To DM or not to DM...

[CompuDude]

~snip~
Going on one dive to get 3 three certificates just sounds like certificate collecting to me.

One full day of diving, actually. How much water time is needed for the average nitrox cert? Classroom times are another story... and are not shorted in any way. The bulk of the open water session day is spent on drysuit drills and finally, the wreck itself.

No cert collecting, with the possible exception of the wreck cert, which, while non-essential, is certainly a good thing to have before diving wrecks with no prior experience, wouldn't you agree? And I consider Nitrox to be essential, especially when training as a DM, and being a cold water diver, the dry suit class is equally essential. Saving travel and boat fees is just smart. So accusations of cert collecting are a bit overreaching.

 

[Bubble Junky]

: Nitrox, Dry Suit and Wreck. The one dive covers all three, which saves some time and dough.

One dive covers all three ?? Hope this isn't PADI,. Under PADI you can only count a dive towards two courses if one is Nitrox (ie. A wreck dive on Nitrox may count towards the Wreck Diver course and the Nitrox course). But all the PADI specs have more than one dive too. Under PADI you can not do a wreck dive in a dry-suit and count it towards the Wreck and the Dry-suit specialties.

 

[andydiver06]

C- Card collection is like addiction. i keep myself telling that I will not blow my precious money anymore but keep on going for a course every year. My MSD course definitely improved my diving ( nitrox, Deep, Night, Nav, multi) ,Now that I have started my DM course I have also lost my weekends. Then Why I 'm doing my DM???? I really don't know for sure. I can't shift to Diving life as profession as it does not pay enough to live on.

 

[surfsidedav]

I'm in the same boat now also. I've been talking to a local SSI shop and they offer a "divecon" rating, which is like DM and Asst. Instr. all in one. The reason I'm leaning toward his shop instead of my original cert. agency is that the DMs I see at the other shop are nothing but cheap labor and tank toters. And because I'm doing this as a sense of accomplishment and maybe help someone along the way, not a career change, the idea of being a cheap tank toter doesn't appeal to me.

 

[matt_unique]

You will learn a lot more diverse and advanced diving through a Master Diver program with good instructors than you will as a DM. If you want to become an instructor, you need DM. If you want to learn more advanced diving, a Master Diver program is the better choice.

A DM or Instructor program can be as much of a "joke" as any other certification. It depends on you and your choices with certs and instructors.

--Matt

 

[Bubble Junky]

Specialties will teach you underwater skills. The DM course will also teach you about the physics and physiology of diving (amongst other things).

 

[victor]

CompuDude
A way of looking at the difference between DM and Master Diver is that DM is a professional qualification where as Master Diver is recreational.
A DM qualification is not about improving your diving it is ablout teaching or organising dives.
In my opinion you have far to few dives and have dived under far to few different environments to be considering becoming a DM. I would like my DM to have 100's possibly 1000's of dives in various different environments, weather conditions, currents, etc. They need to be confident with different types of equipment, be able to enter the water quickly and under adverse weathed conditions etc.

From your description that is not where you are today.

Get some dives under your belt, enjoy the sport as a recreational diver. Maybe help out at a club or dive shop.

Dive for sport, you can afford it, enjoy it.

 

[moneysavr]

Get some dives in,enjoy the sport the card collecting you will get the idea after your in the sport or a while. At a opp they ask for a c-card and the dude drops 5 or 6 on the table I will stay away from as he is a collector and probably has no skills!
A DM can be had thru some cert agency's in a month or so from your OW with few or limited dives YIKES!!
DM's make as said no or Little or no money due to there are 4-10 guys in line for your DM job on the boat,waiting for you to piss the owner or Capt. off and your gone!
Tips= its a fact divers are mostly cheap SOB'S and a tip is don't bet at the dog track!they feel that if they pay for a charter its covered go figure,as they have not a clue the guy schlepping your gear,setting you up,checking stuff over,fixing a broken reg,keeping you safe in and out of the water is working for Little or no pay!He is most likely doing it cause he loves the job! and likes to dive! and dive allot!
Owning a dive boat wow tons of cost's you better buy a shop to go with that fleet of boats,then how do you pay the bills in off time as all dive locations have a peak season,Ins,boat payments, Liab-DM ins,payroll,dock fees=NUTS!,Telephone adds NUTS!!!!Fuel Way nuts,and just to name a few,
Hey start diving,then start living the dream,
Diving is fun but you need a real job to pay for it!My 3 cents.
Brad

 

[Footslogger]

Only thing I will add to what has already been said is that you might want to step back and ask yourself about your expectations regarding the DM status. Is diving your hobby or your career ??

I originally did my DM in the early 90's when I was living in the Atlanta area and was spending more time around the LDS and doing a lot more diving. I had already determined that my goal was NOT to become an instructor but that I wanted to gain the additional knowledge/skill. I was interested in helping out with pool and open water classes and did a lot of that over an 8 -10 year period. I did go ahead and purchase DM insurance so that I could act in a professional capacity around student divers. However, like you, I had a good paying full time job that I was not about to give up.

I stayed true to my goals and have never regretted getting my DM rating, despite the fact that it has never served as a means of earning an income. Over the years it has gotten me a few deals on gear and on liveaboard trips it has typically gotten me a little more respect (and a little less direct supervision) from the boat DM's.

That's always been enough for me and you have to ask yourself if that's enough for YOU.

'Slogger

 

[tribaltim]

DM all the way...