Divemaster course over 2 weekends?

[Marie13]

Thanks for the feedback. I don’t mind that the DM course has a teaching component, I actually like that and very interested in learning more and brushing up on skills. I really enjoyed the rescue course, I’m a very confident diver with 450 logged dives and like the challenge of the DM course.

If I’m doing the course just for myself and not to work or guide, I don’t need to pay the annual renewal fee or get liability insurance correct?

If you want a real challenge, go to Mexico or FL cave country and do a cavern course. That will definitely challenge you, not some course that teaches people how to cat herd.

 

[tursiops]

Thanks for the feedback. I don’t mind that the DM course has a teaching component, I actually like that and very interested in learning more and brushing up on skills. I really enjoyed the rescue course, I’m a very confident diver with 450 logged dives and like the challenge of the DM course.

If I’m doing the course just for myself and not to work or guide, I don’t need to pay the annual renewal fee or get liability insurance correct?

Read the post just before yours.

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

If you want a real challenge, go to Mexico or FL cave country and do a cavern course. That will definitely challenge you, not some course that teaches people how to cat herd.

To say that DM courses are not a "real challenge" is really not fair... in my opinion. There are a lot of quality DM's that work their asses off and are extremely competent.

I can say with certainty that the NAUI Rescue and DM courses that I took in the mid 90's were very challenging both physically, and academically. Long, cold and dark days up here in the Pacific NW with little to no reward other than personal satisfaction and the occasional beer and pizza. I doubt that many of the overweight and out of shape divers I see these days could even pass the required DM swims........let alone, humping gear and "herding cats" all day in an OW class.

Thank-you to the DM's and for all you do!

 

[DiveLikeAMuppet]

To say that DM courses are not a "real challenge" is really not fair... in my opinion. There are a lot of quality DM's that work their asses off and are extremely competent.

I can say with certainty that the NAUI Rescue and DM courses that I took in the mid 90's were very challenging both physically, and academically. Long, cold and dark days up here in the Pacific NW with little to no reward other than personal satisfaction and the occasional beer and pizza. I doubt that many of the overweight and out of shape divers I see these days could even pass the required DM swims........let alone, humping gear and "herding cats" all day in an OW class.

Thank-you to the DM's and for all you do!

There are many ways to challenge yourself. Some challenges teach you valuable dive skills (cavern), some are pointless unless you want to work/herd cats for tips (DM).

 

[TMHeimer]

Thanks for the feedback. I don’t mind that the DM course has a teaching component, I actually like that and very interested in learning more and brushing up on skills. I really enjoyed the rescue course, I’m a very confident diver with 450 logged dives and like the challenge of the DM course.

If I’m doing the course just for myself and not to work or guide, I don’t need to pay the annual renewal fee or get liability insurance correct?

Yes, you certainly brush up on skills in the DM course since you have to perform them to demonstration level. But other than that, I agree with Jim that it's not worth the time & money if you don't want to work as a DM or above. You can brush up on skills other ways.

 

[sheeper]

Have recently seen a divemaster course advertised as being able to be completed in 2 weekends.

How is this possible?

How does this not just devalue or make a mockery of the divemaster certification?

How do you have any confidence in any divemasters proficiency when hiring one?

Why does PADI allow it?



View attachment 822421

and that is exactly the problem with the industry.

 

[tursiops]

and that is exactly the problem with the industry.

Try reading the thread. It can't really be done in two weekends; the dive shop is not being honest.

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

I think that once all of the prerequisite work has been completed and documented that the actual evaluation can be completed in two weekends. For example, I remember that my instructor development course (IDC) was a lengthy and robust process but that the actual IE (Instructor Evaluation/Exam) was just the one weekend.

 

[Pbdiver84]

Thanks for the feedback. I don’t mind that the DM course has a teaching component, I actually like that and very interested in learning more and brushing up on skills. I really enjoyed the rescue course, I’m a very confident diver with 450 logged dives and like the challenge of the DM course.

If I’m doing the course just for myself and not to work or guide, I don’t need to pay the annual renewal fee or get liability insurance correct?

Under SSI, the Dive Guide course can be taken in two flavors: recreational and pro. If you’re not looking to work, you get Dive Guide as the final cert; if you want to work, you get Dive Master. Dive Guide is a non-pro cert that does not require dues or insurance.

 

[TMHeimer]

I think that once all of the prerequisite work has been completed and documented that the actual evaluation can be completed in two weekends. For example, I remember that my instructor development course (IDC) was a lengthy and robust process but that the actual IE (Instructor Evaluation/Exam) was just the one weekend.

I can't remember exactly back 15 years, but I recall we had to participate in one (or more?) Open Water Course and a Continuing Ed course (ours was a Rescue Course where we played the "victims"). These things alone took a full two days. We also did a boat dive (though I've been told that wasn't a requirement-- maybe just a shop thing?). So you add those 2 days to the 2 days of skills evaluations in the pool and that brings the course to a minimum of 4 days of teacher-student contact time above the e learning, site mapping, etc. Unless I've left stuff out (quite possibly, such as there are the written tests to be taken, though they aren't like 6 tests of 160 questions or so anymore), I guess it all could be "squeezed" into a long 2 weekends. -- Please inform us of components I've left out....