Question about certification level needed

[captkev]

Good morning, I just joined this forum and have a very specific question about what level of cert I need and how quickly I could attain this level.

The situation:
I work in the private yacht crew industry. A past captain I worked for is taking on a new boat and wants me as First Mate. The owner doesn't care who he hires as long as that person can teach his children how to dive and to take the family diving as they travel around the Caribbean.

So my question is do I need to get my instructor certification or can I do this type of stuff with just Divemaster or some other level?

How long will it take to get the required level of certification. I currently have no dive cert. ( I have taken a resort course, and have used scuba gear quite a bit to clean the bottom of the yachts I've worked on in the past, which of course means nothing.)

Thanks!
Kevin

 

[Scott L]

Why not just have the kids along with yourself get certified with an already established instructor through AOW and nitrox and yourself the same including rescue then work toward the instructor certification if he is willing to foot the bill...

 

[Walter]

Sorry to break the news to you, but you aren't going to get the job unless the requirements change or you have a long time to qualify.

To certify people to dive, you must be an instructor. Every agency of which I'm aware requires a minimum of 100 dives to become an instructor. Most folks believe that requirement is pretty low and needs to be raised.

 

[captkev]

Valhalla, thanks for that suggestion, that is quite clearly the quickest and easiest and most sensible way to go about this!

 

[DeputyDan]

Methinks that nothing good can come of this...........

 

[DevonDiver]

There are zero-to-hero courses. If you don't care about quality, then you could achieve Divemaster (from scratch) in less than 2 months. Instructor within another 2 months.

It would be a steep learning curve...back-to-back courses...and you wouldn't have a great breadth of experience at the end of it.

As for minimum dive requirements.... when working in Thailand, I easily logged 100 a month...

It wouldn't make you very employable in the general scuba industry, but it would gave you what you need to run a few relaxed courses and gentle fun dives for the owner's kids on the boat.

 

[vtxkev]

Methinks that nothing good can come of this...........

Me agree........I also think there will be a backlash of issues when one of the children gets hurt because of your instruction. I am not saying that will happen, but chances are this gentlemen has money (hense the boat he owns) and people with money always have good lawyers.

 

[RJP]

The owner doesn't care who he hires as long as that person can teach his children how to dive and to take the family diving as they travel around the Caribbean.

He must really love his kids if he doesn't care who trains or dives with them.

 

[Scott L]

He must really love his kids if he doesn't care who trains or dives with them.

I would say he is not a diver and is comparing the situation to a personal trainer, etc.

 

[diver 85]

Sorry to break the news to you, but you aren't going to get the job unless the requirements change or you have a long time to qualify.

To certify people to dive, you must be an instructor. Every agency of which I'm aware requires a minimum of 100 dives to become an instructor. Most folks believe that requirement is pretty low and needs to be raised.

Are you serious about the 100 for an instructor??....Not being around a lot of classes lately I do remember when it was 125 dives for a DM------no wonder so many can't dive---they're being taught by ignorant instructors.....That is Pa--Thetic in my book...