Why do so many poorly skilled divers...

[agilis]

What???????? I don't follow the intricacies of the various certifications offered, but I was honestly shocked to read here that only 20 dives were required to begin a 'dive master' course. This, if it's true, is nothing less than pure insanity. Someone with 20 or 30 dives is a beginner, just barely competent. How can a rank amateur assume any level of responsibility for other divers?

It seems to me that a certification level which includes any level of authority and responsibility should require a few years of experience and at least 100 documented dives under various demanding conditions. How can it be otherwise? 20 dives? Are people crazy? Maybe just corrupt.

 

[24940]

There's money to be made from people and their egos. Why let a little thinking like experience interfere?

On the positive side, while a shop might allow someone without enough experience to be a good DC to take the course, it is not likely that they would pass that person if they are inadequate and even less likely they would actually use that person.

 

[Randy43068]

Because they can. PADI has some of the worst knuckleheads I've ever see as DMs. And the morons post here on SB thinking they're all that and a bag of chips!!

When I hear someone is a PADI DM, I kinda chuckle to myself.. To be sure, not all of them are poor divers, but my respect for the few isn't bestowed on them because they are a DM minted from PADI, it comes from seeing how they dive.

want to be DM's?

OK, this is a negative post by definition given the title but it's something I run across everyday. There are exceptions of course but for the most part the worse divers I know all seem to be DM's or working on their DM certs. I don't get it.

I'm not talking about experienced divers with good skills who decide to become DM's for whatever reason. I'm talking about newer divers or experienced divers who don't have great skills. They all seem to want to be DM's. When they become a DM they have even less chance to dive and gain experience because they are now helping with a class every weekend.

There are many DM's who silt up the place when they dive, can't navigate or put their fins on without help, can't plan a dive in current and don't dive much other than to help with a class. I'm not talking about warm water destination DM's. I'm talking about non-professional local DM's. If these kinds of divers are role models to newer divers no wonder so many divers think being vertical is the norm and silting is no big deal.

It's great that so many people have the desire to teach and to help new students. It would be even better if they had to be good divers first before they could become a DM.

I went diving with 2 DM's the other night. One didn't signal when he decided to turn the dive at 100 fsw and race suddenly up the slope to 20 fsw and the other one got out of the water with 200 psi. I went diving with another DM who couldn't put on her own fins and self-admittedly couldn't navigate. All three of these divers rarely dive at the many great dive sites available in our area. When they do dive it's at the same place over and over.

I helped an instructor with a DM candidate where he had to lead a dive with "problem students". I was to be such a student and was to make his life a little harder but before I had a chance he silted the place up so badly that none of us could even see him as he "lead" the dive.

I guess it's not important that I figure this one out but I don't get it. Why are so many poor divers so enchanted by the DM cert?

 

[marcienko]

So they can become instructors!

:11:

Good one !!!!!

 

[Kingpatzer]

Because they can. PADI has some of the worst knuckleheads I've ever see as DMs. And the morons post here on SB thinking they're all that and a bag of chips!!

A DM is basically an assistant instructor. In the public school system in my state, to be an assistant teacher, you need to have a GED.

There are some damn good assistant teachers out there with only GED's. They relate to the kids well, they know their job and responsibilities, and while they themselves were really pretty poor students, they still do their job very well and are an asset to the school system.

Being a DM has very little to do with dive skill. It has to do with wanting to teach. A diver with 20 dives can start the DM program (they need 60 to become a DM) and if they get a good instructor mentor may well be a far superior DM to someone who has a 1000 dives under their belt and is, skill wise, a far superior diver.

So while "morons posting" there thinking their all that because of a title are probably misguided. Morons thinking number of dives matter are too.

 

[Randy43068]

so, we're agreeing they're morons?



If they reached divemaster level one would think they would have been taught good dive technique. If they ain't got it, they don't become a DM (to my mind). Then again PADI will cert anyone who pays the money. Probably the same with PADI DM school too.

 

[agwatts]

I don't think PADI has the croner market on "knuckleheads" as DMs.

 

[Kingpatzer]

I agree that a title doesn't make someone good at what they do.

I also understand that being good as an entry level assistant instructor and tank monkey has damn little to do with how many dives one has.

The bigger question is can you keep the three kid's ice cream covered hands off the wet suits while the shop owner gets mommy to sign over a check for the bubblemaker class!

 

[agwatts]

DAMN...make that "corner"

 

[Kingpatzer]

We weren't talking about Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis?