Should we all strive to be divemasters?

[Arnaud]

Well, I'm currently training for DM and I love it. So far, the course has given me the opportunity to review past knowledge and learn a lot of new stuff.

However, IMHO, becoming DM will only improve my diving indirectly. Practicing (diving) and taking the DIR F course in the fall seem more appropriate for reaching that goal. You don't need to be a DM to be a great diver. You can improve your knowledge reading books. You can improve your skills diving with more experienced divers. You don't need another card just for that.

In my case, my instructor has become my main dive buddy, and very much a mentor. Becoming a DM and being able to assist him when he teaches is something that appeals to me. If I like it enough, maybe I'll continue the instruction process. Ultimately, I guess that's where I would like to end up.

Meanwhile, I have several boat trips planned for the coming weeks. No learning, no teaching. Just diving.

 

[cold kiwi]

in january this year i did a course called D.O.R.P

(out door and recreational program) which walked you through o/w aow rescue and divemaster it ran for 4 months it also had out door tramping and rescue skills in a tramping enviroment ....also rock climbing ,absailing,snow line tramps,nitrox and wreck/deep specialties

it was awsome not everyone can just get up and leave there jobs and commit to somthing like this but i have to say in doing it this way every one of us that stuck it out and became divemasters were better off ....but this is what i want to do as aprofession
id like to think that most divers would strive for a minimum of rescue diver it would make better divers

 

[diverbrian]

May I ask what a master diver card will get a diver that a AOW, Stress and Rescue card, and a logbook fulll of dives won't?

A couple of instructors at the dive shop mentioned that I should apply for one, but I don't feel like paying the money for that card when I could use it cover air fills for my diving on a weekend.

 

[reefseal]

Stupid question coming so I apologize. What's the incentive for getting Dive Master certification? (besides add'l trng) I've heard once that if you go through Dive Master trng at LDS, you get more discount on gear than the average joe. (professional courtesy discount?)

Why do folks go for it? To be able to assist on dive boats (get paid to work on dive charters or go at least for free?)

Even more stupid question.. what does trng involve? How long? what are pre-requisites?

thanks

 

[diverbrian]

Good questions without any good answers:

SSI DiveCon PreRequesites:

Stress and Rescue
valid CPR and First Aid
have a minimum of 40 logged dives to start and sixty to certify
AOW card

(Someone less tired may add on if I forgot something, which is entirely possible.)

The training depends on who does it. I have been though five classroom sessions on dive leadership issues, decompression theory, gas management..... and taken a test (PASSED).

I have been sitting in and "actively observing" open water classes (classes, pool, and actual open water) since January. I have one more to go. The owner of the LDS will decide when I am ready. Nothing is carved in stone. I would wager another month or so, but I can't be sure.

I also had to go through a pool session with an instructor trying to drown me as a panicked diver (that was fun, I got to manhandle a diver.)

What do I get? I enjoy teaching students. Due to the high number of instructors in our are I will not seek instructor status for some time, if ever, as I could never use an instructor's cert anyways (our LDS's are stuffed at instructor). But I get to assist in classes and lead dives. I get to watch new divers develop. Maybe I get a store credit for leading dives and assisting in classes depending on what happens. When assisting classes and divemastering my nitrox is free. In this case, the reward is in the job itself. I have an actual job thank you very much.

In short, I have stated that this is not for everyone. But, for those of this that want to do it, we couldn't imagine doing much else as part of our hobby.

 

[DiverBuoy]

diverbrian those are standard prerequisites set by the RSTC (recreational scuba training council) as minimums to qualify for entry into a first level professional scuba program. Therefore, PADI has those same requirements of its divemaster program.

 

[diverbrian]

I see some clarification is in order again. I stated SSI because that is what I know, not to pick on any agency. I just didn't want to speak for another agency and be wrong. Thank you for telling me that. They don't make us learn other agency's training standards in DiveCon, just SSI. And if I was wrong, someone surely would have pointed it out.

All that I was doing was answering the question posted. I apologize if someone thought differently.

 

[scubatexastony]

diverbrian once bubbled...
May I ask what a master diver card will get a diver that a AOW, Stress and Rescue card, and a logbook fulll of dives won't?

A couple of instructors at the dive shop mentioned that I should apply for one, but I don't feel like paying the money for that card when I could use it cover air fills for my diving on a weekend.

You'll EARN this card.........you take all the required studies and subsequent tests in gear, physics, rescue & recovery, navigation, boating, intro to technical, light salvage, and a couple others i can't recall off the top of my head right now... The NAUI MSD is a required test to all NAUI professional levels.... I highly recommend it.

BTW, I had several full Log books, rescue, DAN O2 provider, and I enjoyed the class.

tony

 

[kymma]

I don't feel the need to take the DM class but I think taking the rescue class would be useful. Thanks for the good advice on that one.

 

[ColdH20diving]

I'd take the rescue course for sure. I wish it was included in the basic open water course, but that's another story. The rescue class will make you a better dive buddy by giving you the confidence and training to respond to water emergencies. I learned a lot from the DM course, unless you want to be a DM you can save a few hundred $$$ and just buy the DM book and the encyclopedia of diving.