PADI DM Questions

[George Price]

First, thanks for reading this post. Scubaboard is a great place to learn and it's because of folks like you. I am closing in on my PADI Master Scuba Diver rating and there is some pressure to continue to DiveMaster creeping in to conversations down at Ye Old Dive Shop. I too have some questions:
1. As I have no desire to become an Instructor, does DM make any sense? Perhaps I should switch over to TDI or GUE after Master Scuba and pursue more individualized knowledge.
2. If I get Dive Master certification, do I have to buy yearly liability insurance to keep it? If I don't, do they take away my pro number and break my snorkel over their knee? Or can I just be an inactive DM who doesn't teach?
I would appreciate any feedback on these questions. Thanks again for reading them.

George Price

 

[halocline]

First, thanks for reading this post. Scubaboard is a great place to learn and it's because of folks like you. I am closing in on my PADI Master Scuba Diver rating and there is some pressure to continue to DiveMaster creeping in to conversations down at Ye Old Dive Shop. I too have some questions:
1. As I have no desire to become an Instructor, does DM make any sense? Perhaps I should switch over to TDI or GUE after Master Scuba and pursue more individualized knowledge.
2. If I get Dive Master certification, do I have to buy yearly liability insurance to keep it? If I don't, do they take away my pro number and break my snorkel over their knee? Or can I just be an inactive DM who doesn't teach?
I would appreciate any feedback on these questions. Thanks again for reading them.

George Price

1. It doesn't make any sense for you to do a DM course unless you want to work as a DM and/or instructor, with one exception: Some of the DM internship programs in tropical resorts are good ways to get to dive daily in the caribbean or SE asia for several weeks (even months) at a very reasonable cost. So if you're talking about a local, inland dive shop where your daily work is in a pool or on a sales floor, I would say no. It sounds like your dive shop is simply trying to recruit you to be a continuing customer. You can't blame them.

In terms of further training, you should decide what kind of environments you would like to dive in and train for those. This invariably means traveling to locations that provide those environments, like caves or deep wrecks. Having done all the PADI courses through DM, and cave training in Mexico, I can verify that good cave instruction is an entirely different level of training. It doesn't really matter what agency is involved. What matters is who the instructor is, what your commitment as a student is, and what kind of dives you do as part of your training.

2. You don't need insurance to keep your DM certification, but if you want to work as a licensed DM you need insurance and a professional membership in one of the agencies. My DM cert (with PADI) has been inactive for years because I don't have any interest in working as a DM, but I assume if I did want to, I could re-join PADI as a pro and pay the membership and for insurance. I really don't know, to be honest.

 

[Colliam7]

Agree with halocline regarding point #2.

As for #1, I have a somewhat different view. This is MY personal experience, and others can share their own, different views.

I took DM because I wanted to improve my diving skills. I had NO interest in becoming an Instructor, or even working as a DM for that matter. The course accomplished my goals. Because I had a chance to focus on refining the specific, isolated skills, and in doing so received instruction regarding improvement, I believe I grew as a diver - in confidence, competence, and general ability. That is not necessarily the goal of the DM course. But, it is what I wanted to get out of it, and it worked for me. Could I have accomplished the same goal through another path? Possibly. maybe, even 'probably'. Bu, I chose the DM route.

After DM, several of my classmates approached me said, 'Hey, the shop is offering an Assistant Instructor class, why don't we all take it together?' We did, as much for the camaraderie as anything. But, we all benefited from it, and our 'global' diving skills improved. The final phase - after AI, the same thing happened, and several classmates once again said, 'Hey, the shop is conducting an IDC, why don't we take the next step and do it together?' By that point, I was also beginning to think, 'I might actually be good at doing this (teaching).' So, I did the IDC, passed the IE and became an Instructor.

I regret NOTHING. It turned out to be the best thing I could have done. I accomplished my initial goals (better diving skills), and as a result of a somewhat serendipitous evolution, I ended up taking a path that was not my initial plan but which led to to an incredibly rewarding and enjoyable point in my diving.

The interesting thing for me: I continue to improve my diving skills, as an Instructor. Every dive is, for me, a training dive, whether it is instructional, recreational or technical. And, that is FUN, and it is not a burden. On every dive, as an Instructor, I work on something - some skill, some aspect of diving - that needs improvement.

So, I am not in a position to say, 'Don't pursue DM unless you are planning to work as a DM, or to become an Instructor.' That may be good advice. But, in my own case, taking DM opened up a much (much) broader diving world.

That worked for me. Your results may vary. Just a thought.

 

[George Price]

Agree with halocline regarding point #2.

As for #1, I have a somewhat different view. This is MY personal experience, and others can share their own, different views.

