Scuba resort design

Hello Group,

I am in the process of purchasing an Inland scuba park and need some
input on the best design of restrooms, showers, lockers ect. I am
looking for all type of ideas. If you had the opportunity to design a
scuba park how would you do it? It has a nice clear lake and a modest
dive shop but the restrooms and showers need total rehab.

Also, any ideas to attract customers and pricing that you feel
comfortable with i.e.. tank refill, dive fee, non-diver fee ect.

Does your non-diving family come with you and if so what accommodations
are you looking for?

I cant say what park it is now, but I will shortly. Its located in the
Center of the USA.

Thanks,

Curtis Corum

<curtisgc@aol.com> wrote in message
news:1133627821.116724.219470@g43g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> Its located in the
> Center of the USA.

Is that the geographic center or population center? Have you included
Hawaii and Alaska?

<curtisgc@aol.com> wrote in message
news:1133627821.116724.219470@g43g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> Hello Group,
>
> I am in the process of purchasing an Inland scuba park and need some
> input on the best design of restrooms, showers, lockers ect. I am
> looking for all type of ideas. If you had the opportunity to design a
> scuba park how would you do it? It has a nice clear lake and a modest
> dive shop but the restrooms and showers need total rehab.
>
> Also, any ideas to attract customers and pricing that you feel
> comfortable with i.e.. tank refill, dive fee, non-diver fee ect.
>
> Does your non-diving family come with you and if so what accommodations
> are you looking for?

You need plenty of sturdy tables so divers can assemble, don, and doff their
gear. You want shade. You need multiple access points into the water so
one or two don't get too crowded.

You need tables in the water about 6" to 1 ft below the water level so
divers can assemble....their gear.

I've never really had the need for a shower after diving in a fresh water
quarry...but as for toilets - the stalls need to be 4 ft wide with higher
than normal toilet seats. Yo can never have too many hooks and shelves for
people to put their stuff while changing. You could have separate dry
booths for changing into wet suits.

Fees:
$10 pp per day is plenty for a diver, $5 for non-divers and snorkelers.
$5 and $10 EAN airfills will bring business to your location.
Add another $5 pp for overnight campers.

I'm always starving after a dive, so food (burgers and hotdogs, cokes, etc)
would be a money maker.

jim frei wrote:

> Fees:
> $10 pp per day is plenty for a diver, $5 for non-divers and snorkelers.
> $5 and $10 EAN airfills will bring business to your location.
> Add another $5 pp for overnight campers.
>
> I'm always starving after a dive, so food (burgers and hotdogs, cokes, etc)
> would be a money maker.
>
>
Jim,
A couple of the quarries I go to occasionally have gone to $15 per day
per person. I think Rawlings, Fantasy Lake and Bluestone are all around
that figure. I don't know if liability insurance has gone up or what
the story is.

I agree with you about the food. It would be nice but I think it is
probably more of a bother than a profit maker for the site operator.
They are focusing on diving and probably don't want the bother of
dealing with health dept regulations in regards to food preparations.
The only site I have been to that offered hot prepared food like that
was Ginnie Springs. The rest just have vending machines or packaged snacks.

Andy



--
I have never met a liberal street cop.

curtisgc@aol.com wrote:
> Hello Group,
>
> I am in the process of purchasing an Inland scuba park and need some
> input on the best design of restrooms, showers, lockers ect. I am
> looking for all type of ideas. If you had the opportunity to design a
> scuba park how would you do it? It has a nice clear lake and a modest
> dive shop but the restrooms and showers need total rehab.
>
> Also, any ideas to attract customers and pricing that you feel
> comfortable with i.e.. tank refill, dive fee, non-diver fee ect.

10-15 bucks a day is about all I'd pay for.
Air fills about $5.00

Free parking.

Food if possible. reasonable, with reasonable soft drinks so I can stay
hydrated.

Make the changing rooms big enough to swing a cat in, and a fair amount
of hook/shelves etc. Lockers that are decently sized.
Provide some shelter (shade) for surface intervals.

Entry points should have enough space to allow more than one person to
enter at a time so one slow guy doesn't hold everyone up. Stairs or a
platform for leaving the water.

enough space to put yer gear together without setting it on the ground.

Restrooms that are clean, well ventilated, and large enough to turn
around in.

THink about camping, and think about something for non divers to do
while I am diving (park like atmosphere).

Have courteous employees. No attitudes.

and for god's sake, don't get greedy.

>
> Does your non-diving family come with you and if so what accommodations
> are you looking for?
>
> I cant say what park it is now, but I will shortly. Its located in the
> Center of the USA.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Curtis Corum
>


--
“The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their
neutrality in times of moral crisis.”

