questions per private divemaster/dive guide

[Colliam7]

DO ask to see their credentials and current insurance card. If they have insurance, they will have a card, just like you have for your auto insurance.

Not exactly true in all cases, but I agree with the sentiment.

As one example, where DMs / Instructors are insured through a shop group policy (rather than carrying individual insurance) with Vincennes & Buckley (a primary PADI insurer), individual cards are no longer provided, as I understand it. Rather, what you get is a copy of the shop's policy, and the 'Named Insured' attachment to the policy, which lists your name among the insured staff members. It is just not a card. When I take OW students on a charter boat, for example, I provide the operator with an email to which is attached those documents.

So, I agree that getting some documentation that what you are hiring / paying for is a 'renewed and insured' dive professional (at least, in PADI-speak), there may or may not be a 'card'. Perhaps, the broader message is to be sure you are getting the credentialed dive professional you are paying for. That is true across agencies.

 

[SOFDiver]

Sorry guys, but I think your estimates of a private/personal dive master for $40-50 is wishfull thinking. The going rate in our area for a DM/Instructor (we often have an Instructor perform these duties) dedicated to 1 or 2 divers is more like $100-150 not counting the price of your charter. You have to consider that the DM/Instructor has invested significant time and $ obtaining and maintaining his/her certification and professional liability insurance. Your private DM/Insructor will be fully dedicated to your needs prior to and after the trip and he/she will often put in 6-7 hours doing this. I don't think any of you would work for $7 an hour ($50 divided by 7 hours), would you? If you arrange for a DM not associated with the dive service, the cost of the charter may also increase the private DM fee. You should also know that if the private DM/Instructor is not crew qualified, his/her presence on the vessel will count against the passenger load, reducing the profitability of the trip for the operator. All our DM/Instructors are USCG qualified. I would question the qualifications of someone who was willing get up at 0 dark 30, see to your personal needs and safety for 6-8 hours, for a few $ an hour and the possibilty of a tip. Time to get real about the costs involved with diving, although all of us in the industry likley enjoy what we do, but we like you all like to be duly compensated for our efforts.

 

[Bobby]

It is important that a clear understanding of services and expectations is established when working with a guide. There is a wide range of offerings and expectations for both sides. Most important is to ensure that both sides have a clear understanding. IMO a guide should dive regularly and have solid experience a couple of steps above the level of dive the customer is looking for. As an example someone seeking a guide on a 60 foot reef might expect a guide to have good experience diving to NDL depth limits and at least basic experience and training in decompression diving. IMO this gives the best chance of the guide being able to offer good services well within their skill level and experience.

If a guide/mentor is desired the guide having the added skill and experience is even more important. IMO guiding/mentoring means that the guide will also help the diver increase their skill and experience level as well as be a guide. The difference between mentoring and teaching is that the guide does not take the diver beyond their certification and the learning process is self paced instead of being a defined structure of time.

Regardless of the price make sure that the guides experience and training is understood. Take the time to have a clear understanding of the expectations. Keep in mind that services are being purchased, not an indentured servant. Regardless of a fee being paid the same diving rule applies, anyone can call a dive at any time for any reason.

This is not a solicitation for guiding and I rarely have the time or desire to take on new people for the guiding that I do. Pricing for guides can run a very wide range as well. My own experience as a guide in OW diving is too far in the past to be relevant here as it was over 10 years ago. Even back then I was charging $70.00 a day for a standard two tank trip. As a measuring stick I only guide/mentor two narrowly defined environments now. One is actual side mount cave passage and the second is extended penetration/depth CCR cave diving. Fees are $295.00 U.S.D. per day per diver with a maximum of two divers with one on one the preferred option. I believe this pricing is the top end of guiding but at least gives an idea for that end of the range.

 

[brrrandi]

There are a lot of... insta buddies on SB that would be willing to help you as well.

Whoa! What's an "insta buddy" and where do I find one? :blinking:

 

[Craig66]

Agree 100% that cost should be related to the dive. I dive with my daughter. I have 300+ dives and my 12 year old daughter has 40 dives. She has the buoyancy of a fish and has a better understanding of the physiology, rules and mechanics of diving than most divers out there. When we dive in key largo I want a dive guide as an extra safety measure. In almost every occasion the dive guide has had a totally relaxing effortless dive. I pay 50 and tip 30-40. More than that would not be an option and in the couple of dive shops that have wanted more they lost not only that but also several days worth if diving for both me and my daughter.


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[Oldbear]

Whoa! What's an "insta buddy" and where do I find one? :blinking:

Many truckstops have them...

 

[uncfnp]

Sorry guys, but I think your estimates of a private/personal dive master for $40-50 is wishfull thinking. The going rate in our area for a DM/Instructor (we often have an Instructor perform these duties) dedicated to 1 or 2 divers is more like $100-150 not counting the price of your charter. You have to consider that the DM/Instructor has invested significant time and $ obtaining and maintaining his/her certification and professional liability insurance. Your private DM/Insructor will be fully dedicated to your needs prior to and after the trip and he/she will often put in 6-7 hours doing this. I don't think any of you would work for $7 an hour ($50 divided by 7 hours), would you? If you arrange for a DM not associated with the dive service, the cost of the charter may also increase the private DM fee. You should also know that if the private DM/Instructor is not crew qualified, his/her presence on the vessel will count against the passenger load, reducing the profitability of the trip for the operator. All our DM/Instructors are USCG qualified. I would question the qualifications of someone who was willing get up at 0 dark 30, see to your personal needs and safety for 6-8 hours, for a few $ an hour and the possibilty of a tip. Time to get real about the costs involved with diving, although all of us in the industry likley enjoy what we do, but we like you all like to be duly compensated for our efforts.

From their website:

Make your North Carolina experience more rewarding by hiring one of the Olympus team for a day of guided dives.

Let our professionals show you the best features of our wercks, the safest way to dive our deeper sites and where to make the most of our abundant marine life. Cost of a dive guided is $35 per person plus the cost of the charter.​

 

[brrrandi]

Many truckstops have them...

UGHHHHHHHH..... walked right into that one, didn't I?

 

[Craig66]

OP in answer to your question. In Florida expect to pay $40-50 per two tank dive with a tip of $20-40. You do not have to pay for their boat trip or their gas. This will cover a two tank dive lasting about 3.5-4 hrs.

My experience covers 5 dive shops from Jupiter to the Keys.

Happy diving.


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[Steve_C]

Prices range so much in part due the difference in what DM guide means. I use them from time to time. In Vancouver it meant a guy picked me up at my hotel and took me to a dive shop to get fitted with rental gear, then returned me to the hotel. Next day he showed up with the gear and we drove up a fiord and did a couple shore dives and I was returned to my hotel afterwards. He returned the rental gear.

In Key Largo last year on a deeper dive I showed up with all my own gear. DM met me at the boat of the company he worked for. Short boat ride and we did two dives together. End of involvement.

Obviously the first involved a lot more time and effort on the part of the DM than the second and the price accounted for that.

Note that sometimes the DM is also a DM for the boat, guides your dive, and then returns to being a boat DM. That happened, for example diving fossil ledge in 100ft of water where I wanted to focus on hunting fossils and not worrying about an instabuddy.