question on class size for OWD course.

[TMHeimer]

I was in this situation both ways on charter boats. One time I was doing the advanced course where the instructor was there for me only. The other time I was just diving and there was an advanced course also there, again with an instructor who just was there for them. I believe (not positive) in both cases the non-course divers had a DM who was there for them.

 

[caliswan]

Thanks, all. Super helpful info.

 

[Thunder Struck]

Ideally the Divemaster would have explained his/her role during the safety brief. The boats I’ve been on in SoCal the DM typically stays on the boat and is there to address emergencies or general diver assistance. If they are in the water it’s because someone had a problem. If you want a DM to guide you, most boats can provide—at additional cost—a DM specifically for you and your group.

In areas that are mostly tourist oriented the DMs tend to be in the water and will have folks follow along while they play tour guide for the group.

In either case if there is an instructor with students on the boat the instructor’s sole responsibility is to his students. If a diver outside of his group has an issue his first responsibility is to his students and ensuring they are safely on board before addressing the other diver. It may seem odd, but that’s how liability works. Not to say that an instructor wouldn’t try to assist a diver outside his charge, but his first responsibility is to his students for which he has a duty of care. Should he breach that duty of care, say help out a distressed diver on the surface before his students are back on the boat, and one of his students has a incident that results in an injury as a result of having been left unattended, the instructor would be considered negligent and thus liable for breaching his duty of care.

 

[Chavodel8en]

Correction of my earlier post, where I said there were no divemasters on CA boats. Actually, its as Thunder Struck says, in (the Monterey boats Im familiar with) there will often be a divemaster, but they dont get in the water - just there for emergencies.

 

[tursiops]

I do not understand the original post nor most of the responses.
A divemaster and an instructor are two different certifications, with two different jobs to do.
The OW dives for a PADI class MUST have an instructor, not a divemaster, and the instructor MUST be in the water with the students. That instructor cannot have more than 8 people under his/her responsibility, whether they are students are just diving along with the group.
So, what was the certification of the "divemaster?"
Was he/she in the water with the 3 students?

 

[TMHeimer]

I do not understand the original post nor most of the responses.
A divemaster and an instructor are two different certifications, with two different jobs to do.
The OW dives for a PADI class MUST have an instructor, not a divemaster, and the instructor MUST be in the water with the students. That instructor cannot have more than 8 people under his/her responsibility, whether they are students are just diving along with the group.
So, what was the certification of the "divemaster?"
Was he/she in the water with the 3 students?

 

[TMHeimer]

I do not understand the original post nor most of the responses.
A divemaster and an instructor are two different certifications, with two different jobs to do.
The OW dives for a PADI class MUST have an instructor, not a divemaster, and the instructor MUST be in the water with the students. That instructor cannot have more than 8 people under his/her responsibility, whether they are students are just diving along with the group.
So, what was the certification of the "divemaster?"
Was he/she in the water with the 3 students?

Right. I think the OP may have been meaning that the "DM" with the 3 of them from the class was their instructor. Perhaps because instructors on boats are often referred to as DMs because they are doing DM duties on a regular charter and there are no students. I just assumed by DM he meant his instructor.
But yeah, confusing.