My journey towards the three stars (3*)

[Storker]

About two and a half years ago I certified PADI Rescue. That was fun and, as for many of my clubmates, perhaps the most valuable class I've taken so far. When I had that cert, I realized that I wasn't going to climb the PADI ladder further. I'm a club diver, and PADI is Professional Association of Diving Instructors. I have a day job, I'm never going to "go pro". So learning that DM was another step on the path towards becoming "professional", I realized that that wasn't for me.

I'm a club diver. Almost religiously so. And the certifying agency for European club divers is CMAS (unless you're English, then it's BSAC, but I'm digressing. Again). The CMAS equivalent to PADI DM is CMAS 3*¹. While it basically is supposed to give you the same type of competence as DM, it's geared towards club diving, not dive center diving. Just my cup of tea. For those of you who don't know too much about CMAS certs, the 3* basically is PADI DM with a couple extra bells and whistles. The 3* isn't only about dive leadership and assistant instructorship, but also about fairly decent diving skills. With a 3* cert, you're formally qualified for light backgas deco and depths down to 56m (1.4 bar pPO2). The national Diving Associations can limit that further; up here the depth limit for 3* is 40m. Just as well, I don't think it's a very good idea to go to 56m on air. In fact, I prefer to stay shallower than 40m as well. But that's me, and YMM(very well)V.

So after getting my RD I decided that if I were to take another class, it would be CMAS 3*, GUE Fundies or some specialty I decided I wanted. And since the previous CMAS cert, 2*, basically is PADI RD "light", I definitely was qualified for taking 3* given that I had logged the required amount of dives.

AFAIK there hasn't been organized a 3* class in my town since before I took my OWD, so the chances of a 3* class crossing my path were rather slim. So last year, I tried to organize a CMAS 3* class in my area. Put in a lot of effort, used all the contacts I had to recruit fellow class participants and contacted our Diving Association to find a competent instructor. After some months of work, I canned the project. Long story, not particularly relevant here. Oh well. Perhaps in my next life. I don't really need that class to have fun diving. Even if it would have been nice to learn the stuff I'd seen in the course syllabus.

Late last fall I learned that another club in town (a college student club, so they have legitimate reasons for running their own club instead of joining all us others) was trying to get new instructors, so they were planning on arranging instructor classes. So they contacted our Diving Association for assistance. Good thing for me, to become a CMAS instructor, you have be be CMAS 3* certified. Just as if you want to be a PADI OWSI, you have to take DM first. After hearing about that through the local grapevine, I contacted the Diving Association representative who was organizing the class and told him that I really, really wanted to be kept informed about how the project went, and if they're able to run the class and if there was room for me, I was going to sign up.



¹ If you want to pick nits, both PADI DM and CMAS 3* (and BSAC DL, but I'm digressing. Yet again.) comply with ISO 24801-3 Dive Leader, so if we disregard agency rivalry, they're basically equivalent

 

[TMHeimer]

In simple terms you are saying you like the PADI DM course and the extra bells and whistles of your agency which is more club oriented. Yet you don't want to be a "pro" even though you are qualified to do so. What about insurance, liability? I know it's not the States, but still- any worries?

 

[drrich2]

Interesting discussion. The idea of 'where to go next in the progression' for people who want to advance as divers, but not necessarily teach, comes up quite a bit. As you point out, Dive Master seems to be the route many take. You mentioned GUE Fundamentals, which has often been recommended on Scuba Board. I've heard of CMAS and the star ratings, but don't recall much about them. I'm curious as to how you discriminated amongst these to make your decision.

The impression (which may be way off!) I've gotten from Scuba Board postings was:

1.) Dive Master - entry professional level course, with added knowledge, ability to perform 'demonstration level' skills to dive course students, and guide capabilities - I infer excellent navigation, situational awareness of and ability to monitor a led group would be desired.

2.) GUE Fundamentals - although GUE puts an emphasis on team diving IIRC, discussions on the forum seem to suggest an intense focus on betterment of dive skills and related knowledge acquisition. This seems to be highly recommended for people who want to become better divers, individually and by extension as part of a group (particularly with standardized methods). Haven't read anything about teaching professionally or acted as a guide being part of the deal.

3.) For completeness, I'll mention NAUI Master Scuba Diver - which I believe one advanced and respected member on the forum once indicated was originally intended to instill instructor level knowledge minus the teaching aspects. Not sure where that operates in the scheme of things now.

4.) CMAS 3*, CMAS being a more dominant training offering outside the U.S. How does it compare? Is teaching fellow divers a big part of it, or optional? Is it 'GUE Fundamentals like?'

If my impressions of any of these are wrong, let me know. I've no plans to take any of them - my life (in the context of my aptitude) right now's not conducive to the focused dedication needed. But maybe someday, you know?

Richard.

 

[TMHeimer]

NAUI Master Diver used to be (I think) a course that basically covered the same academic knowledge as the PADI DM course. But that was the "old" DM course -- pre 2010. I believe now that the (theory, etc.) knowledge left out of the "new" PADI DM course (in favour of more practical info., which I agree with) must at some point be taken to get PADI OWSI. So, perhaps now the NAUI MSD does include all the knowledge a PADI OWSI has?
Anyway, who really cares....Again, signed Mr. Nitpicky (gotta change my username)…..

