Houston - PADI Dive Master course

[anand417]

Hello Divers,

I would be relocating to Houston in Jan'16 - I am doing some homework towards pursuing my PADI Dive Master course living off Houston. I've been diving for 4 years now & logged over 100 dives - PADI rescue diver & TDI deco procesures (will do Intro to Cave this December). I want to go back to basics - build solid fundamentals in finning techniques, navigation, swimming & rescue. My plan is to start the Dive Master curriculum and take it slow & steady - got 3 questions for now:

1. Dive shop recommendations.

2. I do have a job which will keep me busy during the week. I could spare evenings for pool sessions or classrooms. Has anyone pursued Dive Master course off Houston doing open water dives only on weekends? If yes, what are the typical time span to complete the course (like truly - not just checking the boxes). I'm estimating a year or so. It would be great to hear you guys here so I know what I am getting into.

3. Gear - well, the classic question: what kind of BCD should I invest in. Eventually, I see myself doing tec fun dives (caves/deep dives) - I am considering doing all my rec dives & courses on a backplate-wing system. I want to practice my trim & finning (already do all my dives on tec fins) on every dive potentially - knowing me, I need to do that if I am to make any progress in tec diving. Am I crazy to think like this? I am open to any advice. My tec instructor mentioned there are backplate-wing systems which could be modified for single or twin tank configurations - I would appreciate any recommendations here too.

Thank you for taking the time - your feedback will help me make good choices

Regards,
Anand

 

[divezonescuba]

Hello Anand:

There are many diveshops in Houston, so you can have your pick. The most important thing is to stop in the diveshop and talk to the instructor that will be certifying you. You should also find out what resources the shop has. This is important as most of the diving in Houston is in inshore lakes. Some divemasters in Houston receive their certification without having ever been in a boat or salt water. As part of our training divemasters learn how to divemaster our dive boat in the Gulf.

Most of our divemaster candidates work normal jobs and complete their divemaster requirements on free evenings and during the weekends. It has taken a little as 2 months while the norm is closer to 4 to 6 months. A lot of that depends on your proficiency and availability.

You may find that there is a bit of incompatibility between instructional rigs and serious recreational / technical rigs. Most shops provide open water and advanced students with a jacket or hybrid style BCD. On the other hand you are going to need a backplate and wing system to ultimately do the type of diving you are interested in. You may also not want to use your good BCD setup in the pool. Most of our divemasters have two different BCDs for this purpose.

 

[James R]

FWIW: as an instructor, I always use the shop's pool gear in the pool, never my own (aside from mask/fins/snorkel). I use one of my BP/W rigs, with a single tank wing, exclusively at checkouts and have been for a long time. I do not own a typical jacket bcd, and that's not changing. If you go to do a tec dive, you will just change the wing anyway, so why buy a bunch of stuff you don't need?