Divemaster questions

[megzuwo]

I'm in the middle of my DM internship right now and I can tell you this much: I don't understand what 'free time' actually is...ever. BUT I love it! I'm completley exhausted, but I still have a blast with it. I'm deployed right now so am busting my butt doing my actual military job during the week, work with students in and out of the classroom at nights and am in the pool/open water on the weekends...except Sundays where I work at our LDS on base. I get paid absolutely nothing, am a pro at carrying tanks, and forget that sleeping is a necessity sometimes...but I'm having a blast.

When I get home from this deployment (90 days!) I'm setting up my new home in the Keys where I'll hopefully work for crackers as a DM (if I haven't gotten INST yet) and busting my tail at some other gig.

Keep looking on the prices though, all I paid for were my books-I'm working off the rest by working at the LDS and helping out with all of the classes. The classes can burn you out, but at the same time seeing a students face when they realize that the ocean isn't that small and yes you can still breath, or when they thank you after class (if even just for your random comedic relief) makes it fully worth it.

But I'll agree with everyone above me, use it as a stepping stone-I have no intentions of stopping at DM, and only do it if you really love the thought of helping others discover the dive world and don't mind sitting in a cold pool for half of your weekends. It has its small rewards, and small pay, but hell-it's fun.

 

[scubaricky]

Hi I am new to the forum.. i have a question about the dive master program. I started my dive master in sydney Australia at the Prodive and I have finished everything that needs to be done over 2 1/2 months when I was there. The only thing that still needs to be checked off in the equipment exchange while buddy breathing. I had to leave for family reasons and come back to the states and I am wondering how long i have to finish up the program and get this last item checked off of my paper work. also what is the best way to go about finishing up everything so I can get my certification. I am getting scared that all the work I have done will be wasted if I have waited to long. Its been a pretty crazy few months and now I have a chance to finish up the DM. Any Suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Ricky

 

[megzuwo]

I would suggest going to your local dive shop and asking them what your best option is. The gear exchange is too easy (in the scheme of the physics and physiology tests!) to let that be your only deterrent in getting DM. Good luck!

 

[rescue15]

If you look around your neighborhood, you may be able to find a NAUI store or SSI that would be willing to charge you -0- for the D/M course, provided that you assist with classes for 1 year.

If you had to pay the store $350 then they obviously did not need or want you around as a store D/M, and therefore they did you a big favor training you, and so you therefore did indeed become a D/M for your own good.

If a local instructor "needs" a D/M, then he/she will train them free of charge (not including books, of course), and simply get a commitment of a year's assistance in future classes. And that then becomes your pay, the money you saved off the course retail fee.

Can you move up here and open a shop? The least expensive DM class around here is $350 plus books (PADI) and the most expensive I have found was $1600 - I think it was NAUI, but this price included books....The PADI shop gives a DM class yearly and chooses a few they will sponsor. The others only train those they want to work with. I have not found any shop willing to train a DM for free, even if the candidate pays for the books.

I know there are alot of people that think the LDS should eat the cost of the training of the DM but at least around here it is not reality. Especially when the LDS usually requires you dive with what they sell. Granted you usually get a nice discount but that still leaves several hundred dollars each year a DM has to spend with no income to show for it. I know there is not alot of money in being a DM but you shouldn't have to go broke to be one. I know most shops don't see it that way. Most shops around here will give a DM free air, if you want nitrox, you have to pay for it, and with few exceptions, the DM pays his own quarry fees. So, unless you have aspirations to become an instructor, what motivation is there to become a DM? If you work for a shop that has many DM's the competition for the free spots on the boat is fierce - and non existant if the boat provides a DM.

I am fortunate to be dealing with a small shop that offers their DM's some nice perks but it still doesn't pay the bills. If I take the DM course this summer with my shop it will cost me about $700 including books. I still have to pay my own insurance and I am fortunate to own the gear the shop carries, but if he goes to another line I have the option to buy new or use rental gear in the classes.

Steve