Dive Master course
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My DM Course was 6 days. 
This is very much a loaded question.
I've seen divers go from ADV OW, Rescue, DM and to Instr in a matter of 2 1/2 weeks.
For me this is an injustice to the new Instr and to any OW students they are going to come in contact with. They just lack experience being around and involved in, classroom time, pool sessions and open water training to prepare them.
I served as a DM for almost a year before I took the IDC.
Now, after saying that, I don't see a problem with a 6 day DM course..... but it does not really make you a DM. You'll get the card yes BUT....
Neither does just crewing a dive boat make you a DM.
Do the training, then work in and as a DM intern for a few months. Sit through a few classroom session observing, work in the pool with an instr and real live students, support both those efforts and then go on a few open dive trips and support student as well as experienced divers and then for my .02 you're on the road to being a DM.
Again just my thoughts, since you asked.
Bob C.
PADI OWSI
I've seen divers go from ADV OW, Rescue, DM and to Instr in a matter of 2 1/2 weeks.
For me this is an injustice to the new Instr and to any OW students they are going to come in contact with. They just lack experience being around and involved in, classroom time, pool sessions and open water training to prepare them.
I served as a DM for almost a year before I took the IDC.
Now, after saying that, I don't see a problem with a 6 day DM course..... but it does not really make you a DM. You'll get the card yes BUT....
Neither does just crewing a dive boat make you a DM.
Do the training, then work in and as a DM intern for a few months. Sit through a few classroom session observing, work in the pool with an instr and real live students, support both those efforts and then go on a few open dive trips and support student as well as experienced divers and then for my .02 you're on the road to being a DM.
Again just my thoughts, since you asked.
Bob C.
PADI OWSI
Long enough to be competent to be a DM! I "took my time" in doing my DM course -- some 18 months (it was very hit and miss working with my instructor) -- but during that time I:
a. Took what would now be called UTD Recreational 2;
b. Took GUE Fundamentals getting a Tech Provisional (and later full pass);
c. Took (and passed) Cavern and Intro to Cave; and
d. Took what would now be called UTD Recreational 3 (recreational Trimix).
From the time I started my DM course, until I was signed off, I did something over 200 dives in all sorts of different environments -- warm water, cold water, shore, boat, cave, with students, with friends, etc.
Now I don't recommend doing it the way I did, but, in fact, by the time I told my instructor I wanted him to sign off on me, I really believe I was ready to help students and help their instructors.
It depends on if you are taking it at a paper mill or a dive shop that grows it's own instructors and DMs. At my LSD it takes around 6 to 8 months to get all the way through the program IF you work at it. We reguire you to work with 2 OW classes, 1 AOW and one rescue, all from start to finish. These are real students in real classes, we don't do simulated classes except for practice. If you just want the card, you can get it in a week or 2 but to get the full experience, plan on 8 months at least.
Loaded or not. Here's what I do. Normally three to six months doing an internship. This allows me and the DMC to actually work together at the shop, at different dive locations under a variety of teaching conditions.
I just had a man that is a year younger than me complete his divemaster. He had several hundred dives and had been diving for many years. He had made trips all over the place and can rely those experiences to new divers. Much better than a person who just has the required dives to complete the course.
I also have a DMC who is a nursing student and about 22 years old. He finished everthing but his exams which he will finish in a few weeks. He has about 100 dives. He can easily relate to the younger college students that we teach each quarter at Louisiana Tech. Good solid skills and very patient. And as time will allow he will be making more trips.
No way that either of these men could have developed their skill level as well as student/instructor interaction in six days. You wind up shorting new students and if divemasters attempt to go farther they find out quickly that they have been shorted.
I just had a man that is a year younger than me complete his divemaster. He had several hundred dives and had been diving for many years. He had made trips all over the place and can rely those experiences to new divers. Much better than a person who just has the required dives to complete the course.
I also have a DMC who is a nursing student and about 22 years old. He finished everthing but his exams which he will finish in a few weeks. He has about 100 dives. He can easily relate to the younger college students that we teach each quarter at Louisiana Tech. Good solid skills and very patient. And as time will allow he will be making more trips.
No way that either of these men could have developed their skill level as well as student/instructor interaction in six days. You wind up shorting new students and if divemasters attempt to go farther they find out quickly that they have been shorted.
I'm a DMC rather than an instructor, but thought I'd give my perspective as someone who's spread the course over a relatively long period.
I'm nearing the end of the course after 10 weeks - my work and family commitments mean I've had to do it bit by bit, whenever my schedule intersects with the instructors. In the meantime, though, whenever I have some time free I ring the shop and see what they have going on, just to gain experience. So, so far I've assisted on four OW courses, one AOW, one Rescue Diver, several boat dives with certified divers and a Discover SCUBA. I'm not knocking doing it quickly, I would definitely have done it all in one go if I had the time, but doing it like this, I do feel I have gained valuable 'real world' experience which will stand me in good stead when I do qualify. Plus I've had more time with the study materials, and have been able to do a number of practice skills circuits. Ironically some of the OW students from courses I assisted on will be DMs before me!
So while doing the course so slowly wasn't my preferred option, I believe it has given me more confidence than I would have if I'd done it quickly.
Bottom line, though, is that both approaches produce qualified DMs. It's up to the individual candidate and their circumstances when it comes to how much they want to put into honing their skills, and I don't think either approach is an impediment to this.
M
I'm nearing the end of the course after 10 weeks - my work and family commitments mean I've had to do it bit by bit, whenever my schedule intersects with the instructors. In the meantime, though, whenever I have some time free I ring the shop and see what they have going on, just to gain experience. So, so far I've assisted on four OW courses, one AOW, one Rescue Diver, several boat dives with certified divers and a Discover SCUBA. I'm not knocking doing it quickly, I would definitely have done it all in one go if I had the time, but doing it like this, I do feel I have gained valuable 'real world' experience which will stand me in good stead when I do qualify. Plus I've had more time with the study materials, and have been able to do a number of practice skills circuits. Ironically some of the OW students from courses I assisted on will be DMs before me!
So while doing the course so slowly wasn't my preferred option, I believe it has given me more confidence than I would have if I'd done it quickly.
Bottom line, though, is that both approaches produce qualified DMs. It's up to the individual candidate and their circumstances when it comes to how much they want to put into honing their skills, and I don't think either approach is an impediment to this.
M
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As another DMC, I've found the following affects the timeline: Instructor's schedule, your schedule, classmates' schedules, climate (how many months per year can you dive), weather (charters, check outs), number of candidates. In our case, the other 3 DMCs as well as the instructor all have full time day jobs, so weekends were pretty much the best option. The only way to nail it down somewhat is to get details from your LDS.
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