So....what is a DM anyway?

[friscuba]

DM duties seem to vary regionally, sometimes even from business to business. In some locations they are hands on guides, in others not. In most locations they are considered important saftey personnel, in some spots they are sales personnel. It can vary greatly depending on what type of activities the shop/instructor the DM is working with does.... charters, retail, training or combination of those. The difference between DMs isn't really as much of an agency issue as it is the training they received from whoever they took the course from. Some shops or instructors pump out DMs in a couple weekends and others do a more extensive job of putting out DMs that can really help run their businesses.

Nobody yet has really gotten much into what makes a good or bad DM. I'll chime in with a couple thoughts. People skills, attentiveness, observation skills are very important for a DM. DMs who are into themselves and their own thing rather than into servicing their customers and their needs are not really what I'd consider to be good DMs, no matter how good their diving skills are. All the dive knowledge and skills are worthless if you can't, or won't bother, to work with people. I've seen both types of DMs, and skill competance alone doesn't cut it.

Just my opinion,

Steve

So what is a DM really? What should you or shouldn't you expect from a DM? What makes a good DM? or a bad one? Is there a difference between a PADI DM and the equivalent from other agencies?

 

[Snowbear]

As a DM, my roles vary from dive guide to assistant instructor. If I'm working as a DM on the local boat charter, my duties may include loading tanks and taking roll calls as well as dive briefings, dive guide or diver babysitter.

 

[cdiver2]

I'm not a DM but I have done a lot of traveling and seen DMs from around the world. I have found there duty's vary from place to place, having said that certain things are the same where ever you are IE set the boat up, assist in the running the boat, brief the divers and assist them in and out of the water. Here on the west coast of Florida the DM doe's not dive with you but will if asked. Abroad I have found most of them do dive with you and act as a tour guide. I don't mind this type of diving if done right. The right/wrong way, Some of the DM guides want you lined up and follow along like sheep. To me this is bad for a couple of reasons one the divers down the line don't get to see much except the behind of the divers in front. Two how can a DM watch the group if he is up front leading.
The other type of DM leading I saw done best in PNG, brief as to what the bottom was like with a drawing of every dive site and you were told what direction to go in, the DM dived with you but was always above behind you,you could do a whole dive and never see him but if you found something you wanted ID a glance around and there he was, also if you told them what you wanted to see before the dive you would get a tap on your shoulder he had found what you where looking for.
Great DMs

 

[Kim]

The other type of DM leading I saw done best in PNG, brief as to what the bottom was like with a drawing of every dive site and you were told what direction to go in, the DM dived with you but was always above behind you,you could do a whole dive and never see him but if you found something you wanted ID a glance around and there he was, also if you told them what you wanted to see before the dive you would get a tap on your shoulder he had found what you where looking for.
Great DMs

That's actually very similar to what I see in Okinawa. Very often there they put two DM's with us (normally groups up to 6 people). One will guide and act as leader - the other swims 2 or 3 meters above and behind us. It doesn't happen on every dive, mainly dives that could be potentially more risky such as deep dives (over 30 meters) or in Miyako swimming the caverns (which are also often deep). Of course diving in Japan is quite expensive compared to other places - and they are very big on service here!

On more ordinairy dives if they know you are competent they will let you lead and just swim as another diver with the group. I have also been tapped on the shoulder a few times to point something out that I might want to photograph or just look at.

Where we go they know us very well already and my normal buddy is a Japanese instructor so I'm not really sure how they handle less experienced or new divers. Judging from what I've seen in some places in Japan they probably actually hold their hands!!

 

[No Fish]

DM's act, by definition, as a certified assistant. If they are current, that means that they are carrying insurance as well. So... Maybe the best way to say what they do is that they, in some way, that varies within certain limits, help people in a way that the assume some responsibility for their well being. Sometimes as a guide; as someone that monitors and assists with safety; as someone that is certified and insured to help someone else. They are not instructors and cannot issue certifications, but they can help with certain instruction, under specific conditions.

I have also heard them described as dive slaves.

 

[Christi]

Maybe the intent of this thread wasn't clear enough to start with. I often see posts on SB talking about what DM's did or didn't do. Sometimes it's critical. Sometimes people say things like...'but you shouldn't rely on a DM for that' etc.
I started this thread to try to clarify those kinds of comments.

