Repairs

Question
Hi Henry,

I am considering working at or owning a dive shop someday.  I am pursuing my instructor training, but don't have a lot of experience in equipment/repairs.  What is the best way to learn in this area?  I'm sure working side-by-side of a repair expert would be the best, but if I can't do that, are there classes or mfr. training available?

Thanks,

Paul

Answer
Paul,

SCUBA repairs is one of the harder areas of the SCUBA industry to get into.

For liability reasons, you will need certifications from the various equipment manufacturers to service their equipment.  Getting the certifications is kind of a Catch-22.  If you wish to do repairs for a dive shop, you will need the certifications, but to get the certifications, you will need to work in a dive shop.  Fun, huh?

Actually, as an instructor, you have a few ins that will give you an advantage.  You can get a job in a shop as an instructor, and work from there to get the owner of the shop to send you to the manufacturer's training courses.  Of course practice with an experienced repair tech will be a benefit as well.

Also, being an instructor will qualify you for admission to the DEMA convention.  Many of the manufacturers offer repair seminars at the convention, and you can take advantage of those opportunities to get repair certifications.

The other option is to attend a full-time professional dive program which includes SCUBA equipment repair training.  You can find advertisements for these programs in most of the major SCUBA magazines.

Hope this helps with your inquiry,

Henry Babcock
AllExperts SCUBA Expert