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

[bigvivec]

Background:

I got back into diving 3 years ago after a 20+ year surface interval. A year later I decided to become a DM and paid my money and started on the road which then took almost two years (many stops and starts). I finished my DM several weeks ago and was asked to "help out" with my first class by my DM instructor/mentor.

During the two year period, my dear sweet wife gently cajoled me over to "the dark side" -- very slowly over -- first with Essentials, then Rec 2, then GUE DIR-F, then Cavern/Intro to Cave, next NAUI HeliOx and lastly Full Cave. In other words, I'm diving a full Hog Rig (BP/W, can light, long hose, bungied backup, no snorkel, jet fins/frog kick, etc.). I must say, I do like my gear setup (which includes the AI Cobra instead of an SPG and AI Vytec on my wrist -- not totally "in the dark!").

During my whole DM training, my instructor/mentor "suggested" I dive a "normal" rig in the pool (SeaQuest Balance) but let me keep my snorkel in my pocket per standards but also let me dive the BP/W (and sometimes doubles) during OW dives with the classes.

So now I have my DM card and agreed to "help out" with an OW class with my instructor/mentor. I showed up at the pool with the same gear I'd been using in my DM class (SeaQuest Balance, Airsource, snorkel in pocket). At the end of the class it was "suggested" that I put the snorkel on my mask so that the students wouldn't be confused. Hmmmm.

Today I asked him if he minded if I dove "my gear" in OW and told him I wasn't all that comfortable diving the Balance in OW. (I haven't dived it in OW for two years.) He "suggested" that I ditch the "technical gear" and just dive the "regular" gear so as to NOT confuse the students AND so as to defuse potential liability issues/questions (don't ask!). He also told me I shouldn't worry about my trim (etc.) because I'll be so concerned with where students are that my trim won't be of any concern!

What do I want from y'all by writing this? I'm not at all sure. I just needed to put it out there -- just a rant and vent if you will.

My DM career may be a very short one! (However, I've already been asked to work with another instructor/another shop -- she just happens to be a cave diver.)

Honestly I don't get it...

If you are doing it for fun and don't want to be told what equipment to use, then don't do it...

If you want to learn to be a dive professional, equipment, as long as it is cared for, should make very, very little difference as it is a means to an end, the end being caring for people, leading them, and keeping them safe...I can understand wanting to use your own regulator...that is your lifeline...as for the rest it really shouldn't make that much of a difference and I can't see what all the fuss is about...

 

[Peter Guy]

And now, for the Rest of the story....

We all met at the assigned spot at the (more or less) assigned time -- 6 students, two instructors, 8 (?) DM's. Two of the DM's stayed on shore, the rest of us were each assigned one student as "our" student. The two dives came and went -- along with the skills. The viz was awful (about 3 feet until it opened up around 30 feet deep to 15 feet) but the students seemed to all have a good and safe time.

What did I wear? Balance BC with Airsource inflator, bungied backup and 40" hose on my primary -- and my can light and snorkel on my mask.

What did others wear? Well, lead instructor had what looked like a transpac type BCD & pony; lead DM had OMS BP/W and pony/bungied necklace; not sure about the others EXCEPT none of them were wearing what the students were wearing. (The can light was my most "abnormal" piece of equipment and lead instructor was having me highlight various critters when we were on the first tour -- including my first skeleton shrimp (I think that's what they are called).)

What did I learn? I shouldn't ask permission but instead beg forgiveness!

(BTW, to those of you who wrote that "a professional" should be able to dive any reasonable gear I absolutely agree with you. But just because I can dive different setups, doesn't mean that I will be equally "comfortable" in all of them -- and I think you'd be kidding yourself if you really believe that. I happen to believe that we ALL are "most comfortable" in the gear that we dive the most -- don't you? I never said I wasn't comfortable in the Balance -- I just told him I would be more comfortable in my regular gear -- and when I trying to keep a yo-yo'ing student in sight with 3 feet of viz, I really would like to be as comfortable in my gear as possible -- wouldn't you?)

 

[nereas]

If I need to teach students how to doff & don gear for the first time in the pool, then I will wear a cheap rental jacket B/C for it. As long as it is my size, I am comfortable enough. In the open water, I prefer some kind of back inflation, such as a Zeagle Ranger or a BPW.

