Over the last eight years of being in the scuba business, we have seen lots of innovative new products come onto the scuba scene.  Some of the products gain a solid footing and become part of nearly every scuba diver’s regular assortment of gear.  However, some products are not designed with that large market in mind.  The newest item we have recieved will certainly be in that second smaller category, and will serve a very small segment of the technical diving community.  This new product is a set of bands and isolation manifold to fit 5 1/2 inch diameter cylinders.  The Dive Sports Staff members have actually talked numerous times about the idea of doubling small aluminum or steel cylinders to make a small compact set of doubles, but we were sure that no manufacturer would put forth the initial expense of designing such a system.  Well, we were wrong. 

Dive Rite has designed a manifold and stainless steel tank bands to fit any tanks with a diameter of 5 1/2 inches.  We assembled a set today using Worthington 40CF  Steel Cylinders rated to 3130PSI.  The bands and manifold would also work on any 5 1/2 inch diameter tanks, like those from Faber and other manufacturers.   This set of Worthington Doubles is quite a neat little set.  They provide complete tank and regulator redundancy, while not weighing you down like a typical set of steel doubles.  They will also sit closer to your back so they will make for a very streamlined rig, probably more so than even a standard single cylinder.  I think they will be perfect for the diver who wants the trim, balance, and redundacy of doubles, but just doesn’t need all of the gas supply that conventional doubles provide.  I’m certainly looking forward to giving them a try myself.

Brad Ellis

Brand Name Scuba Gear at Discount Prices

Well, today is sales tax day in Alabama.  Every month, on this same date, I have to file and pay our sales tax for all in-state sales for the previous month to the City of Decatur, Morgan County, and the State of Alabama.  Some months, this is pretty depressing.  When I don’t pay much, it means I didn’t sell much to local, walk-in customers.  I love those months when I write the big checks to these three agencies.  Big sales tax checks mean big local sales and big local sales mean the local dive community is active and growing.

People often don’t understand the role local merchants play in the revenue stream for the local governments.  We collect the sales taxes, we hold them in trust, and then we divide them up and distribute them to the various tax authorities.

Each month when I file my sales tax reports, I wonder what the future will be for the revenue stream in local governments.  As we all know, you pay no sales tax when you make a purchase from an Internet site outside of your state.  Sales tax revenue is the life-blood of most local governments.  As Internet sales increase, sales tax receipts for the local governments decrease.  Consumers have learned that they can save an immediate 7%, 8%, or even up to 11% by making purchases from outside of their state, thereby avoiding those sales taxes.  Of course, every state has a provision called a Use Tax that requires individuals to file a return and pay the local sales tax on all items purchased outside of their state.  Unfortunately, I have never heard of anyone that actually files one of these returns.  Many already feel that the state gets enough; they aren’t about to voluntarily give more.

Oh well.  I guess I would suggest that scuba equipment buyers should take advantage of the benefits of buying from an online operation.  Avoid that sales tax if you legally can.  However, we should expect that the states and local governments will decide to remedy this problem at some time in the future.  I don’t think they can continue to watch their revenue drop as Internet sales increase.  Don’t be surprised when they act.

Phil Ellis

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