What a DiveMaster Can (and Can't) do once qualified?

[TheCoolBeans]

From https://bobsdiveshop.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Training-Standards.pdf, which may not be up-to-date:

SSI divemaster:
View attachment 451704
SSI Dive Guide:
View attachment 451705

SSI Dive Control Specialists:
View attachment 451706

Re knees: The current trend, and best practice, is to teach students to be neutral in the water, from the very beginning, rather than training them to kneel or stand on the bottom and then having to unlearn that when they actually start diving. Not all agencies are on-board with this yet, and not all instructors. It is the future, however. May as well start now!

This is great, i don't know why i didn't think to directly check on the SSI website myself (D'Oh!)

Re Knees, I was one of those that spent time on my knees (ooer) when i did my open water, but then the next week when i did my drysuit course it was explained that kneeling was no longer acceptable now I'm qualified. Since that day my knee pads have stayed 'mud-free'.

I get that buoyancy is an important skill to master, however i personally don't think its the most important thing for a newbie. Task Loading and all that jazz...

Thanks Samantha

 

[swimlikethefish]

It takes less than 30 minutes to teach correctly. The benefits are definitely worth spending the time. It will teach the student not to be a lawn dart, lower their air consumption, less environmental disturbance among others. No one said they have to be perfectly trim and buoyant like a cave diver as an open water student. Thinking back to when I got my open water, I wish my instructor spent the time to teach me. It you'd have made my future diving much better.

Think of all the energy a student expends fining to stay buoyant. That is all wasted. The classes I assist with teach it as one of the first skills in the pool. It usually ties into using your breath to help yourself rise and fall in the water column.

No one says it is the standard. The standards are the minimum. Wouldn't you want to exceed the minimum as a teacher?

 

[TheCoolBeans]

1. Do you enjoy helping people learn.

I love diving with newbies provided they are not reckless and seem sensible enough.

2. Do you have the patience to assist someone whom struggles with what you perceive are basic skills.

Yes, I am a very patient person, This was one of my traits that the dive centre picked up on and said i have a good personality to introduce people to scuba. "You are bubbly, fun, confident but serious when it counts, You are exactly the sort of personality we want at our DiveCentre" Was what was said to me.

3. Will it interfere with your perception of what enjoyable diving is.

Hmmm Possibly, I do like diving for fun, i do it to relax.... Do i want it to be a 'job'?

4. Are you comfortable with the liability.

Yes and No... When being a DM i would be fine accepting liability. However if i was just on a fundive then i would strongly prefer things to stay as they are right now.

5. What future do you have in diving, leisure/professional.

Up until this was mentioned to me i was happy just doing rec/tec dives with my friends and buddies. Recently i have introduced a few non-scuba friends into the sport doing some 'Try Scuba's' at my local pool and quite enjoyed getting them excited and sharing the emotions with them.

... If it were for discounts only, you can find those with a quick Google search. Most do it because they would one day like to instruct, or attempt to make a career diving.

Discount on next years FullCave and Cavern cert would go a long way to incentivise me to be a DM lol

 

[swimlikethefish]

Discount on next years FullCave and Cavern cert would go a long way to incentivise me to be a DM lol

Not trying to sway your decision either way. Just playing devils advocate here.

But if the DM course would cost 500. Is that really saving you $$$? 500 off cave course would be a deal. But not if you had to pay 500 to get a 500 discount.....

So you could save the 500 you would spend for DM. And put it towards the cave class and not assume the liability as a DM.

 

[Lorenzoid]

I don't really understand why anyone would want to be a DM except as an intermediate step towards becoming an instructor. If one's goal is to teach, then go for the DM cert and move on to instructor as soon as possible.

 

[kelemvor]

I don't really understand why anyone would want to be a DM except as an intermediate step towards becoming an instructor. If one's goal is to teach, then go for the DM cert and move on to instructor as soon as possible.

A friend of mine did it exclusively for access to the discount pricing he gets at the shop he did the training with. His opinion was that the discounts were worth the money and time he spent. Seems like a tall order to save that much in discounts to me.

 

[Lorenzoid]

A friend of mine did it exclusively for access to the discount pricing he gets at the shop he did the training with. His opinion was that the discounts were worth the money and time he spent. Seems like a tall order to save that much in discounts to me.

And he doesn't do any actual DM'ing or other work for the shop? I have heard of discounts for DMs affiliated with a shop, but I always assumed there was something they had to give in return. Or do the likely discounts basically add up to no more than the shop's profit from the DM course fee?

 

[lowflyer]

A friend of mine did it exclusively for access to the discount pricing he gets at the shop he did the training with. His opinion was that the discounts were worth the money and time he spent. Seems like a tall order to save that much in discounts to me.

I've gotten significant discounts on equipment, but they have been less than the more significant cost of the liability insurance I feel I need to carry in addition to being under the shop's uncertain policy. Obviously, to me at least, there need to be other incentives to act as a DM.

 

[Magnus Lundstedt]

My main reason for not wanting to do it: potential liability.

Since you are in the UK, I suspect your tort laws are "similar" to Canada and the US. Dive professionals may be held to a higher standard of care should something happen to your buddy, a student that you are assisting with or a diver you are guiding.

I feel that the liability is mostly a US problem. Not so much here in Europe.

It is one thing if something happens to a student, it can be a problem if you are very negligent, not as big of a problem as in the US. You have to be very negligent and consequences are not as serious.

But if it is a buddy, its not any difference what certifications you carry.

 

[Dogbowl]

I feel that the liability is mostly a US problem. Not so much here in Europe.

It is one thing if something happens to a student, it can be a problem if you are very negligent, not as big of a problem as in the US. You have to be very negligent and consequences are not as serious.

But if it is a buddy, its not any difference what certifications you carry.

I am Canadian and not familiar with the laws in different countries in Europe. However, Canadian law is based on English common law and based on that, and my understanding of tort law in commonwealth countries, I would be concerned. OP is from the UK. How concerned? It depends on how risk averse one is. I am very risk averse. Maybe OP is not.

US law is also based on English common law. However, I agree that the US is a very litigious country as a whole.