Got My DM - But I Don't Want to Dive "This Way"...

[Peter Guy]

Thank you for your responses to date.

A bit more info:

a. As far as I know I receive zero compensation for this (nothing has been said about anything at least);

b. As far as I know the shop policy is "As long as your gear is within standards, it is OK, BUT do not trash talk the Shop's gear!" -- and except for the BP/W and can light, my gear is from the shop (or at least sold by the shop).

c. Actually, I guess what really confuses me is that it was OK for me to use "my gear" as a DM intern (that is, going out with classes and guiding them in OW and working with them in the pool) but now that I have my card, it is not OK -- same instructor/mentor, same shop -- what's the difference?

d. Deco_Martini -- Being difficult? Hmmmm -- My "pool gear" (SeaQuest Balance with Airsource) was purchased from the shop, is still sold by the shop -- BUT is NOT the same as the rental gear the students are wearing. In fact, it is almost as different from their gear as my DSS BP/W. The main difference is that the BP/W does not have "quick releases" nor does it have integrated weights.

BTW, I agree with you -- the Balance is an excellent BCD -- but I just haven't used it for a couple of years and am just much more at ease with the BP/W, long hose primary and bungied BUp. So it looks like instead of a 60 inch primary hose and bungied BUp, I'll have a 40" primary and an Airsource. (And I'll use the shop tanks - 72's -- rather than my own 130's.)

 

[grazie42]

Peter I had the same experience as you, with the exeption that my DM-instructor was in BP/W for our whole class (and he was very happy for me to wear something different for the rescue-scenarios and so on)...

For pool-dives we used jacket BCs (that were the only gear allowed in the pool) but for the OW-stuff we used our own equipment...

I helped out in a few courses(with other instructors) after getting my rating and some had issues with me using my own stuff, the "confusion argument" came up. My counter-argument was that I wanted to be in gear that I´m comfortable with and know how it operates, that I was using it for safety reasons , so that I can focus on the students...The moment you argue that it makes dives safer(making potential "real" airshares more comfortable for students etc) people seem to stop arguing with you

In the end I only get one boat-dive free for every DM-dive I do, there are never enough DMs so even if I may be percieved as "difficult" at first, I always get good feedback after the dives...I help out for fun, the moment it stops being fun will be the last time I do it...Now that I almost exclusively dive RB on my own dives the DM-dives are a way to stay tuned into OC...

 

[Prostar]

BTW, I agree with you -- the Balance is an excellent BCD -- but I just haven't used it for a couple of years and am just much more at ease with the BP/W, long hose primary and bungied BUp.

Come back in a year or two and tell us what varied pieces of junk you have dived in since 2008. I suspect it will be an interesting look back.

 

[Bretagus]

At least for your basic OW cert, I gotta agree with this sentiment of students not really noticing their instructors gear. From my training, I seem to remember one of my instructors advocating a black face mask because he once got a bloody nose in a clear skirted mask, and it wasn't pretty. Keep in mind I remember that for his horrific description of the blood and (nose) guts, not that he was seriously recommending gear.

My rescue instructor, however, turned me onto the BPW setup... he would have had me taking Adv. Nitrox as well, had I the requisite experience! Anyway, this education coincided with when I discovered scubaboard, so the choice was obvious.
-Brett

 

[Azza]

You know, the funny thing about a lot of these discussions is the idea that the students will be confused, or will be led to want something other than what the shop sells, if the instructor is diving something other than what they dive.

To be absolutely honest with you, I have no idea whatsoever what the instructors and DMs in my OW class were using. I had no bandwidth to look at their gear. I barely had bandwidth to sort my own out. The instructors could have been in doubles with full face masks, and I'm not sure I would have noticed. People overestimate the influence that instructor's gear has on students.

Agreed. None of my students have ever been confused...just look at all the different jackets, octo's, air2's etc that most divers wear. A backplate and wing is no different no matter how often people say it is.

 

[vkalia]

Before I start, let me state that I personally agree with your point of view - that it really shouldn't matter whether or not you use BP/wings while helping in a class or a regular BCD.

However, let me also play devil's advocate and tell you why I think you are making a mountain out of a molehill.

1/ it is just gear. Agreed, BP/W is very comfy if you are used to it (I teach OW in my BP/Wings, actually), but switching to a BCD shouldnt be the end of the world. If you cannot maintain good trim in a BCD, you need to improve your skills, not blame the BCD. Thousands upon thousands of very good divers dive in traditional BCDs and believe it or not, good trim existed before God III started espousing nice little catchphrases on Techdiver. It isnt the end of the world if you do have to dive in a BCD.

