Does it make sense to enroll in a Divemaster course with no intention to work with?

[Scraps]

@theminidiver,

In marathon training, we used to say, "Your race, your pace." Ultimately, the answer to your question is found in where you want to take diving as your hobby.

--I strongly agree with the Chairman that Cavern is the most useful specialty course. This course requires you to perform skills while neutral and not kicking up silt. It did much for my in-water body control.

--I disagree with the sentiment voiced in this thread that the DM course does not help you with your diving. Qui docet, discet (who teaches learns). It applies to those who help teach, also. When I took the DM course, I volunteered to help with many more than the required number of classes because I found doing so helped my own diving and general awareness. You may, too.

--The DM course is expensive. However, if you seek every in-water opportunity while in the program, you can lower your cost per dive to about what it would have cost you to make a comparable number dives as a retail dive customer. And if your shop has the DM course bundled with some tech courses, it may make even more sense for you.

--Not intending to work as a dive professional need not be a decision factor. Most people who take the course intending to work as dive professional end up not doing so at all or for very long. It's possible that it is they, not you, who need to examine the practicality of the decision. As for you, take the course if it teaches stuff you want to learn and do at a price you're willing to pay.

--Regarding the technical vs. recreational tension expressed in this thread. Technical diving is not a natural next-step for most recreational divers because almost everything that >95% of scuba divers want to do can be done within recreational limits. Some technical knowledge and training can certainly enhance your skills and knowledge. But if your focus is recreational diving, taking all the courses that occur within recreational limits, including DM, may make sense for you.

Hope this helps.

Best wishes,

 

[306dive306]

Dive master or Master Diver are just more of the same “recreational mentality.”

If you enjoy learning and want to become a better diver, do a Cavern course and tell your instructor you want to “learn to dive like a cave diver” so you can spend time on buoyancy and trim that NONE of the recreational specialties or even Divemaster will teach you.

If you can travel to Mexico and want recommendations, message me in private.

All the best

 

[theminidiver]

Hope this helps.

Helped a lot!
crystal clear, tension-free informations

 

[TMHeimer]

I can supervise and conduct dives for certified divers. You do not need a DM certification for that.

Yes. I would imagine you are OK with that if it's just an agreement among friends that you'll lead them on a dive and show them around. Probably not OK if you charge for the service and are not a "dive pro". I of course am no legal expert, but have read about this on SB-- one such example was someone offering to charter boat buddies to a dive site in return for a case of beer. You know-- anybody can sue for anything. If you're doing this and you're not a "dive pro" you may be in deeper trouble, and cannot get the backing of an agency.

 

[Blackcrusader]

Yes. I would imagine you are OK with that if it's just an agreement among friends that you'll lead them on a dive and show them around. Probably not OK if you charge for the service and are not a "dive pro". I of course am no legal expert, but have read about this on SB-- one such example was someone offering to charter boat buddies to a dive site in return for a case of beer. You know-- anybody can sue for anything. If you're doing this and you're not a "dive pro" you may be in deeper trouble, and cannot get the backing of an agency.

Yup friends doing private diving with each other on shore dives are not paying each other for the dives.
We just rent tanks and go diving. Will be renting tanks in Bali later this year and going on dives with friends. We will lead each other lol

Fact is any OW diver can lead any other diver on a dive and not have any remuneration.

 

[Fin kicker]

I can supervise and conduct dives for certified divers. You do not need a DM certification for that.

You can, but its not the same thing.
A good DM will have a safety plan.

If I was diving in Bali, I would want to know where the nearest chamber is, also do you have Oxygen for your group, in case someone exhibits DCS?

If diving from a boat, whats the plan for a boat injury?

When I was last in Bali, a snorkler was struck by a prop, the boat then raced around several beaches looking for a Dr, whilst the patient listed with blood loss.

The benefit of having the training for DM, is having the mindset, to manage risk and accidents should they occur.

I did my DM in 95, worked for 2 years on boats, It did pay for itself in divetime and opportunities.

But I was a 20 something in a share house living out of a bag.

 

[Gone for diving]

The benefit of having the training for DM, is having the mindset, to manage risk and accidents should they occur.

Don't want that kind of responsibility, for random once a year divers that tend to know nothing... no thanks

 

[Blackcrusader]

You can, but its not the same thing.
A good DM will have a safety plan.

Oh so you think other divers cannot plan a dive and have a safety plan because they don't have a DM cert ? Any good diver planning a dive takes these things into account.

Part of the rescue course was to map out dive sites, know how to contact emergency services, to know where the chambers were and how to contact them and DAN or the divers other insurance. Were you not taught these things in your rescue course?

The shore dives I will be on with my dive buddy we will only be doing max 30m dives on nitrox in Bali. Doubtful we will get a DCS hit staying within NDL times and thanks for your concern.

In the BSAC club I dived one diver did the dive plan and others followed that plan. So you had instructors being led by sports divers on deco dives. These are not training sessions just dives. There was no ego over who had the highest certification. That nominated diver could call the dive before it even started. I know as I did so on a dive I had planned as the currents were too strong for my liking on a wreck dive once we reached the dive site.

Do you believe that the thousands of people that plan private dives together need a DM? That is pretty much nonsense.

You do not need a DM cert to be trained on how to manage risks. This is done in other courses.

Any diver planning a dive can find out where there are chambers and medical facilities. In Lombok where I will be doing dives to 40m in fast drift currents you are far far away from a chamber. O2 on the boat of course. But those dives with a dive center as I don't have a boat lol

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

You can, but its not the same thing.
A good  diver will have a safety plan.

FIFY

If I was diving in Bali, I would want to know where the nearest chamber is, also do you have Oxygen for your group, in case someone exhibits DCS?

Easy to research

If diving from a boat, whats the plan for a boat injury?

Ask the captain or dive center

When I was last in Bali, a snorkler was struck by a prop, the boat then raced around several beaches looking for a Dr, whilst the patient listed with blood loss.

Again, do some research.

The benefit of having the training for DM, is having the mindset, to manage risk and accidents should they occur.

Don't need to be a DM for that

I did my DM in 95, worked for 2 years on boats, It did pay for itself in divetime and opportunities.

But I was a 20 something in a share house living out of a bag.

The current system is optimized for gap year kids

 

[Cthippo]

You can, but its not the same thing.
A good DM will have a safety plan.

If I was diving in Bali, I would want to know where the nearest chamber is, also do you have Oxygen for your group, in case someone exhibits DCS?

If diving from a boat, whats the plan for a boat injury?

When I was last in Bali, a snorkler was struck by a prop, the boat then raced around several beaches looking for a Dr, whilst the patient listed with blood loss.

The benefit of having the training for DM, is having the mindset, to manage risk and accidents should they occur.

I did my DM in 95, worked for 2 years on boats, It did pay for itself in divetime and opportunities.

But I was a 20 something in a share house living out of a bag.

How much is a DM with basic first aid training going to be able to do in that situation? If they are suffering from DCS they need an ambulance and the responders need to know where the chamber is. Where I am it's an hour an a half away, so really all a DM, professionally or otherwise, needs to know is how to dial 911 (or 999 or 112 or whatever). In the case of a prop strike, all a DM, or even me as an EMT, can do is apply pressure to try and control the bleeding and apply high flow diesel (drive fast to the ER. if the patient needs fluid resuscitation or stitches, those are paramedic level skills requiring two years of training.

Unless they are fairly extensively medically trained, moreso even than myself, it's hard to see what capabilities a DM has that an average human does not.