HI Kim,

I think I know where you are going with this question, and I'll try to answer it the best I can.

As others have mentioned above, dive master responsibilities vary from region to region, but there are some basic expectations of all divemasters, regardless of what agency they are with or regardless of what their role is. Divemasters are expected to have instructor level knowledge regarding safety procedures, decompression theory, the physics of diving, equipment knowledge, standards for their agencies, and emergency management. They SHOULD also have exceptional dive abilities in a variety of environments, but not all have any or all of these qualities.

Dive Masters should also not be confused with "Master Divers." A PADI Master Diver is not a professional level diver, and simply means that they have completed at least five specialties, which is easy to do and there are not many pre-requisites to this. They do not hold the credentials to lead groups or assist with instruction. Other agencies have similar requirements for he master diver rating.

In addition to the above expectations, the role of a DM here in Cozumel is to be a dive GUIDE. The Cozumel Marine Park actually requires a local certified divemaster to be in the water with divers at all times, at a ratio not to exceed 8:1(8 divers/1 DM in optimal conditions) if within marine park boundaries (which includes almost all divable reefs here). DM's are expected to adhere to and enforce marine park regulations, lead the divers on a tour of the local area, provide service and assistance on the boat, provide a thorough dive briefing including emergency procedures and the dive plan, recognize and respond to emergency situations on the boat and/or in the water, and of course to be there for assistance to a diver who needs some special attention.

They are also responsible for loading and unloading the boat, keeping a dive roster and filling out a daily log. Divemasters working in the larger shops and resorts may actually assist instructors with courses, but that is not as common as in the states.

One thing many people forget in Cozumel is that the divemaster IS NOT a babysitter. As a certified diver, you are still responsible for certain things, including yourself. The divemaster is there to help if needed and to explain the dive plan and procedures of that particular operation. This may include setting up or helping to set-up your equipment, carrying extra weights to give a diver who finds themselves underweighted in the water, periodic air checks (so he can maintain the dive plan and move to shallower water earlier in the dive if needed), monitoring the group to make sure everyone stays together, and assistance with buoyancy control, etc. However, it is every diver’s responsibility to check their equipment before entering the water, for monitoring their computer/gauges, controlling their buoyancy/air management, and most importantly to communicate with the divemaster if there is a problem. Divemasters are not mind readers and they cannot help if you don't communicate with them.

Hope that helps…I may edit as I think of anything else.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I really like the part about, "exotic resort locations".
So, dive "Master", like "Master of the Universe", only underwater.

When my first wife got her DM cert, she jokingly began referring to herself as Divemaster of the Universe. ;D

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Here in California working DMs act as census takers on the boats and if needed, rescuer. While in training we act as asst. instructors, tank caddies, gophers and part time slaves. I had to help with OW students for a year, as well as help my instructor move...twice! Also had to house-sit a few times so his two sock-eating dogs could chew up my footwear while I slept. I worked on a couple of diveboats as a DM before realizing that I missed diving. Standing "at the ready" while others had fun is not as enjoyable as it sounds.

 

[Diver0001]

So what is a DM really?

Well....that's the person you can blame for all of your mistakes.... OK, just kidding, this has been covered well already.

What should you or shouldn't you expect from a DM?

It depends on the setting but I think you should be able to expect everything from a DM that you would expect from an instructor except that a DM isn't permitted by standards to introduce you to new techniques in a course setting. On a boat you should expect a DM to show good judgment (conditions, people, safety), they should have detailed site knowledge they should have good logistics and they should provide appropriate supervision. Basically your DM should be able to *lead* the way without being *in* the way. DM's who make themselves too prominent aren't doing their job well and DM's who aren't well organised aren't doing their job well either.

What makes a good DM?

IN addition to the above, good people skills.

Is there a difference between a PADI DM and the equivalent from other agencies?

In terms of recreational diving I would say not. Any differences you notice would probably have more to do with personalities than training.

R..

 

[Snowbear]

From reading accounts on this board, some folks think it's the DM's responsibility to manage your gas, plan your dive and make sure you stick to that plan. As a DM, I don't do that. That's the divers' responsibility. If a diver I'm supposed play DM for gives indications of expecting that from me, I'll gladly make suggestions and ask specific questions, like max depth, turn pressure, bottom time. I'll also brief the dive site so they have an idea what to expect.