Hello Nicolai;

Forgive me for joining this discussion at such a late point.

I don't know you, or the operation you are running and maybe putting my foot
into my mouth. However, as the president and CEO of a very successfull Wall
Street firm (I built this company out of nothing), I am always very interested
in other entrepreneurs efforts.

Reading your post (and trying myself to DIR as much as I can, and being a Scuba
diver since 1975), I, on one hand, admire your inner convictions and straight
forwardness, on the other hand, I think that you are thinking as a committed
diver and not like a businessman.

Do you think that you can survive on the long run by catering to the small
fringe community of DIR divers? Do you expect to have during your "tourist
season" every day 20 to 60 DIR divers going out from your shop? Do you really
believe that all the (500?) DIR divers worldwide can't wait to come to Akumal to
dive with you?

Smarter would be to offer GUE's DIR Fundamentals to "certified strokes" and
Tech/Cave to people who did already their Fundamentals classes. You will have,
maybe, (may own estimate, based on guessing) 5 to 10% DIR guys coming to you...
90 - 95% are divers who never ever heard about DIR (I heard/read the first time
on rec.scuba about it). Many of them dive only for fun and recreational, with no
aspiration to technical diving. But those guys are the ones who will finance
your business.

While those people are there, you can help them to be aware of the DIR concept
and even the application to the Fundamentals and providing twice a week (or
three times) a DIR Demo... and go from there.

You can also select the "best" stroke gear (least clutter), do not offer those
little trinkets (retractable console clips and crap), instead you show those
people how to do it right.

This is a much smarter way IMHO, of DOING IT RIGHT, politically and business
wise. Your impact will be much bigger on the dive community.

Oh, I think that if you dive with students (even DIR) you are diving with
strokes too..., unless you are not teaching...

Best regards

Udo

P.S.: Although I am a NE coldwater/icewater diver, I wouldn't mind to come down
with my wife (turning DIR, she just got certified), because she prefers warm
water diving. Guess I will see you sometimes.

"Nicolai M. Tousaint" wrote:

> So maybe they can teach stroke diving too, as long as they teach you a good
> class ?
> let them dive with that gear in the same boat , as long you are not there ?
>
> If you are really committed to the DIR philosophy, you are all the way,
>
> Actually GUE and Halcyon are sacrificing profit for quality training and
> equipment, and you will not find stroke gear that sells there or a cheap
> class with many c-cards included, when will the dive shops committed to DIR
> diving as well ?
>
> By the way, if you come diving with us in the new Akumal DIR Center, in the
> Yucatan wonderland, expect no stroke gear for sell rent or use in the
> premises, as well ONLY custom DIR diving programs will be available ( to all
> levels ), No stroke divers and gear will be welcome, as I won´t dive with
> them, I will teach exclusively GUE training only  for the serious diver
> wanting to put the required effort, we are not trying to pretend we are
> committed, as we really believed that the DIR system is the safest way to
> go.
>
> best
> Nicolai M. Toussaint
> Akumal DIR Center
> www.gue.com
> Quality Dive Instruction, in Mexico´s cave country, the best in the world.
> www.halcyon.net
> DIR equipment repairs, sales, maintenance

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