[divegyrl]

We are a teeny tiny club (smallest in SE region) but we do organise trips a couple of times a year and open them up to the masses.....

Taking a 50% deposit means that the diver is actually committed to diving...... not to turn up, get p1ssed and then not dive the following day, bu99ering a space for someone who would love to dive............ & expecting the other divers on board to pick up his/her share of the boat costs

If you commit to a space, you pay for that space or get someone else to fill it...... too many people sign up as 'me too' then when something better comes along bu99er off and do that, meaning that someone who really wants to sign up can't and blocks spaces for people who really want to dive......

I know some skippers who have been sh@fted by clubs who booked a week, then fecked off and did something else, leaving the skipper high & dry; we have had posts on here with skippers who have been dropped just before a weekend so have a whole boat with spaces.........
I agree with 50% deposits, the skippers and organisers need a commitment from people who book/block their spaces........

I understand that something can come up, I have had to pull out of a weekend because of a family crisis, I paid my part of the charter & flew off to Ireland, last weekend my zip gave up so I couldn't dive the following day, I still paid for my space (& acted as kit biatch) because I signed up for the weekend. On the TGIF or Tuesday Club we always either fill our space, or pay for the dive.

Yes, it is tough to commit money for something in the future, but people will do it IF they really want to dive..... look at a the Galapagos thread, shed loads of money, but a committed & paid up group who want to dive......
We have a long weekend booked for 2007 and will be taking deposits in November (in fact someone has already put his money where his mouth is.....)

Sorry, I'm not boycotting skippers who are great & need a 'proper' deposit,