RETAILING Part 3: Rebreathers 202 – The Dive Resort or Liveaboard Perspective – by Jeffrey Bozanic, Ph.D., JeffBozanic.com
Jeffrey Bozanic has been diving rebreathers since 1988, and teaching the use of rebreathers since the mid-1990s. He has been certified on about 20 different rebreathers, and has taught on about a dozen different units. He is the author of Mastering Rebreathers, the seminal textbook on the topic.
Introduction: In the first two articles of this series, we looked at rebreathers from the perspec- tives of the end user and the dive retailer. However, this only covers a limited part of the rebreather market. Dive travel represents a
comes challenging. Divers may ask for spare parts, which are specific to different manufacturers. They may ask for specialized batteries, which are uncommon. Fortunately, batteries typically have a long shelf life (5-10 years), so they are easier to stock. Unlike batteries, clients may wish to purchase oxygen sensors from you, should the ones they are using fail. These sensors have a limited shelf life (about a year), so carrying a wide selection in inventory becomes impractical. It is recommended that any opera- tion planning to support visiting rebreather divers develop a handout or webpage that lists specifically what types of supplies, spares, tools, and rentals are available to cus- tomers. Even if your operation never intends on conducting deep diving for your local patrons, as a resort, you may well be asked to do so by visiting divers. This might in- clude providing helium-based breathing mixtures, larger (11L) bailout cylinders, and possibly even DPV (diver
significant portion of revenues in our industry. In 2024, Market Data Forecast estimated that dive travel accounts for about 25% of all scuba diving revenues ($4.6 billion of the $19 billion total market). It is important to look at rebreather use from the perspective of dive travel, i.e. dive resorts and liveaboards. I personally enjoy traveling to new locations and desti- nations. I generally research and interview multiple prop- erties before deciding on which I will be using and promoting. As a rebreather user, instructor, and dive tour provider, one of the first questions that I ask a new po-
tential property is, “Do you provide support for rebreather dives?” If the answer is, “No,” I move on to the next option. So, what does it take to move from a “No” answer to a “Yes” response? Let’s take a look. Logistics: Many of the logistical issues are identical to those pre- sented in the second article in this series: oxygen, oxygen boosters, ab- sorbent, 2L and 3L cylinders, and bailout bottles. However, there are some differences. Unlike focusing on a single rebreather, which a dive store is reasonably able to do, a des-
propulsion vehicle) rentals. Of course, this may not be of concern to some destinations, if deeper diving environ- ments do not exist. Space is another challenge, particu- larly on liveaboard vessels. Rebreather divers typically have space requirements outside those used by open circuit divers. Most rebreathers utilize granular absorbents to remove metabolic carbon dioxide from the breathing loop. The filling process can be messy, with gran- ules often spilling outside the absorbent canister. This loose material, in addition to being untidy, presents safety and
Rebreather divers often use more bench space than the typical open circuit diver. Making room for mul- tiple rebreather cylinders and bailout bottles may be challenging on many liveaboards.
tination operator will have to support a much wider variety of users and rebreather manufacturers. Even absorbents, which many rebreather users and instructors think of as being interchangeable, may not be. While most rebreathers use granular absorbents like Sofnolime ® , some users may require repackaged granular absorbent cartridges or solid state cartridges like ExtendAir ® . Supporting a broad spectrum of rebreather models be-
shipboard maintenance hazards. Large plastic trays, such as those used to mix concrete, may be used to contain overspill while filling canisters. If the spilled material gets wet, which is completely foreseeable on a dive vessel, it becomes caustic and can chemically burn exposed skin, for example on bare feet if spilled on the deck. Thus, fill- ing needs to be done in a dry area, sheltered from rain, spray, or waves. The granules, either dry or wet, also cause
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