 

[MichaelMc]

NAUI AI and DM academics are all about teaching or leading others. It is learning theory, presentations, teaching techniques, leadership of divers, and demonstration level skills, accident scene management. Not diver theory as experienced by the individual diver.

The NAUI physics, physiology, emergency procedures, etc are in master scuba diver, a leadership prereq, before starting leadership levels. DMs have to be or pass the master scuba diver exam just like for the class.

I don't have the instructor material, but their outline is all about teaching, leading, and safety. They take exams on all the physics, physiology, tables, etc. The master diver material. But there is no sign of that in their academics outline.

 

[Wingy]

I'm doing the same thing - because I far prefer the more in water skills CMAS offers and zero emphasis on "fluff". I too have a similar problem in that my CMAS instructor is a German guy in Thailand but he understands the way and where I like diving. As there are relatively very few people taking the CMAS path all my *s have been one on one - even if I haven't initially understood why he's asked me to do something when he's explained why we just did a dive a particular way it's made a lot of sense. Personally sitting online doing knowledge reviews isn't for me but sitting on his verandah asking a million questions and getting answers that I comprehend is. For the record, he does have a boat and shop not all "classes" are done on his verandah, we've become good friends over the last decade.

Rich - CMAS outside of Europe is uncommon - I've had youngsters in dive shops here say they will have to Ring their boss to find out if CMAS is actually "a thing".

 

[Storker]

In simple terms you are saying you like the PADI DM course and the extra bells and whistles of your agency which is more club oriented.

Not quite. I don't know the PADI DM course except that it's mentioned as the first stepping stone towards a career in diving in the "Go Pro" blurb on PADI's webpages. And as I said in the OP, I already have a day job. It pays decently, and I like it. While I see quite a few advantages for the students in a commercial system like PADI's, European dive clubs operate from a different basis. They are non-profit, and every member pulls their weight. So a 3* diver is supposed to be a competent resource for the club community, while at the same time becoming a more accomplished diver. Not only underwater, but also topside by being competent to evaluate a dive site, knowing how to operate a dive boat, being able to perform simple field repairs, or doing their stint as the dive leader for the day in a competent manner. That the 3* cert also is the first stepping stone towards instructorship is important for some, but for me it's incidental.

Yet you don't want to be a "pro" even though you are qualified to do so. What about insurance, liability? I know it's not the States, but still- any worries?

None. At least not as long as I dive locally, and I don't believe I'd ever agree to serve as a DM while I'm diving abroad on vacation. The club doesn't provide a service, it's just a bunch of folks sharing a common interest and working together to reach their goal (fun, safe dives in a good social setting). Every diver is responsible for themself. At least as long as the club isn't giving a class.

CMAS 3*, CMAS being a more dominant training offering outside the U.S. How does it compare? Is teaching fellow divers a big part of it, or optional? Is it 'GUE Fundamentals like?'

Teaching is an important part, since the 3* qualifies you to assist an instructor in a class. But at least our national syllabus requires that every drill is shown in neutral buoyancy and good trim, while staying at the same spot even if there's a current. So you need to have some of the skills they (apparently) teach in a Fundies class.

If you're really interested, the international syllabus and standards for the 3* is here.

Our syllabus can't be found on the net (and besides, it isn't in English), but it includes knowledge of

• Operation and basic maintenance of a compressor
• Basic boatmanship
• Dive leadership topside
• Leading a dive underwater
• CPR.

Practical skills that should be mastered are

• The five basic kicks
• Buoyancy control sufficient to hold a stop without holding onto a line or being able to see the bottom
• Mask and OOG drills while neutrally buoyant
• Shooting a dSMB while neutrally buoyant
• Underwater communication using a torch
• Underwater navigation using a compass
• Underwater search
• Rescue of an unconscious diver
• Dive planning including end saturation group and minimum gas
• Demonstrating basic drills while neutrally buoyant, while:
• Being sufficiently alert to spot when students may have issues and/or aren't performing the drills properly
• 1000m surface swim in full gear

 

[Germie]

CMAS has a decentral structure. This means every country can have at least 1 or more cmas licencees. In the Netherlands it is the NOB. In Germany it is the VDST with under licencees like IAC.
Every cmas member follows more or less the cmas standards, but can do it a little bit different.
But at the end, you are certified to do 57m (1.4 PO2 ) on air and some deco (if this is done in the course), and it is a Divemaster cert which you can use to do for example the padi idc.

What you have to do for 3* differs from cmas member to cmas member. It was in my country easy. You could do a DM course in 1 weekend. And you had a real iso DM cert. The only things you had to do:
-2 skill dives in a pool. Can be combined in 1 session.
-Organise a club dive or club event (be the **** person to stay at surface and to make buddyteams and write gas in and gas out on a list, so really boring)
-2 simulated decodives with deployment of smb and air sharing. NO real deco is allowed
-Lead/guide a nightdive or driftdive
-Lead/guide a normal dive.
And then you are ready. It took me 2 days to finish this.

