steve`o

hi fellow scuba divers

can one of you guys let me know how scuba gear costs relate to uk costs
i`ve got to buy a complete new set for my daughter
whos just starting open water
as she will want to come out with dad once we get there


thanks

steve
padi DM

soapy©

do a search on the net steve'o

Rob Morton-Jone

I have been trying to look on the internet at the dive clubs along the east coast.....seems a little cheaper. it tends to vary.......

Think i may need to buy a cylinder when i get there as i am sure that the shippers will not take it in the container

Rob

annqldau

Overall Steve we were suprised to find in QLD that diving gear is cheaper in the UK. So buy as much as possible there and bring it with you.

Word of warning if you are bringing your cylinders with you they may not test them and you may have been better off selling in UK. We brought 2 faber tanks plus faber ponies all only 3 yrs old and in UK test and they wouldn't test or fill here as they said they didn't have upto date faber drawings for newer tanks. We have now had to shell out for new Aus tanks.

<")))><

No they won't Rob. We went with John Mason and I ended up selling mine. Haven't priced up a replacement 12l yet.

Rob Morton-Jone

From what i remember....i may be wrong.....to take a cylinder, i would have to take it apart.....but not too sure if that is a good idea to do that and then re-use it once i get to Oz :scared:

Rob

annqldau

We declared out cylinders to Pickfords and they shipped intact no problems the problems didn't start till we got to this side and nobody would fill the bloody things so we now have 4 ornamental cylinders.

chessp

Pickfords advised us that I needed a certificate to confirm that the air had been vented out which I will do.

I have done some checking and seen the prices of new cylinders. I think I will run the risk of taking my tanks.

cresta57

Buy your gear there Steve it's pricey here and that's when your converting back to sterling. Even more expensive once your earning Aussie dollars. Like Ann says don't bother with your cylinders, filling mine was no problem at all but it needs a test now and without the appropriate Australian standards number it's impossible. ISO means nothing here if it's not "Australian Made" it's inferior. That's just how it is you have to get used to it bloody annoying as mine was brand new just before we came out and I had it tested just to be safe 2 yr between tests in U.K annually here. Compare the 2 ebay sites for a good idea on the difference between U.K and Australia.

Aussie Ebay Scuba

UK Ebay Scuba

EDIT:
Forgot to say that if your cylinder has no burst disc fitted they will not fill it here in Australia at all. Burst discs are mandatory.
Also shipping cylinders is no problem mine came over in our shared container still full of U.K air. The shippers are probably just trying to cover their arses by insisting they're empty or dismantled. It's only air inside not flammable gas and if they're worried about the risk of explosion due to a fire the rest of your container would be screwed by then anyway

annqldau

Like the photo Cresta very appropriate.

G has tried quite a few dive shops and no joy at any of them or inspection centres, all keep saying cylinders are newer than the ones they do so they won't pass without drawings (are they simpletons... newer should equal safer as more health & safety now).

We got aluminium cylinders this time but they are heavy ones about the same as a steel one, luckily they were on special so got 25% off.

Cresta have you done the shore dive off Coloundra that someone was on about or apparantly good one at Bundaberg.

cresta57

Lol the prodigal daughter changed the avatar signature location etc. then changed my bloody password so they'll have to stay for a while until she's back visiting. [when hell freezes over ]
No I haven't done either of those shore dives but did a good one up at Bagara which is very close to Bundaberg.
There's supposed to be a good one at Double Island Point just south of Rainbow Beach following the rocky outcrops not had the chance to do that one yet though I did see some spear fishers having a good go there last week. Must be a few nice fish about.

spottydog

Having arrived in Australia a couple of months ago we have been shocked how expensive scuba kit is here.

I would say buy everything except tanks in the UK and ship it.

It's not worth shipping tanks here. Oz tanks have to have a burst disk fitted so UK ones will at minimum need the valve changing (and the valve thread is different here so even that's not simple). Also you will only be able to get the tanks certified for Oz use if part of the batch has already been certified here (unlikely unless Faber shipped some tanks here at exactly the same time as they made yours). You also have to get your tanks hydro'd every year here (not a legal requirement but no dive shop will fill your tank if it doesn't have a stamp less than a year old) which seems to cost $25 to $50 per tank.

I've joined a BSAC Club here is Sydney with a lot of expats and I only know of one tank being certified for use, the rest are now large door stops (luckily I was aware of this issue and sold the yanks in the UK before leaving).

As for tank prices the cheapest place to get 12l Faber steels are Dive Imports in Perth (you have to phone them as they don't have a website). They charge $349 delivered which is by far the cheapest we have found and often cheaper than they go for on eBay. I use 7l Fabers and the cheapest I found them for was $330 each not O2 clean (decided not to use Nitrox as its about $15 a fill compared to $5 for air).

Internet dive shopping doesn't seem to happen here the same as it does in the UK so I guess that has allowed dive prices to remain higher.

annqldau

We were up at Malaney and Montville on Saturday for a ride out did ring you to see if you wanted to join us for a drink buy nobody home. G's lost your mobile if he ever had it just rang the house. Very nice area liked it.

We do have some off shore stuff for March booked and G is looking at doing the Padi Dive master but I’m not bothered just want to do some relaxed diving. Last time we dived took us hour each way to get to flinders so was just fancying some relaxed diving where my butt didn't ache for days afterwards. Bagara was the one on travel programme at weekend and some one mentioned Shelly’s beach at Caloundra on a dive forum.

We always naively thought that Aus being a diving country would be cheaper for diving gear...boy were we wrong.

MrFlibbleUK

Eeek! I may have to splash out and buy myself a BCD here before I fly on the 14th! Any recommendations?

annqldau

Yep the Buddy Commando... http://www.apvalves.com/commandotd.html

plus the Aussies actually do service the emergency air cylinder on that for a change.

Here's an idea of the UK price http://www.divingdirectshop.co.uk/pr...d9b675494dce5c

you can get cheaper versions without the auto air...

http://www.divingdirectshop.co.uk/in...d9b675494dce5c

Both my husband and I have these plus loads of our UK friends swear by Buddy.