Getting a Dive Master and/or Instructor

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bzalmano

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Boca Raton, FL
I have a couple of questions on getting DM and/or Instructor certification.

I know somebody who is a long time diver and is a certified Instructor Trainer with PADI who I could use to train me for my DM and Instructor. He is an independent and does not have any affiliation with any of the Local Dive Shops (although he knows everybody in all of them). Is there any advantage or disadvantage of going with an independent as apposed to a shop?

Also I have a friend who is an avid tech diver, dives at least a couple of weekends a month. He has never gotten his dive master cert because he feels that it would open him up for liabilities issues even if he was not acting as dive master for the dive, but he was just another paying passenger. Is this true? If so has this deterred anybody else from going for their DM?
 
i never thought of liability part, but that makes sense...

i guess the certifications are kind of like the martial arts... i've been in it for over 20 years and have scattered certifications from different styles and degrees...

does the paper really mean anything? not really. but if you want to prove it to someone else, then it does... to me, who cares what others think.


--c
 
I'm in the process of getting my DM cert right now. I must say that it may be a good idea to get a private instructor if you can because right now I'm actually competing for lecture and pool skill time with a newly certified instructor. I'm very dedicated to my LDS but it's going to take longer than I expected to get this cert and it is a bit frustrating. On the positive side...the more I repeat and repeat and repeat the skills the better diver I become. I'd be more concerned about the liability with instructor status...
 
it is better to get it throught a dive shop since you can work with different instroctors and gain more experience....also more pool secions and openwater....much better to be stuck with one instroctor....I did mine with around around 9 instroctors.....I learned alot...
 
i'll go talk to some other's too, when i'm done with AOW and see what they say...



--c
 
bzalmano:
He has never gotten his dive master cert because he feels that it would open him up for liabilities issues even if he was not acting as dive master for the dive, but he was just another paying passenger.

I don't understand the liability issue if you're a certified DM, but diving as a private individual and not for pay. Is it a failure to render assistance issue (or proper assistance?)

Other than your buddy, how can you be held liable just because you're a DM?

Do DMs carry liability insurance even if they don't teach or lead trips?

I'm not a lawyer. Can someone enlighten me.
 
divengolf:
Is it a failure to render assistance issue (or proper assistance?)

I'm not a lawyer either, but here's how I understand it.

A DM is not, by law, considered a professional rescuer, and is not expected to render assistance to anyone they are not actively involved with as a client or student.

HOWEVER, divers have been sued by their buddies, so you might want to save your buddies' @$$ no matter what your rating is. At least TRY.

If you never lead trips or assist in teaching, I don't know why you'd need to carry liability insurance.
 
bzalmano:
Also I have a friend who is an avid tech diver, dives at least a couple of weekends a month. He has never gotten his dive master cert because he feels that it would open him up for liabilities issues even if he was not acting as dive master for the dive, but he was just another paying passenger. Is this true? If so has this deterred anybody else from going for their DM?

Of course your legal system really sucks, but how you can end up loosing on any legal claims due to holding a DM-cert beats me. Perhaps if "the other guy" has a sharp lawyer and you don't in the first trial, but in the end there's no way you can be held more liable than any other person would in a situation. -That is if you TRY YOUR BEST.

Pew, I'm glad we don't have your lack of "legal" system here...
 
bzalmano:
I have a couple of questions on getting DM and/or Instructor certification.

I know somebody who is a long time diver and is a certified Instructor Trainer with PADI who I could use to train me for my DM and Instructor. He is an independent and does not have any affiliation with any of the Local Dive Shops (although he knows everybody in all of them). Is there any advantage or disadvantage of going with an independent as apposed to a shop?

Also I have a friend who is an avid tech diver, dives at least a couple of weekends a month. He has never gotten his dive master cert because he feels that it would open him up for liabilities issues even if he was not acting as dive master for the dive, but he was just another paying passenger. Is this true? If so has this deterred anybody else from going for their DM?

1. I chose to do my DM training with an independent instructor, but to intern with the very active instructors at the shop. This was the best of both worlds because I got lots of attention from my primary instructor, worked with several other instructors and learned their styles, and got lots of face time with students.

2. A dive master in the US is required by the issuing agency to maintain an insurance policy as long as they wish to remain current. This costs money.
 
As part of the cert you are going to have to do a number of trips which require you to have people to lead.... If your friend has enough business to allow you to complete these dives then go with him.... Else a dive shop might be better - the more available dive trips the more chances of fitting them in with your schedual and getting your cert in a timely manner.....

You have to renew your DM cert every year so you are going to have to pay for the privalage of having a DM card............

I'm a PADI DM #199873 and although the people I work for require me to have insurance (and they pay for it) PADI does not require it.................

I can see no reason for getting a DM cert if you aren't planning on acting as a DM at least part time.

Liabilty is tricky if you tell the other people in the dive group you are DM it can be infered that you implied you would act in that capacity if required.........
 
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