will make much better scuba divers than statistically possible with the present training agency models. And when these groups of kids would form, and have fun, you would get an explosive growth of the new fun thing to do with the opposite sex, and the kids VERY WELL COULD BECOME the BIG groups on Dive Boats !!

In the US at least, Obesity is a freaking epidemic. Do you really think a considerable portion of the girls (and guys) are going to be parading around in skin tight lycra suits, while hunting for a hook up? ..


Then again, if a girl says: "Hey sweetie, can I spit in your mask for you?"

 

[victorzamora]

If I am right about this....think about it as a mission...the kids want to "hook up"....and to have a shot, they need a "target rich" environment.....there are not alot of single girls with this in mind, already found on dive boats.....so a 19 year old guy that goes to a party, and sees that it is pretty much all guys, will be on there way out the door fairly soon.

This, to me, is absolutely THE MOST offensive comment about my generation I've heard yet. It's the most accurate for a lot of us, so I can't be too offended, but it is unfortunately very accurate. Not all of us are like that, but.....whatever, fair point!

Snorkeling could work for this age group...but no one in the dive industry pushes this....the dive industry is far too short sighted. A whole group of kids could book onto a boat and go snorkeling, and then this is a group that may well decide scuba could be in their near future...with their snorkeling buddies. For this to happen, DEMA would need to popularize Snorkeling on TV or YOUTUBE, and get kids to see how exciting these snorkel trips could be--and how much better they might be than bars or parties--for what they really want. An individual dive operation can't really afford the Media Weight that would be required to popularize/glamorize this new snorkeling option for kids...This would take a large association.

One thing about marketing this by DEMA or any of the big names is that you then attract the "dorks." I mean, "Drugs aren't cool, kids! Don't do drugs!!" hasn't worked at all. All of the "dorks" don't do drugs, and all of the "cool kids" do. I think that the association that would attract more people to diving is attracting more people to diving. Guitars are the most common instrument played because "picks get chicks." Bars are full of attractive women, because it's "what attractive women do," and full of guys for the same reason (plus, alcohol can be blamed for bad decisions....shedding guilt entirely, but that's not the point of the conversation). I'm not saying I have the answer, but marketing dive boats and dive sites as "honeymoon" places is less likely to get the young&single crowd. Marketing them as ways of being thought of as "hot" is. Surfing is a hobby/sport that a lot of people do to be around attractive people. Surfing takes lessons, practice, and effort....and it's definitely not cheap. This is very comparable to scuba/snorkeling. Surfers get chicks because they risk those "gnarly" crashes. Scuba diving is a proverbial "bouncy castle" for the children to play in and not get hurt. I obviously don't have the answer, but current marketing towards the young&single (me a few years ago) made scuba look like Disney World. I think that partially, the danger has been removed from the marketing.

Dan, I really do think you're on to something. Beaches are already a destination for Y&S to go looking for others. It's just a matter of getting those Y&S into diving. The question is, do you REALLY want the "bars-all-night" crowd in your dive boat with you? If you go to the Keys, it's hard to get the same youths looking for a hook-up (I had a more colorful term here ) feeling good and up the next morning....and those people aren't going to be the kind of people I want to share my dive boat with.

 

[danvolker]

This, to me, is absolutely THE MOST offensive comment about my generation I've heard yet. It's the most accurate for a lot of us, so I can't be too offended, but it is unfortunately very accurate. Not all of us are like that, but.....whatever, fair point!



One thing about marketing this by DEMA or any of the big names is that you then attract the "dorks." I mean, "Drugs aren't cool, kids! Don't do drugs!!" hasn't worked at all. All of the "dorks" don't do drugs, and all of the "cool kids" do. I think that the association that would attract more people to diving is attracting more people to diving. Guitars are the most common instrument played because "picks get chicks." Bars are full of attractive women, because it's "what attractive women do," and full of guys for the same reason (plus, alcohol can be blamed for bad decisions....shedding guilt entirely, but that's not the point of the conversation). I'm not saying I have the answer, but marketing dive boats and dive sites as "honeymoon" places is less likely to get the young&single crowd. Marketing them as ways of being thought of as "hot" is. Surfing is a hobby/sport that a lot of people do to be around attractive people. Surfing takes lessons, practice, and effort....and it's definitely not cheap. This is very comparable to scuba/snorkeling. Surfers get chicks because they risk those "gnarly" crashes. Scuba diving is a proverbial "bouncy castle" for the children to play in and not get hurt. I obviously don't have the answer, but current marketing towards the young&single (me a few years ago) made scuba look like Disney World. I think that partially, the danger has been removed from the marketing.

