A gift for my instructor.

[Go Sharks]

wreckwriters quote, "if you got good service you should tip. That goes for classes as well as boat trips. Keep in mind that the instructor makes less money per hour than the kid that mows your grass."

Wreckwriter, I'm not sure what kind of ghetto certification you got, but my instructor for both my certifications received $100- from each student for each cert. In my OW class, he had 14 students, that's $1400 for just 3 classroom sessions, 2 pool sessions, and 4 ocean dives. I'm also not sure what you're paying the kid that mowes your grass, but I'm sure it's a little too much.

In response to the original message, I don't think instructors and/or assistants should be tipped for the class. In my OW class, after our ocean checkout dives, we all went for pizza/beer while we got our log books signed, got our temp. cards, etc. The students picked up the tab and did not let the instructor or any of the assistants pay. I thought that was a nice, fitting gesture. On the other hand, one should always tip the boat crew when doing a boat dive.

Go Sharks!!

 

[Dee]

Originally posted by Go Sharks
Wreckwriter, I'm not sure what kind of ghetto certification you got, but my instructor for both my certifications received $100- from each student for each cert. In my OW class, he had 14 students, that's $1400 for just 3 classroom sessions, 2 pool sessions, and 4 ocean dives. I'm also not sure what you're paying the kid that mowes your grass, but I'm sure it's a little too much.

Go Sharks...there's no cause for that 'ghetto certification' comment!

I'm sure one of the shop owners can explain it better than I but my time spent working in dive shops made me aware of a few things. The Instructor does not get the complete class fee, that goes to the dive shop. Out of that the shop usually has to pay for public pool time, sometimes to the tune of $40-50 per hour. Maintainence on rental gear, the Instructor fee per student, advertising costs for those classes, boat charter fees and hidden costs most of us never think of.

As a Divemaster, I know that the Instructors I work with are lucky of they clear $10 per student profit. Their agency insurance, travel expenses, extra gear on hand, etc. eats away at any fee they make.

You don't say where you're located but even alowing for the wide range of fee schedules, I know of no Instructor, no dive shop and certainly no Divemaster who makes any money on classes to speak of. If truth be known in the long run it costs us all in order to teach people to dive.

 

[blue32]

I'm not sure how much my instructor makes but I'm sure he's underpaid. He was just wonderful. I would have loved to have handed him a $100 dollar bill but due to my financial situation right now I wasn't able to. What I did do was make him a big batch of brownies. He knows my situation and was happy and a maybe bit suprised to get them. The man that made the comment, I later found out, wasn't a divemaster yet, but attending the OW class as part of his DM certification.

 

[chiara]

- quote -

The man that made the comment, I later found out, wasn't a divemaster yet, but attending the OW class as part of his DM certification.

- unquote -

That's even worse.

I attended four OW courses while preparing for my DM, but while teasing the students at the end asking them to pay for the beers we were drinking while filling out PICs, which in fact they already had when ordering, I never ever even thought of getting paid for something I was doing as part of my own training.

Now that I'm fully DM certified, nothing changes that much.

 

[Welshman]

My instructor was happy with a beer or three. Also I sent a personal recommendation to PADI with a copy to the Dive Shop so they could include it in their references on their web site.

 

[TCDiver1]

Originally posted by Welshman
My instructor was happy with a beer or three. Also I sent a personal recommendation to PADI with a copy to the Dive Shop so they could include it in their references on their web site.

Pick the specialty you want Welshman, you would be amazed at what three beers will buy you from us yank instructors.....LOL!

I agree that a heartfelt thanks goes a long way for me as an instructor. What most people don't understand is that teaching scuba is a labor of love not income. It's not as lucrative or glamorous as most people think. Don't get me wrong, most of us have a blast doing it. Scuba instructors are warped that way!

 

[WreckWriter]

Originally posted by Go Sharks
wreckwriters quote, "if you got good service you should tip. That goes for classes as well as boat trips. Keep in mind that the instructor makes less money per hour than the kid that mows your grass."

Wreckwriter, I'm not sure what kind of ghetto certification you got, but my instructor for both my certifications received $100- from each student for each cert. In my OW class, he had 14 students, that's $1400 for just 3 classroom sessions, 2 pool sessions, and 4 ocean dives. I'm also not sure what you're paying the kid that mowes your grass, but I'm sure it's a little too much.

In response to the original message, I don't think instructors and/or assistants should be tipped for the class. In my OW class, after our ocean checkout dives, we all went for pizza/beer while we got our log books signed, got our temp. cards, etc. The students picked up the tab and did not let the instructor or any of the assistants pay. I thought that was a nice, fitting gesture. On the other hand, one should always tip the boat crew when doing a boat dive.

Go Sharks!!

Ghetto certification? Are you trying to be insulting while just managing to sound like a child? Go sharks? Go away pud.

 

[Welshman]

Gedunk

Where in Michigan do I have to come to buy you a beer?

Send a scale of tariffs e.g Divemaster 10 beers, Assistant Instructor 20 beers and I can factor in the airfare and work out whether it's more economical to come to sunny Michigan!

Best of luck

Regards

 

[TCDiver1]

First things first, for all eyes & ears out there, Welshman & i are only kidding around here. I would never: drink alcohol then dive, or drink alcohol to any excess after diving. If i were of the opinion to have a drink after a dive, i would make sure that i was well hydrated before even considering taking a drink. Alcohol will accelerate dehydration which can be one of the major causes of decompression sickness (DCS). Be smart & live to dive another day, alcohol & diving DON'T mix!!!!!!!!!

With that said & in the interest of keeping up international relations, proposed libation (beer) tariffs as follows:

1.) OW ... no tariff, everyone knows drinking & diving never mix at
at this level of scuba instruction.........
2.) AOW .. Two beer per dive tariff, this can even be a lousy
American beer if desired .............
3.) Rescue ... no tariff, us instructors are just happy your getting
this cert so you can save us when we get in
trouble ..................
4.) DM ......This one's gonna cost you up to six good imported
beers per day. It's up to you & how much you argue
with me about how the test questions are not fair or
how your map is hydraulically perfect ..........
5.) AI ...... If you get this far, your almost as messed up as we are
so any tariff imposed would be cruel & unusual
punishment. We leave the libation tariff up to the
student because pretty soon you'll be answering these
questions too!................................=-)

Satirically Yours,

Gedunk (aka. CNS HIT)

 

[Go Sharks]

Wreckwriter,

You know the best thing about diving is that nobody can see your tears underwater, ya crying baby. If you're going to leave a post that makes absolutely no sense, be ready to defend it.

Get some tissues.........pud (whatever that means)

GO Sharks!!