When (in terms of dive experience) and where should I take the Divemaster course?

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Youssef ElNahas

Contributor
Messages
84
Reaction score
38
Location
Cairo, Egypt
# of dives
50 - 99
Hey everyone,

I'm interested in eventually doing the DM course. Even if I don't end up working in the industry I definitely wouldn't mind the new knowledge I learned and the chance to travel and dive (a lot) somewhere new!

I'm currently a PADI AOW student with 31 dives. I plan on doing the Rescue Diver course and the TDI intro to tech (to improve my skills underwater) in summer, which should bring me up to the minimum of 40 dives required to start the Divemaster course.

I was wondering if it would be better to do some more diving/become more comfortable before starting the course (and if so how much), or if it would be better to go for it right away since the skills I learn will help me later on.



For the second part of the question, I'm Egyptian so I do most of my diving here in the Red Sea. However, I would like to do my DM somewhere else. Assuming I would return to dive here in Egypt, should I find somewhere with similar conditions or perhaps somewhere more challenging? Any specific recommendations (location not dive shops)?


Thanks a lot!
 
To answer your questions.

Experience does matter, the more diving you can do the better.

Anyone can get the skills to demonstration level. It's just a case of practice and repetition.

For the guiding and running dives. Ask yourself this. If you were a paying client would you be happy if you were the DM looking after them?

As a DM you are a role model, and the person people look to for assistance and advice. Can you deal with an equipment failure underwater in a calm manner or without being flustered?

Only the individual can know if they are ready.
 
I started the course after doing 157 dives. It obviously varies per person. Need more than 31 though. Having tons of dives doesn't mean one is better at it than someone with fewer, but maybe a good number would be 100? I believe the required number is 40 but many feel this is way too few.
 
Thanks for your replies! The required number is in fact 40.

What about doing the course at 40 but getting more experience before actually working as a DM?
 
Thanks for your replies! The required number is in fact 40.

What about doing the course at 40 but getting more experience before actually working as a DM?
Well, that's a different approach. My guess would be that if you are able to complete the course logically you would be prepared to jump right into working. Unless you had an instructor who didn't make sure of that. I believe you need 60 dives upon completion of course work to get the cert.
Have to admit I've never heard of anyone doing it that way. I guess if you did finish and wanted more experience prior to working it would be beneficial to do a lot of diving at the sites you would be working at. Also, assisting courses where there is a paid DM present--to get used to the logistics of the operation. Now, I'm not one to advise working for free if you are a pro, but if there is someone else DMing there it would be like auditing the class. If you didn't pay agency membership yet, my guess is you wouldn't need liability insurance to audit as you wouldn't be considered working as a pro. Don't take my word for that--get legal advice. Once you feel ready to go you then make sure you can get work somewhere with pay if assisting with courses (maybe just tips if doing charters, though I haven't and personally wouldn't do that). THEN you get agency membership and liability insurance (for assisting courses, the Instructor's insurance doesn't cover assistants).
 
I tell everyone to take you time. Most do not need to have DM for a cert. You can take it at I think 50-60 dives. but face it you have no real experience. If I try to visualize a DM I think he is the guro of diving in any water under any conditions. My recommendation is to take rescue at about 50 dives or so. Spend another 50 dives to experience others paying the price for their mistakes. I don't know anyone that has not had to deal with a lost tank, either their own or their buddies. Even dumb stuff like jumping in with the air off. You are no good to others till you can do it rght your self. the saying ,,,,,,you don't know what you don't know is true. Take the time to do fresh and salt water diving. good and bad vis, current and not. Experience and prevent several real lost buddy incidents, lost weight belts. when you get a handle on keeping your self in good shape you will be in a position to be that good buddy for others. then you can really begin to take on new training. There is so much more to learn in a class when you can relate to your past experiences.
 
I tell everyone to take you time. Most do not need to have DM for a cert. You can take it at I think 50-60 dives. but face it you have no real experience. If I try to visualize a DM I think he is the guro of diving in any water under any conditions. My recommendation is to take rescue at about 50 dives or so. Spend another 50 dives to experience others paying the price for their mistakes. I don't know anyone that has not had to deal with a lost tank, either their own or their buddies. Even dumb stuff like jumping in with the air off. You are no good to others till you can do it rght your self. the saying ,,,,,,you don't know what you don't know is true. Take the time to do fresh and salt water diving. good and bad vis, current and not. Experience and prevent several real lost buddy incidents, lost weight belts. when you get a handle on keeping your self in good shape you will be in a position to be that good buddy for others. then you can really begin to take on new training. There is so much more to learn in a class when you can relate to your past experiences.

It's so funny to jump in the water with a close tank when it's you, the divemaster :D

Even as a divemaster, I sometimes wonder if I'm not completly dumb, but weirdly, it only happens when I fun dive. The moment I start working, I focus solely on the group or the DSD and stop forgetting everything !
 
Guess I'm lucky most of the diving I do is shore diving:acclaim:


Thanks for the tips! I think I'll postpone it for a bit.
 
Guess I'm lucky most of the diving I do is shore diving:acclaim:


Thanks for the tips! I think I'll postpone it for a bit.

I would ask yourself why you want to become a DM? If the answer is to teach or as a stepping stone to Instructor then great! If the answer is to make yourself a better diver, I wouldn't spend the money as that isn't what DM is all about.
 
Hey everyone,

I'm interested in eventually doing the DM course. Even if I don't end up working in the industry I definitely wouldn't mind the new knowledge I learned and the chance to travel and dive (a lot) somewhere new!

I'm currently a PADI AOW student with 31 dives. I plan on doing the Rescue Diver course and the TDI intro to tech (to improve my skills underwater) in summer, which should bring me up to the minimum of 40 dives required to start the Divemaster course.

I was wondering if it would be better to do some more diving/become more comfortable before starting the course (and if so how much), or if it would be better to go for it right away since the skills I learn will help me later on.



For the second part of the question, I'm Egyptian so I do most of my diving here in the Red Sea. However, I would like to do my DM somewhere else. Assuming I would return to dive here in Egypt, should I find somewhere with similar conditions or perhaps somewhere more challenging? Any specific recommendations (location not dive shops)?


Thanks a lot!
It sounds like most of your diving experience has been with an instructor, as part of a class. I think most agencies do count class dives, but imo they shouldn't. Do 40 (or more) dives on your own first.
 
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