Dan, I really do think you're on to something. Beaches are already a destination for Y&S to go looking for others. It's just a matter of getting those Y&S into diving. The question is, do you REALLY want the "bars-all-night" crowd in your dive boat with you? If you go to the Keys, it's hard to get the same youths looking for a hook-up (I had a more colorful term here ) feeling good and up the next morning....and those people aren't going to be the kind of people I want to share my dive boat with.

HI Victor,
I think your surf comparison is spot on.....and look at all the ways that surfing has been popularized, and glamorized.....In Movies, in music, and the cool clothing that actually helps SELL Surfing as cool and something to either DO or "pretend to"--meaning to hang around with the surfers..... Snorkeling needs to be in more movies like "Into the Blue", and it needs to be seen as easily accessible like surfing is--which it is NOT...Even if some kid just watched Into the Blue and got jazzed about freedivng, they would have no idea how to try this in Florida or most anywhere ( I am talking about the general population of kids and how they would know how to try going snorkeling/freediving in Lauderdale, Palm Beach, or even the Keys). They don't hear about it...they don't SEE it.....Surfing they see elements of every day....Surfing they can ask a surfer.....Snorkeling--who do they see--who do they ask?
The boats and shops ignore snorkeling...all they want to do is UP-SELL to a DSD, or an OW cert. The lack of structured snorkeling outings makes this market growth impossible.

We need some operation to step up and decide to supply the cool clothes ( that imply cool snorkeling lifestyle and that need to be worn in school and places you will be seen), we need some operation to find a way to advertise some cool "Meetups" with some big boats that can create a good atmosphere for this....and it needs to be in good conditions for initial experiences--this limits us to summer and fall unfortunately, to get this started. I can see Force E doing this, or JASA...It would need some kick off event, like a concert on the water on a barge....( yea, I'm sure that will happen , or like the shooting of a Reality TV Show.....which....is actually easy...we have the Ultimate Diver Challenge coming up for next summer, and they could easily benefit from pushing a snorkeling event for 18-34 year olds--a mixer type event. This Facebook and Twitter crowd would like the shot at getting seen on National TV....and of the energy of an event like this....
Any other ideas?



p.s.

In all fairness to the potential offensiveness issue.....most of us that are 35 or older...are either married, or have had LOTS of time for dating.....KIds 18 to 24 are just finally getting to do this--in the theme of opening up options where they can meet and have fun--now they can drive, they can go out...and it will be 3 to 10 years before this novelty can wear off for most...for some, it never will. The point is, Us 40-somethings can't point the finger, because when we were that age--that is exactly what we were doing


There is a danger in a shop going after 18 to 24's, as many may LEAVE the area for college or work....so the shop investment takes a hit on each kid they lose to this....the 12 to 18 demo might be a better long term growth area for the shops and boats...If you build the 12 to 18's ( which are going to stay local) , the 18-35's can probably be well sustained by the large size of the 12-18 group keeping the boats running snorkel trips....

 

[purcitron]

late 20s here.... expensive. lack of imagination. more importantly, far less women divers than men.. you be the judge why

 

[FishLovingStudent]

First year university here. Its expensive. Period. Around $5000 for gear (for coldwater) is not something much students have kicking around (or rather, want to spend it on diving).

 

[chillyinCanada]

Geez you guys. $5000 to get started? Are you all buying scooters? Snow skiing cost me more on a regular basis than scuba ever did when I was a cold water diver back in the day. One of the things I really liked about it at that time was that once I had my gear it was super inexpensive. Im a traveling www nowadays so that inexpensive is stood on its head. That's beside the point. We always had a great group going out on the weekends, share some dives, share some laughs, quite often camped out. It was super great!

And besides that, don't you people feel, ah, erm, how to put this, uh, hot and inclined after good dives?