Question Become an instructor or a rebreather diver?

[gordonscuba]

I suppose most tec divers will accept you onto a dive team with them primarily based on whether your technical diving skills are at a sufficiently high level that your presence makes the team safer and the dives go more smoothly, not based on an OWSI qualification.

In Hawaii there appears to be a state law, or maybe an insurance requirement, of some sort that restricts the dive operators who run diving boats as a business. It does not apply to private boats. Every diver that goes with the boat has to be with a DM or higher (a professional) who is responsible for leading the dive. This can lead to a somewhat bizarre situation where divers are required to be supervised by someone who is at a far lower level. Hypothetically imagine someone who is tec 100 ccr, solo and full cave certified - they are not allowed to solo dive from a boat, but it becomes all good if they are supervised by a recent graduate of a zero-to-hero divemaster program who has 60 lifetime dives. If the tec 100 person becomes DM, then they can "lead" themself and be left alone.

Does anyone know why Hawaii has this restriction, and whether it exists anywhere else?

 

[stretchthepenn]

I'll echo the prevailing sentiment. Something like ten years ago, I attended a "pro night" at an LDS, and one of the speakers said that there were two ways to advance past the basic slate of classes: take up instructing or take up tec diving. I thought about it briefly and realized that I wasn't interested in the first, but the second appealed.

So I learned tec diving and recently bought a rebreather. I've occasionally thought about getting an instructor cert, but in reality, I have little to no desire to follow through.

 

[J-Vo]

My opinion:

The reason most breather divers are instructors is because >20 years ago any LDS you walked into would tell you instructor was the top dog baddest of badass diver you could become. Some still do. Now however you are starting to see more technical divers with no professional ratings at all.

 

[Superlyte27]

My opinion:

The reason most breather divers are instructors is because >20 years ago any LDS you walked into would tell you instructor was the top dog baddest of badass diver you could become. Some still do. Now however you are starting to see more technical divers with no professional ratings at all.

I never saw that anywhere in the circles I’ve been in. But, everyone around me were the names you find in books about technical diving. So…

 

[Pbdiver84]

The only reason to get an instructor qualification is if you want to teach or mentor someone.

Being an instructor will sharpen your skills, but not nearly as much as pushing further into Tec consistently.

The happiest OWSIs I know are retired or semi-retired divers who basically pick and choose who they want to train and mentor. The work a day OWSIs aren’t having nearly as much fun.

 

[GF99/99]

Thanks guys for the quick response. Really appreciate that! My tech instructor has taught a group of OWSI and instructor trainers so it's like a community of divers. He recommended me to consider to become an OWSI and mentioned all my skills like bouyancy, awareness... could make me a better tech divers. I do believe him in some ways but at this time I'm not into teaching scuba diving path and I do consider my ROI in this sports what could be better for my goals.

It is actually the opposite. Taking a whole bunch of tech course will make you a much much much better diver than any OWSI, you will learn so much more about buoyancy, awareness, decompression theory, dive planning, self and buddy rescue, dive team protocols, safety protocols, equipment configurations, etc etc etc.

Remember going through a DMT/IDC program is gearing you up to TEACH people. Your personal skills diving abilities required to be an OWSI are actually very minimal. Agencies want you to be a good teacher and seller not a good diver so they are training you how to teach and sell courses. In theory (and I have seen it in real life as well) you can be a horrible diver but one of the best instructors. And many times it is true, there are tons of instructors that are brilliant at teaching but even if you offered them $1 million to back fin across the pool they still could not do it.

Seems like everyone puts an OWSI up on a throne and thinks they are the kings/queens of diving but if I had to choose a dive team for a big technical dive and there was a group of OWSI or a group of crusty old school tech divers that probably never even took a reactional course past AOW I am picking them hands down no thinking even required.

I have a huge amount of respect for OWSI, it takes a very special person with a huge heart and passion for diving to be able to do what they do. Being able to smash out back to back 4 packs of Indian DSD's everyday for month on end is not for everyone and it truly is a dedication to teaching and diving. But on the other hand the guys and gals that are really pushing the limits of technical diving and progressing are not OWSI. Perfect example is the Wetmules look at what Richard Harris and Craig Challen are doing, these guys are on a whole other level of diving from us peasant (and yes I put myself in the peasant group). The things they are doing and the knowledge that have are thing most of us have never even dreamed of doing or knew were possible. And these are just two normal blue collar guys diving out of there garage. Definitely not OWSI

I know me personally Richard & Craig are the kind of people you look up to and put on a high throne. Sorry things like the 22 year old backpacker that showed up on Kho Toa and went from zero to hero in a month and has 100 dives under his belt and thinks he the the know all of diving now because he is and OWSI does not really impress me very much. Sorry but just about anyone can do this. Now if you told me you just completed your Mod 3 course then you deserve a proper hand shake, that is truly an achievement you should be very proud of.

 

[grantmac]

I'm at a similar place for diving progression and if I were you I'd just do as many AN/DP dives as you can until the planning and skills are second nature.
I don't believe that diving the same recreational profile in the same location every week offers much in terms of skill improvement after the first 50 times, but doing a high volume of very precise dives absolutely will.

 

[Troglodyti 4.0]

This dilemma that afflicts your state of mind must first be addressed by asking yourself. What if I change my mind about technical diving down the track? Being a Divemaster allows you to fall back to recreational diving, assisting instructors in training and guiding. Although, one pitfall, you may need to remain in active status. Check with your LDS.

 

[nadwidny]

Thanks guys for the quick response. Really appreciate that! My tech instructor has taught a group of OWSI and instructor trainers so it's like a community of divers. He recommended me to consider to become an OWSI and mentioned all my skills like bouyancy, awareness... could make me a better tech divers. I do believe him in some ways but at this time I'm not into teaching scuba diving path and I do consider my ROI in this sports what could be better for my goals.

Get a new instructor.

 

[Blackcrusader]

Hi Guys,

I have completed by TDI AN,DP,ER training last month and I enjoyed very much. I'm now in a thinking process what I should do next.. I know a lot of rebreather divers are OWSI or have more professional qualifications. I wonder anyone are just rebreather divers? My goal is to do more technical dives going deep, wrecks and eventually caves... I got a feeling being look down if I'm not an instructor. Another concerns that I'm 48 yrs old now, going instructor path would take me sometimes and I could not gain my experience in tech diving and I worry my physical would not be as good down the road. Anyone can share their experiences or comments? Cheers!

A few of my dive buddies are instructors and they don't look down on anyone. I would continue getting in more dives with your TDI ANDP and progress along to the next course perhaps? If you are not looking to teach then you really do not need an instructor certification. My humble opinion.