What do divemasters get?

[Ross19966]

If only it was this simple…

It sort of is. I've had 2 neighbors call in the last couple weeks for dock inspection/repairs. $120/hour with 1 hour minimum. I don't advertise. They just know I dive. I would advertise but I get enough just in the neighborhood for a small side hustle.

 

[El Diablo]

I could back then...

Looks like an incredible lifestyle if you can afford it

Long before a kid, a divorce and white hair on my beard lol

 

[El Diablo]

I'd kinda just like to have a DM card. But I don't want to do no dive masterin'.

You can get this one for 3.99€...

 

[TMHeimer]

That's why I did it years ago. I really enjoyed the instructors and fellow DMs for a time. I never made any money. Actually, I lost money as my additional expenses easily surpassed what I made in tips or doing scuba refresh classes. I did that for about 2-3 years until they retired from teaching. After that it just wasn't fun anymore so I stopped doing it. It was NEVER about making money.

If no one did it basically for free there would have to be money, or the agencies (and thus shops) would have to increase their ratios to more students per instructor, which would be unsafe. I can see why you got tired of it-- it is a job. Problem is just too many waiting to replace you when you quit, so the cycle goes on. It is that way in our shop and I assume many others.

 

[VikingDives]

Being a DM can be some of the most rewarding work in "scuba education." As a DM, you are working with the students that are having problems (in confined water) and trying to remediate those problems.

When I was a DM, it got to the point where instructors would (against standards, no doubt) trust me to the point where if I said the student had performed a skill, they took my word for it.

That was really rewarding and I really enjoyed the 1 on 1 teaching that I got to do...

 

[TMHeimer]

Being a DM can be some of the most rewarding work in "scuba education." As a DM, you are working with the students that are having problems (in confined water) and trying to remediate those problems.

When I was a DM, it got to the point where instructors would (against standards, no doubt) trust me to the point where if I said the student had performed a skill, they took my word for it.

That was really rewarding and I really enjoyed the 1 on 1 teaching that I got to do...

Yes, at times I signed off on some skills depending on the instructor. I'd imagine this is somewhat commonplace since there is a time limit on OW courses nowadays. When I was done DMing I informed the owner-- before that I wasn't going to make any instructor enemies.

 

[BoltSnap]

The instructor should work with the problem student not the DM, that's what I do. The DM works with the students who completed the skills without issues to practice the skills more while I work with the student who has issues. They are all within my view never turn my back to students.

 

[Uber Dave]

When I worked in Key Largo, I got 50.00 bucks a trip, two trips a day. 5 to 6 days a week

 

[Doc]

If no one did it basically for free there would have to be money, or the agencies (and thus shops) would have to increase their ratios to more students per instructor, which would be unsafe. I can see why you got tired of it-- it is a job. Problem is just too many waiting to replace you when you quit, so the cycle goes on.

I once had a conversation with some ‘sex workers’ in Zurich who were actually on strike and picketing.…for better hours! (They actually had ‘uniforms’ to show solidarity and to which of the two unions they ascribed)

Facing Crackdowns in the E.U., Hookers Find Sanctuary in Switzerland

The world’s oldest profession is now represented by a labor union in Geneva. It also has much more perks than the rest of Europe—or the world

world.time.com

Sounds like some of the problems the DMs are facing, as well.

Too many people doing it for free.

 

[Fishdip]

Dive masters get a tag by the name on scuba board tho not a single person including mods can tell you how that happens!