The dives in my country must be shallower than 30m, but the international standards state you get a 57m cert as we don't have any law. So nice to know, no deep diver is needed anymore (in my country there is no cmas deep diver or nightdiver specialty). But here deco is a specialty (but a little bit strange, deco on backgas) and there is adv. nitrox, but deco on PO2 of 1.4.

Some clubs let take the 3* course have a duration of 1 year. That is club standard, not real standard.

Is cmas better than another DM? No, there is no real difference, all follow the same iso. At the end all are accepted to do any instructor course. I could do the padi idc, but decided to do the iantd idc with my cmas 3*. And then did a crossover to cmas instructor just for fun.
I never did anything with my 3*, as in my club all dives with students are done with an instructor. But if you look at padi dm for example, the skills are done more strict. Not better, just a little bit more strict. Guiding has no single difference. The simulated decodives are nothing special as some instructors accept people standing vertically. I don't.

So the cmas 3* divemaster differs from club to club and country to country. The differences are small, but sometimes it takes a long time and sometimes it can be done really fast (padi DM is minimum of 6 days when I asked for a dm course in 2010).
Here the cmas courses are normally slow (1 cert per year), so if you want to progress faster, the only way is to do 'commercial' courses. If you go to a NOB divecenter, you pay more for a course and can do it faster. Then it is more or less same as any other agency and there is no club involved.

 

[Storker]

What you have to do for 3* differs from cmas member to cmas member. It was in my country easy. You could do a DM course in 1 weekend. And you had a real iso DM cert. The only things you had to do:
-2 skill dives in a pool. Can be combined in 1 session.
-Organise a club dive or club event (be the **** person to stay at surface and to make buddyteams and write gas in and gas out on a list, so really boring)
-2 simulated decodives with deployment of smb and air sharing. NO real deco is allowed
-Lead/guide a nightdive or driftdive
-Lead/guide a normal dive.
And then you are ready. It took me 2 days to finish this.

Well, things really are different in different countries. Our 3* syllabus includes:
17 theory sessions, each about 45 minutes, plus the theory exam
4 practical sessions topside
10 ocean dives (some of them may be done in confined water), however the instructor has some freedom to combine some of them as long as the necessary skills are covered and mastered by the student.

I'd be hard pressed to do that in a weekend...

 

[Storker]

Part 2: Textbook and theory sessions

I mentioned in post #7 that I see some advantages for the student in the commercial model that e.g. PADI has, compared to the non-profit model which the European dive clubs and Diving Associations use. It's very apparent when it comes to teaching materials.

A commercial agency like PADI is in the business of selling learning materials and certs. They do so by running courses. One more student is one more set of learning materials sold, and one more cert sold. One less student is one fewer set of learning materials sold, and one fewer cert sold. The number of students taking one of PADI's classes has a direct effect on PADI's bottom line, so they have a pretty good incentive to make the learning materials as appealing and pedagogical as possible. More appealing learning materials means that potentially more students will choose PADI over another agency. Better, more pedagogical learning materials means that the students will learn the material more easily and less students may fail or drop out, or not take the class because a friend told them that the book was crappy, and the theory stuff hard to learn.

A non-commercial operator like our Diving Association can't push the costs of developing good learning materials onto the students, and one more or one less student has no direct effect on their bottom line. They have neither the same incentives, nor the amount of resources, to spend a lot of employee-hours on developing good, pedagogical learning materials. And writing good learning materials isn't easy, I know that very well myself.

The 3* textbook was fairly decent, but it took - not unexpectedly - quite a bit more work to learn from that than from PADI's - perhaps overtly - pedagogical learning materials. At least for me. The textbook lacked the bullet point summaries, it lacked the review questions which PADI scatters all around the textbooks, and after reading through the book a couple of times I still don't know what kind of questions we'll get on the exam. With the PADI books, I knew exactly the type of questions, and I knew pretty well which parts of the material that was considered central to the curriculum and which parts were secondary. It also bothered me that the QA/QC on the book wasn't very good, and there were quite a few minor flaws and inaccuracies, particularly on the physics, physiology and diving medicine.

The presentation slides weren't very good. This wasn't particularly unexpected, since making good teaching slides is a craft which has to be learned through hard work, and I don't expect people who aren't trained educators to produce stellar teaching slides. Just as I don't expect my neighbor who isn't an experienced carpenter to make a pretty, functional dining table with a nice finish.

All in all, acquiring the theoretical knowledge took more effort than it has done in my PADI classes. Fortunately, all the students are used to taking responsibility for our own learning and are pretty well trained in reading for comprehension and extracting the important parts of a text. We were all reasonably experienced with somewhere from 100 to 200 dives each, and a couple of the students had taken Fundies. Most of our diving had been in a club environment where you normally get to learn the basics of compressor operation/maintenance, dive leader work, boating etc. through mentoring in the club environment. And we all had a STEM background, so the basic physics and other science topics were more or less known already.

Given our background and experience, some of the theory was conducted as self-study.