Dhboner
Contributor
My son is a divemaster in training and helped out on an open-water certification weekend. One of the candidates looked like he had never been in a pool with scuba much less ready for an open-water check-out. He couldn't put his gear together properly (his tank fell out from the cam bands TWICE on the weekend). He flailed around in the water hitting the other students with his fins and arms, couldn't control his ascents and generally looked like the worst possible open-water candidate you could imagine. I watched him underwater from a distance on day 2 so I have first-hand knowledge of his troubles.
After day one I told my son that if this guy passed I would turn in my C-cards (he was THAT bad) and low and behold at the end of the day Sunday the instructor was shaking his hand and congratulating him...HE PASSED.
My son knows he should not have passed but deferred to the instructor...he was worried that she might give him a poor evaluation if he spoke up (he needs the instructors sign off on the courses he assists on).
We talked a lot about it and I think in the future he will speak up if he thinks a student passes an open-water check-out when their skillset suggests they need more training.
I'm curious to hear from more experienced divemasters and even instructors on this subject. Should a divemaster speak up if he/she thinks the instructor is "going through the motions" and passing everyone.
The store and certifying agency are irrelevant.
Bob
After day one I told my son that if this guy passed I would turn in my C-cards (he was THAT bad) and low and behold at the end of the day Sunday the instructor was shaking his hand and congratulating him...HE PASSED.
My son knows he should not have passed but deferred to the instructor...he was worried that she might give him a poor evaluation if he spoke up (he needs the instructors sign off on the courses he assists on).
We talked a lot about it and I think in the future he will speak up if he thinks a student passes an open-water check-out when their skillset suggests they need more training.
I'm curious to hear from more experienced divemasters and even instructors on this subject. Should a divemaster speak up if he/she thinks the instructor is "going through the motions" and passing everyone.
The store and certifying agency are irrelevant.
Bob