"dazed and confuzzed" <dedmann@comcast_remove.net> wrote in message
news:yoSdnY67A5bEiQ_eRVn-oQ@comcast.com...
> curtisgc@aol.com wrote:
>> Hello Group,
>>
>> I am in the process of purchasing an Inland scuba park and need some
>> input on the best design of restrooms, showers, lockers ect. I am
>> looking for all type of ideas. If you had the opportunity to design a
>> scuba park how would you do it? It has a nice clear lake and a modest
>> dive shop but the restrooms and showers need total rehab.
>>
>> Also, any ideas to attract customers and pricing that you feel
>> comfortable with i.e.. tank refill, dive fee, non-diver fee ect.
>
> 10-15 bucks a day is about all I'd pay for.
> Air fills about $5.00
>
> Free parking.
>
> Food if possible. reasonable, with reasonable soft drinks so I can stay
> hydrated.
>
> Make the changing rooms big enough to swing a cat in, and a fair amount
> of hook/shelves etc. Lockers that are decently sized.
> Provide some shelter (shade) for surface intervals.
>
> Entry points should have enough space to allow more than one person to
> enter at a time so one slow guy doesn't hold everyone up. Stairs or a
> platform for leaving the water.
>
> enough space to put yer gear together without setting it on the ground.
>
> Restrooms that are clean, well ventilated, and large enough to turn
> around in.
>
> THink about camping, and think about something for non divers to do
> while I am diving (park like atmosphere).
>
> Have courteous employees. No attitudes.
>
> and for god's sake, don't get greedy.
>
>>
>> Does your non-diving family come with you and if so what accommodations
>> are you looking for?

You're lucky I'm bored and stuck in Kingman.

Here's the best parts of the quarries I've been to...

Loch Low Minn Quarry

http://www.lochlow-minn.com/loch_low_minn.htm

Takes orders for generic lunch (i.e., half chicken, two sides, roll, soda,
$5.00), has above ground pool for non divers, does not allow children under
16 unless certified.

Has training platforms and a depth of about 70 ffw, with statues and boats
and stuff salted around.

Has walk in beach and dock.

They have a couple small rental cabins, and camping space.

Fill station, some rental gear, no shop to speak of.

Martha's Quarry

http://www.marthasquarry.com/

Martha's has a cool thing.

Dude has his dive shop and compressor in a school bus, and takes them home
at night.

Might be a good idea if you're just starting out.

It has a pretty cool original crusher facility underwater.

This is one of the best quarries, and it has virtually no overhead, or
other redeeming factors.

Blount Avenue Quarry

No URL- sneak dive

Has bodies in it, and an enormous crane. 221ffw

May or may not be hard to duplicate.

Gilboa Quarry

http://www.divegilboa.com/

Has decent underwater percundis, many camp sites, good chowline.

Canadians tend to slum there.

Many entrance points.

Madison Aquatic Park- closed

http://rockdivers.com/

They had a titan missile and an F-4 Phantom, hard to beat.

They had extensive dock platforms that went underwater- great training
site.

They had a decent shop, but that's gonna be risky at a quarry.

Dutch Springs Quarry

http://www.dutchsprings.com/

It was okay, kinda crowded, and it's haunted by a dried up dive
poltergeist.

I've been to others, but that about covers it.

Bert D&C has the fine print.

And don't charge non-divers an entry fee, in my opinion it will kill more
business that generate revenue.

One thing I would recommend that I haven't noticed is a decent generic
classroom for instructors to rent.

ps, to save on the inevitable lawsuit later, make sure you have a
functional, designated helipad.

"nitespark" <nitespark@cox.net> wrote in message
news:0unkf.15986$Mi5.42@dukeread07...
>
> I agree with you about the food. It would be nice but I think it is
> probably more of a bother than a profit maker for the site operator.
> They are focusing on diving and probably don't want the bother of
> dealing with health dept regulations in regards to food preparations.
> The only site I have been to that offered hot prepared food like that
> was Ginnie Springs. The rest just have vending machines or packaged
snacks.

The site operator could rent out the concession. That way the concession
operator would be entirely responsible for the food prep and regulations.
This leaves the site op taking in a small revenue from the concession and
making the park more appealing to divers at the same time.

chilly wrote:
> "nitespark" <nitespark@cox.net> wrote in message
> news:0unkf.15986$Mi5.42@dukeread07...
>
>>I agree with you about the food. It would be nice but I think it is
>>probably more of a bother than a profit maker for the site operator.
>>They are focusing on diving and probably don't want the bother of
>>dealing with health dept regulations in regards to food preparations.
>>The only site I have been to that offered hot prepared food like that
>>was Ginnie Springs. The rest just have vending machines or packaged
>
> snacks.
>
> The site operator could rent out the concession. That way the concession
> operator would be entirely responsible for the food prep and regulations.
> This leaves the site op taking in a small revenue from the concession and
> making the park more appealing to divers at the same time.
>
>
>

True. I guess there are a lot of permutations to such a business
arrangement.

--
I have never met a liberal street cop.

Popeye wrote:

> One thing I would recommend that I haven't noticed is a decent generic
> classroom for instructors to rent.

That certainly would be a "plus".

> ps, to save on the inevitable lawsuit later, make sure you have a
> functional, designated helipad.

Yeah.. I've seen it being used at Dutch Springs on more than one
occasion.....

"chilly" <slarson@shaw.canada> wrote in message
news:9Fskf.30286$Eq5.7199@pd7tw1no...
>
> "nitespark" <nitespark@cox.net> wrote in message
> news:0unkf.15986$Mi5.42@dukeread07...
> >
> > I agree with you about the food. It would be nice but I think it is
> > probably more of a bother than a profit maker for the site operator.
> > They are focusing on diving and probably don't want the bother of
> > dealing with health dept regulations in regards to food preparations.
> > The only site I have been to that offered hot prepared food like that
> > was Ginnie Springs. The rest just have vending machines or packaged
> snacks.
>
> The site operator could rent out the concession. That way the concession
> operator would be entirely responsible for the food prep and regulations.
> This leaves the site op taking in a small revenue from the concession and
> making the park more appealing to divers at the same time.

I was thinking the same thing.