I just got into this whole DM thing more recently and really enjoy it.
I wanted to become a DM so I could help teach (and eventually become an instructor). I then wanted to help teach/buddy/DM in a tech environment (full cave, deco, etc) so I became a Tech DM.
I enjoy being a tech student's "buddy" and usually get to do all the drills and skills along with them. It's especially fun seeing the students reaction in those back of a cave "crap hits the fan" drills (light dies, mask breaks, and suddenly you're out of air... those are fun combos...then you have to find your way out of the cave). I love that stuff.
But I had always been interested in the DM's on the boats.
One weekend I was talking to a dive shop owner friend of mine and asked if I could go jump off some of his boats. I "helped" enough on a trip that I was invited back as regular crew rotation. I now DM on their boats at least one weekend a month (if not, more) and REALLY enjoy it. I love helping the customers out, making them feel welcome, carrying their gear to take the load off of their paid vacation trip and do anything I can to make them feel at home and enjoy themselves.
Since myself and the other crew I dive with usually do a "One Up - One Down" then I get at least one dive in on every trip, and often get to call my favorite sites to visit if there is nothing in particular scheduled for that trip.
The tips are nice when they happen, most weekends I can pay for my entire trip. I live 2 hours away from the dive site, so it's nice to be able to pay for my gas, dinners and drinks out with the staff/crew, discounted items through the dive shop, etc. It makes diving a lot more affordable.
Don't get me wrong, it's VERY hard work, for very little pay (if you are paid in tips only), but all the extra perks I get out of it, makes it more than worth it for me.
You just have to have an extreme servants attitude and not go into it expecting to make a lot of money. Just enjoy what you do for the sake of doing it, and unless you're paid well, you may want to have a part time job if you expect to do this for a living. Most of the other crew I work with are part of the dive shop's staff, so they are paid for other duties during the week, but the dive trips usually all tip based.
One big thing I learned was to make sure you have all the tools, and an extra set of gear available in your vehicle (or onboard the boat). There's nothing worse than not being able to help a paying customer not be able to dive. I've even stripped parts off of my own gear so that a customer could dive during the dive that I was working deckhand. It's nice when they show their appreciation in the end by a big tip, but again, I don't expect anything, as I am just one diver helping out another.
Also remember, even bad vis, grumpy customers, etc are something you have to just smile and hype up the situation for in a positive manner. They paid to dive, you are just there to make their experience better. If the vis is known to be bad, even if you just dove and think it's bad, only discuss the positives such as all the cool stuff you saw, and that YOU don't think it was that bad and that YOU saw a lot of neat things... this can quickly change their perception, and perhaps they can enjoy their second dive better, or forgot about the negatives and focus on the cool stuff to see that you saw. If they have a good time, they tip better. IF they had a bad time, they take it out on you and bring the vibe of the entire boat down by complaining. Then if that happens, the other customers start to think "Yeah, that guy is right, this dive DID suck"... you DON'T want that to happen! So... stay positive no matter what.
It's also an interesting experience in that it's one of the few jobs that you are completely in charge of the whole experience... yet you are doing all the hard labor with a servants attitude to make their experience a good one... from schlepping tanks on/off the boat, carrying gear, fixing their equipment, serving them drinks and snacks, fixing the head, helping them in and out of the boat/water/etc. You do it all for little to no thanks sometimes. But so long as they leave happy, you should feel good about it.
I don't do this to make money, I just do it for fun on the weekends. It is nice when my weekend gets paid for, and I have extra on top to spend on more dive gear, but if I hardly get tipped, I still got to do a few dives and hang out with my crew/staff friends for the weekend
---------- Post added September 24th, 2014 at 07:22 PM ----------
That's exactly my story
It's still good times every time for me
I wanted to become a DM so I could help teach (and eventually become an instructor). I then wanted to help teach/buddy/DM in a tech environment (full cave, deco, etc) so I became a Tech DM.
I enjoy being a tech student's "buddy" and usually get to do all the drills and skills along with them. It's especially fun seeing the students reaction in those back of a cave "crap hits the fan" drills (light dies, mask breaks, and suddenly you're out of air... those are fun combos...then you have to find your way out of the cave). I love that stuff.
But I had always been interested in the DM's on the boats.
One weekend I was talking to a dive shop owner friend of mine and asked if I could go jump off some of his boats. I "helped" enough on a trip that I was invited back as regular crew rotation. I now DM on their boats at least one weekend a month (if not, more) and REALLY enjoy it. I love helping the customers out, making them feel welcome, carrying their gear to take the load off of their paid vacation trip and do anything I can to make them feel at home and enjoy themselves.
Since myself and the other crew I dive with usually do a "One Up - One Down" then I get at least one dive in on every trip, and often get to call my favorite sites to visit if there is nothing in particular scheduled for that trip.
The tips are nice when they happen, most weekends I can pay for my entire trip. I live 2 hours away from the dive site, so it's nice to be able to pay for my gas, dinners and drinks out with the staff/crew, discounted items through the dive shop, etc. It makes diving a lot more affordable.
Don't get me wrong, it's VERY hard work, for very little pay (if you are paid in tips only), but all the extra perks I get out of it, makes it more than worth it for me.
You just have to have an extreme servants attitude and not go into it expecting to make a lot of money. Just enjoy what you do for the sake of doing it, and unless you're paid well, you may want to have a part time job if you expect to do this for a living. Most of the other crew I work with are part of the dive shop's staff, so they are paid for other duties during the week, but the dive trips usually all tip based.
One big thing I learned was to make sure you have all the tools, and an extra set of gear available in your vehicle (or onboard the boat). There's nothing worse than not being able to help a paying customer not be able to dive. I've even stripped parts off of my own gear so that a customer could dive during the dive that I was working deckhand. It's nice when they show their appreciation in the end by a big tip, but again, I don't expect anything, as I am just one diver helping out another.
Also remember, even bad vis, grumpy customers, etc are something you have to just smile and hype up the situation for in a positive manner. They paid to dive, you are just there to make their experience better. If the vis is known to be bad, even if you just dove and think it's bad, only discuss the positives such as all the cool stuff you saw, and that YOU don't think it was that bad and that YOU saw a lot of neat things... this can quickly change their perception, and perhaps they can enjoy their second dive better, or forgot about the negatives and focus on the cool stuff to see that you saw. If they have a good time, they tip better. IF they had a bad time, they take it out on you and bring the vibe of the entire boat down by complaining. Then if that happens, the other customers start to think "Yeah, that guy is right, this dive DID suck"... you DON'T want that to happen! So... stay positive no matter what.
It's also an interesting experience in that it's one of the few jobs that you are completely in charge of the whole experience... yet you are doing all the hard labor with a servants attitude to make their experience a good one... from schlepping tanks on/off the boat, carrying gear, fixing their equipment, serving them drinks and snacks, fixing the head, helping them in and out of the boat/water/etc. You do it all for little to no thanks sometimes. But so long as they leave happy, you should feel good about it.
I don't do this to make money, I just do it for fun on the weekends. It is nice when my weekend gets paid for, and I have extra on top to spend on more dive gear, but if I hardly get tipped, I still got to do a few dives and hang out with my crew/staff friends for the weekend
---------- Post added September 24th, 2014 at 07:22 PM ----------
That's exactly my story
It's still good times every time for me