2/ As a divemaster, you are a professional working in the service industry (regardless of your compensation package, which happens to be zero in this case). Your comfort and wants are not as important as providing a complete, consistent, safe experience for the customers. While I agree that there really is no big reason why a BP/wing should confuse students (personally, I like exposing students to various gear configs and ways of diving, so that they learn more), but ultimately, it is the instructor's call. He has a right to be as detail-oriented as he wants.

3/ Our economics are different but I believe most LDS in the US rely on gear sales to keep afloat. They have a pretty tough time staying in business, so I cannot blame the owner and instructor for doing everything possible to ensure gear sales. That means sending a consistent message to students about gear. That means you, as a diving professional, suck it up and do what it takes to contribute.

4/ Snorkels are mandatory in the class. Yeah, you can technically keep one in your pocket but it is bad role model behavior to do so. I dont dive with a snorkel either except during courses, where I deal with it. My suggestion to you: deal with it as well - it isnt the end of the world.

5/ The difference between being a DMT and a DM - in one case, you are a student (customer) and learning, whereas in the other, you are a working dive professional.

6/ I don't think the fact that you are not getting paid is a reason to do as you please gear-wise. It is your choice to work/help out for free. Once you agree to those compensation terms, you should follow the guidelines of the workplace.

In my past corporate life, did I enjoy going to work in a suit and uncomfortable leather shoes? No. I'd rather have worn casual shoes and cargo pants or shorts. But did I contemplate giving up my job because of the dress code? No. Could I argue that I was underpaid and so didnt have to adhere to the dress code? Again, no.

If switching from wings to a BCD is such a big turn-off for you, you probably should reconsider your role as a diving professional and just dive for fun, where you answer only to yourself. This isnt a bad thing - working in the dive industry is very different from participating in it as a hobbyist. You have to change many things and quite often, those changes may reduce your enjoyment of diving.

But if you do decide to stay on as a participant in the industry, you need to remember that you are working. When you are working, you cannot expect it to be your sandlot - you have to follow appropriate business practices, even if you dont agree with them too much.

I dont meant to come across as harsh, but you need to look at DMing from a different perspective. It should definitely be fun and enjoyable for you, but it is still primarily a job and business/economics play a big role in it.

Vandit

 

[Boxcar Overkill]

In a perfect world, instructors would teach in the way they thought would be best for their students - whether that be a jacket or wing. In the real world, instructors are being forced to teach in a way that will help sell gear they might not personally recommend or use.

This dovetails back into that nasty little thread about loyalty to your LDS. The question arises, are they being loyal to you? If you want a relationship with your instructor in which he is looking after your best interest, can he fully do that if he is being pressured to sell you gear he doesn't endorse and wouldn't personally use?

It seems to me that independent instructors don't suffer the same conflicts of interest as the shop bourne instructors.

 

[creamofwheat]

I remember being an OW student, and in the pool my instructor used the same gear (jacket) as us. When we hit our open water dives, he donned is back inflate BCD. I thought it looked weird, so I asked him about it, and he explained what it was, what the advantages/disadvantages were, etc, and I lapped up the information like a hungry kitten because diving was just so cool and I wanted to know all there was to know about it. I was far from confused by the gear my instructor chose to wear. I just took it as another thing to learn. No big deal.

Now I am on the other side of the equation, and I dive with my BP/W, can light, long hose, etc. This has not been a problem as of yet, and some of the instructors also dive with and teach in BP/Ws.

Diving in BP/Ws (or any other "different" piece of gear) while teaching/assisting doesn't seem to be a big deal, and students really don't seem to get confused by it. In my experience (which isn't too much) they ask about it, and I answer their questions, giving them the reasons why I dive with the gear I have chosen, and they learn.

That being said, if the shop is not ok with it, then you're hooped. It is, after all, a job. And unfortunately, managers usually need to be listened to unless you want to get fired.

 

[BarryNL]

It sounds to me as if the instructor in question has a very, very low opinion of the qualifications and mental abilities of his students. As for not worrying about trim, that would make me question the quality of the instructor. I know for a fact that my diving in proper trim is *tremendously* beneficial to me when working with students. I can move in any direction much more directly than if I were upright.

I always find it particularly useful to be able to position myself in front of the students and then have them swim towards me while I swim backwards. You have much better communication than swimming alongside or on your back below them. Let's see someone do the backkick without good trim

 

[Boxcar Overkill]

It seems to me the preliminary question is: Are you doing what's best for your student's, or are you doing what's best for the dive shop owner?

Because if you just going to do what makes the LDS the most money, the discussion is pretty short and simple.

On the other hand, if you're motive is to do what's best for your students, then you have to get into the question of what to wear.