Key Largo Shop recommendation for learning to be a Dive master

[Dogbowl]

If I did not intend to work as a DM, I would not get my DM (ever), as it is very unclear whether having a DM holds you to a higher standard of care in relation to the divers you dive with. I am not a personal injury lawyer in the US, so I don't have expertise in this area, but based on the fact that the US is a highly litigious country, I would steer clear of going pro, unless I intended to work and make a living from diving.

If my intention was to become a better, safer diver, I would definitely consider Fundies, Cavern, solo, etc. as mentioned above.

 

[stuartv]

Not sure what "DM skills" are. You mean like, carrying tanks, filling tanks, cleaning your boat, cleaning the shop, helping hand people their gear when they are getting in the boat, being a set of eyeballs in confined water training? There are no "skills" you learn in your DM class. Now if you want to take DM just so you can say you are a DM, then more power to ya, but do not fool yourself that you are picking up some cool new set of skills.

I don't think that's completely fair.

1) During my DM training, I spent a lot of time in the water being a set of eyeballs, but also working on hovering, in trim, and doing a lot of back kicking. And doing some of those things while task loaded with things like adding weight to a student, for example. Overall, I felt like my basic dive skills improved a noticeable amount during my DM training.

2) Other things you SHOULD learn during DM training include developing dive plans for a group and, more importantly, putting together an Emergency Action Plan to match your dive plans and group. Something that could be important for what the OP said.

3) Even if you have already taken Rescue, doing DM training ought to also result in some honing of what you learned in Rescue. Again, potentially valuable even if you're just taking groups of friend out to dive off your boat.

That said, if you get a DM card - so now you're a Pro - and you take people out on your boat, if you even accept $5 to go towards gas for the boat, you could be setting yourself up for a lawsuit if anyone ever gets hurt. Because you are a Pro and you have accepted payment, you could easily be interpreted to have a professional level of duty of care.

If you don't want to work as a DM, I suggest maybe borrowing the DM course book from someone and read it. Maybe just learn what you can from the book but do some other course if you want to hone your actual dive skills. I only know about SDI, but I can say for myself that if I had read the book and was considering doing DM but not planning to work as a DM, the book would have convinced me to skip doing the actual training.

 

[stuartv]

I think taking Cavern (which you can do in single tank) is an excellent suggestion for improving your dive skills.

 

[Saniflush]

If I did not intend to work as a DM, I would not get my DM (ever), as it is very unclear whether having a DM holds you to a higher standard of care in relation to the divers you dive with. I am not a personal injury lawyer in the US, so I don't have expertise in this area, but based on the fact that the US is a highly litigious country, I would steer clear of going pro, unless I intended to work and make a living from diving.

If my intention was to become a better, safer diver, I would definitely consider Fundies, Cave, solo, etc. as mentioned above.

Others on here with more experience please chime in but I would find it terribly hard to believe that anyone, professional or not, acting in the capacity of a good Samaritan would be found at fault for attempting to help a situation. As a rescue diver (and first responder in my company for many years) I accepted the responsibility that if ever faced with a situation then I would be capable and willing to respond. I'll take my chances with a lawyer hunting a paycheck over my actions any day because the alternative is being someone who was in the place and time to do something and didn't.

 

[stuartv]

Others on here with more experience please chime in but I would find it terribly hard to believe that anyone, professional or not, acting in the capacity of a good Samaritan would be found at fault for attempting to help a situation. As a rescue diver (and first responder in my company for many years) I accepted the responsibility that if ever faced with a situation then I would be capable and willing to respond. I'll take my chances with a lawyer hunting a paycheck over my actions any day because the alternative is being someone who was in the place and time to do something and didn't.

The issue is the problems that happen that you may not have even noticed. Somebody splashes off your boat with their air turned off and drowns. Their spouse decides, as a pro, you had a duty of care to check their gas before they splashed. You didn't do that, so you're found negligent (because the spouse had a better lawyer than you did).

 

[Dogbowl]

My understanding is that many US states have so-called "Good Samaritan Legislation", which limits the liability of Good Samaritans. What does that mean? It means that the tort law is unclear enough that the state legislators felt it necessary to enact legislation to limit the liability of those who try to help save a person's life when the need arose, and not just stand there for fear of being sued by the injured or his/her family should something go wrong.

Being a dive pro and being a Good Samaritan are different things though. Certain people in society are held to a higher standard of care than others, and while being a DM is not a determining factor, it is one that a judge will consider along with all the other factors/evidence, where a DM is being sued for negligence.

 

[Oldbear]

If you are worried about being sued, then from a risk mitigation stand point I would take the DM course, get experience working on a boat with real customers and learn the Standards in which a Divemaster should conduct themselves in. After the training buy you insurance and if you follow your agency's standards and then some litigation happy lawyer wants to attack you your agency and the insurance company will take care of it.

Ya Divemaster training can be a waste of time if you don't take advantage of its potential...use it as a class that you show up for and expect a certification. Or it can be a springboard towards new paradigm shifts regarding your approach towards other divers.

I know Rainbow Reef will give you the experience opportunities if you care to accept them. I am sure other will too.

If you want to manage divers better take a good DM program. If you want to work on your personal dive skills take a course that challenges those like the GUE Fundies course or a cavern course.

Good luck....

 

[rhwestfall]

Significantly different things being discussed (lawyers chime in if you wish - I'm not an attorney, but I sleep with one ):

"Good Samaritan Legislation" - protected from your actions in an attempt to help

"Neglect or Failure to Act" (duty of care?) - when you have the credentials, and didn't act

 

[rhwestfall]

NAUI MSD?

Rumored here to be DM without the Demonstration Skill, Learning to Teach, or Dive Shop components......

 

[Cert1967]

The issue is the problems that happen that you may not have even noticed. Somebody splashes off your boat with their air turned off and drowns. Their spouse decides, as a pro, you had a duty of care to check their gas before they splashed. You didn't do that, so you're found negligent (because the spouse had a better lawyer than you did).

Do you have case law references for your statement?

Or is this just your opinion?

This comment is an oft repeated on SB - where are the cases that support this line of reasoning?