Divemaster Class with BP & Wings

[Diver0001]

If the OP had dialed in his skills using the BP/Wing, than there should be no reason to ask him to switch. If he can demonstrate the skills that the DM is supposed to in his BP/Wing, then there is really no logical reason to make him switch.

Agreed, there is no logical reason to make him change *if* he can do the demos in the gear he has... .

On the other hand if he can't do it in "any old gear" then he doesn't have his skills "dialed in" at all, now, does he..... ?

In this case it doesn't sound like this is the problem. to me it just sounds like he has a difference of philosophy from the LDS and there's lots of everything, on both sides, going on except listening....

From where I'm sitting it sounds like a bit of ordinary ego clashing -- like on the one hand "I've been diving in a BP/wing for 18 months and I know this stuff better than my instructor ever will" and on the other hand "we've always done it like this and no cocky newcomer in his fancy tek-lookalike gear is going to tell us how to train a DM."

The point about not wanting to pay for rentals is valid but if that's the whole point then this thread would have been over after three posts.

I think if he intends to become a good DM then it's worth the effort to work *through* this conflict instead of giving up, burning bridges and running to the next shop....but that's just me...

R..

 

[chrisc]

I've been diving for 5 years, and have about 120 dives total. Of those I've been using a BP/W's in about 70 of them. The ego clashing might be a point, via the LDS, and not myself. That owner has an "I've done it all" attitude and instills this on his instructors to do the same. There have been numerous "conflicts" with LDS, not just with me, but numerous others. Ranging from cussing out students (12-15 year olds) in front of customers to telling customers their equipment is junk (Apeks AT40 setup bought at their shop (not mine equipment)). My issue was that when I paid for the class I specifically asked if I could use the BP/W's, and they said it was fine. 2 weeks later the instructor wanted to "view my gear", and then says no way. I might also mention that they recommended that I change my mask type and purchase the "new mask that just came in" from them to the toon of $99.00.

I tried to work it out amicably with them, explaining that I had 2 witnesses that stated a contradiction in what they were saying, had asked other respected people in the industry and PADI. What then happened is the owner went off the deep end and started cussing me in front of my wife while we were in his shop with customers also in there. Instead of arguing in a losing battle with him I chose to go to a different shop and a different route. I really doubt that I would ever dive for that shop. My goal is to get training while I have time available, continue to instructor and use it later when we move back East.

My original question was that I was told that it was against PADI's rules and wanted clarification. If it was indeed against the rules, I would have had no problem going to the standard BCD and lived with it.

 

[fishb0y]

Tollie

I still don't get the point.
Sure its a "Fun" excersise but in a situation that required buddy breathing, the "Realistic" thing to do it get to te surface of another air source. Not waste time swapping gear that probably isn't a fit or adjusted correctly. In a real word situation this is a recipe for disaster. Training in all aspects should be real world. I would hate for a panicked Diver to want to swap my gear because he is out of air... A reaction to some useless training he recieved.

Again, the gear swap is an DRILL. Of course in the real world you would not swap equipment with a student in a high stress situation.

The purpose behind the gear swap is to stimulate a stressful situation, then see how the DM candidate performs, under controlled conditions in a safe environment. Unless you would feel the need in putting the candidate in an actual emergency (neither I nor any insurance agencies would agree), I cannot think of many other drills that would help.

I did my gear swap with a woman half my size. Kinda interesting trying to get into her BC.

 

[The Horn]

Good for you Chris, it would be silly for you to further pursue training after an attempt to belittle you and not provide customer satisfaction. Find a new Instructor and have fun!

When you become an instructor hopefully you will appreciate this experience and it will help you. Like it has been said on this board many times: The Instructor is the key. We've all had teachers that were poor and others that rocked, good news now is that YOU can choose. If there is a negative relationship you are doomed from the start. As far as ego goes, the proof is in the pudding! If he was "all that" then you would be getting trained right now.

 

[CompuDude]

I think the OP made the right choice, because a bad shop is a bad shop, and that certainly sounds like a bad shop. Who wants to work for a shop like that? And if they told you a bp/w was going to be ok, the instructor thowing a fit and changing his mind is breach of contract. 100% within your rights to demand a refund and reverse the charges when denied.

That said, every local shop I interviewed when I was trying to decide if I would go for DM essentially wanted me to wear gear that they sell in the shop, once I'm actually working with classes. I could wear whatever I wanted for my own work, but without exception, the shops wanted me to wear gear that they sell when working with students. Instructors and AI's are in the same boat.

The good news is the vast majority of my gear came from one shop, so I would have no problem doing my DM work for that shop. The bad news is that shop was my second choice for the classes, mostly from a logistical standpoint. My first choice would literally require all new gear.

As a result, I have not taken DM yet, and may not, in the end, while I try to figure out what I want to do.