I would suggest scrounging around the back warehouse area of the store and see what is the best available rental B/C for you to take with you when you DM. There may be a Zeagle in there somewhere. It does not seem like a good idea to wear tech gear, even though you saw some doing it.

I am surprised there were so may DMs at the open water class. Normally 1 per each pair of students is all that an instructor would need, and only 1 instructor for each 8 students. Sounds like a dearth of dive students to me. Too many cooks and not enough broth.

 

[Cacia]

I shouldn't ask permission but instead beg forgiveness!

hahahaha. I bet you have learned that before, somewhere else. That one gets me through life.

Too many cooks and not enough broth.

lol, now I have never heard that one. Too many cheifs and not enough Indians?

 

[Peter Guy]

nereas -- did you see that the visibility was a max of 3 feet? The norm for "my" shop is one-to-one on the OW dives (a mix of instructors, AI's and DM's). 2 students did not show up so there were 2 more DM's than students.

Given the normal visibility in our waters, the max number of students to instructor should be 4 even though standards permit higher (and then 4 only when there are enough "certified assistants" to get back to no greater than 1 to 2).

BTW, why do YOU (Nereas) think I should "scrounge" for a rental B/C instead of using the SeaQuest Balance in lieu of my BP/W?

 

[bigvivec]

I just think that you are too hung up on the gear thing (common malady among tec guys, especially relativley inexperienced ones)...as long as I know who worked on the regulator, that's about it for me, and a bc is a bc is a bc...I don't like using someone else's mask, but the rest I could really care less about...comfort is an important thing, but standard equipment ought to be comfortable enough...I tell you what as a new student if my DM had a big can light blinding me every time he came to check my pressure, I would be even more freaked than usual...just my 2 cents, but I think all the tec stuff ought to be reserved for tec diving, and standard dive equipment is more than adequate for hand holding to 40 feet...

 

[vkalia]

Well, looks like this matter got settled, glad to hear that.

(BTW, to those of you who wrote that "a professional" should be able to dive any reasonable gear I absolutely agree with you. But just because I can dive different setups, doesn't mean that I will be equally "comfortable" in all of them -- and I think you'd be kidding yourself if you really believe that. I happen to believe that we ALL are "most comfortable" in the gear that we dive the most -- don't you? I never said I wasn't comfortable in the Balance -- I just told him I would be more comfortable in my regular gear -- and when I trying to keep a yo-yo'ing student in sight with 3 feet of viz, I really would like to be as comfortable in my gear as possible -- wouldn't you?)

As I was one of the people who was making this point, let me respond.

You are, IMO, getting into semantics & politican-speak with this whole "I am comfortable but I'd be more comfortable".

From all accounts, you are pretty comfy in BCD. So I am not sure why you keep selling yourself short by arguing that you NEED a BP/wings in order to be an effective DM. And if you dont NEED BP/wings in order to be effective, then what is the point of this whole thread?

It is a pretty binary thing. You are either comfortable in a set of gear, or you are not. OF course you will *prefer* one set of gear over another. No one is denying that. However, if you are comfortable in a given set of gear, you'll be able to manage as an assistant on the course. If you are not able to manage your tasks as a DM in a BCD, you are not comfortable in that kit.

Given the range of things you have to do as a working DM, wearing your own BCD instead of wings is quite a minor thing. I said this in my first post and I am saying it again - part of being a working dive professional is making compromises to your own diving pleasure in order to cater to the customers. For a lot of people - especially those who are not getting paid - it doesnt always make sense to do so.

So much for staying out of this thread... I keep leaving and they keep pulling me back in!

Vandit

 

[neil]

(BTW, to those of you who wrote that "a professional" should be able to dive any reasonable gear I absolutely agree with you.

Actually, as a dive pro you should be able to dive any piece of CRAP gear. Someday you'll have to make a student/customer happy and you'll be diving a leaking BC a size too small with it's companion freeflowing regulator, one fin and a leaking mask, also a size too small. Been there, done that. Get over yourself.

 

[OneBrightGator]

I have to echo the sentiment of the previous two posters. I was unlucky enough to have my dive gear stolen out of a locked vehicle in a well lit parking lot the night before I was to start my IDC. I ended up having to do the entire thing (and subsequent IE) in rental gear, all the way down to mask, fins and wetsuit. I was well prepared, so it wasn't an issue even though it was less then ideal.

 

[Thalassamania]

I think the topic has more to do with preference and honesty toward students rather than capabilities.