I took DM because I wanted to improve my diving skills. I had NO interest in becoming an Instructor, or even working as a DM for that matter. The course accomplished my goals. Because I had a chance to focus on refining the specific, isolated skills, and in doing so received instruction regarding improvement, I believe I grew as a diver - in confidence, competence, and general ability. That is not necessarily the goal of the DM course. But, it is what I wanted to get out of it, and it worked for me. Could I have accomplished the same goal through another path? Possibly. maybe, even 'probably'. Bu, I chose the DM route.

After DM, several of my classmates approached me said, 'Hey, the shop is offering an Assistant Instructor class, why don't we all take it together?' We did, as much for the camaraderie as anything. But, we all benefited from it, and our 'global' diving skills improved. The final phase - after AI, the same thing happened, and several classmates once again said, 'Hey, the shop is conducting an IDC, why don't we take the next step and do it together?' By that point, I was also beginning to think, 'I might actually be good at doing this (teaching).' So, I did the IDC, passed the IE and became an Instructor.

I regret NOTHING. It turned out to be the best thing I could have done. I accomplished my initial goals (better diving skills), and as a result of a somewhat serendipitous evolution, I ended up taking a path that was not my initial plan but which led to to an incredibly rewarding and enjoyable point in my diving.

The interesting thing for me: I continue to improve my diving skills, as an Instructor. Every dive is, for me, a training dive, whether it is instructional, recreational or technical. And, that is FUN, and it is not a burden. On every dive, as an Instructor, I work on something - some skill, some aspect of diving - that needs improvement.

So, I am not in a position to say, 'Don't pursue DM unless you are planning to work as a DM, or to become an Instructor.' That may be good advice. But, in my own case, taking DM opened up a much (much) broader diving world.

That worked for me. Your results may vary. Just a thought.

Thank you. As I am at "a certain age" (Biblically, I'm dead.) I will probably not walk your path, but I appreciate your answer.

1. It doesn't make any sense for you to do a DM course unless you want to work as a DM and/or instructor, with one exception: Some of the DM internship programs in tropical resorts are good ways to get to dive daily in the caribbean or SE asia for several weeks (even months) at a very reasonable cost. So if you're talking about a local, inland dive shop where your daily work is in a pool or on a sales floor, I would say no. It sounds like your dive shop is simply trying to recruit you to be a continuing customer. You can't blame them.

In terms of further training, you should decide what kind of environments you would like to dive in and train for those. This invariably means traveling to locations that provide those environments, like caves or deep wrecks. Having done all the PADI courses through DM, and cave training in Mexico, I can verify that good cave instruction is an entirely different level of training. It doesn't really matter what agency is involved. What matters is who the instructor is, what your commitment as a student is, and what kind of dives you do as part of your training.

2. You don't need insurance to keep your DM certification, but if you want to work as a licensed DM you need insurance and a professional membership in one of the agencies. My DM cert (with PADI) has been inactive for years because I don't have any interest in working as a DM, but I assume if I did want to, I could re-join PADI as a pro and pay the membership and for insurance. I really don't know, to be honest.

Thank you. This is exactly the type of feedback I was looking for.

 

[halocline]

So, I am not in a position to say, 'Don't pursue DM unless you are planning to work as a DM, or to become an Instructor.' That may be good advice. But, in my own case, taking DM opened up a much (much) broader diving world.

That worked for me. Your results may vary. Just a thought.

It did for me too, and I don't regret taking the DM course. But, I did it in Roatan where I dove daily in the caribbean for 2 months, and my final bill was $600, minus what I made fixing regulators. I would not have been happy spending that money to work in the pool at a LDS.

 

[EricTheDood]

If the goal is to advance your knowledge/skills and keep things interesting, consider getting into Tec. A course like PADI Tec 40 will allow you to run doubles into deco, which is very desirable if you often find yourself unfulfilled by short NDL and gas times at deeper rec depths. You don't need to exceed rec depth limits to benefit from Tec.

 

[Colliam7]

If the goal is to advance your knowledge/skills and keep things interesting, consider getting into Tec.

Also a VERY good suggestion.

 

[sheeper]

My DM students tend to fall into 3 categories.
1) perfect their skills. Our DM program really dials in your skills at presentation quality/instructor quality levels
2) want to perfect their skills AND maybe work as a DM with us - potentially advance to instructor, or not
3) want a c-card that says DM

as long as the expectations are defined and known it's all good. not everyone who wants #2, gets to actually work for us. And our program typically takes 3-6 months

 

[rongoodman]

If you're not interested in actually working as a DM, why not consider GUE Fundies to really hone your diving(as opposed to instructional) skills. If not Fundies, than a cave or cavern course.

 

[Scuba J7]

isnt GUE DIR? They may have to change their gear and I know I wouldn't want to.

If you're not interested in actually working as a DM, why not consider GUE Fundies to really hone your diving(as opposed to instructional) skills. If not Fundies, than a cave or cavern course.