Divemaster

The Dive Leader (English for dive guide, often called dive guide or a dive master ) describes minimum requirements for training and certification for experienced scuba divers that are defined in the international standard ISO 24801-3 and the relevant European standard EN 14153-3. Various diving organizations offer a dive training that meets the requirements of the dive leader. A certification ( certified diver ), corresponding to the dive leader, the right to self- guiding a group of trained divers in open water. While many diving schools and diving centers professional, employ as Dive Leader certified divers as dive guides, they work in clubs mostly honorary and part-time. Most diving organizations recommend a dive leader, not to exceed a depth of 30 or 40 meters. After the successful completion of an equivalent with the Dive Leader training learned in specialized courses, training as a diving instructor assistant ( ISO 24802-1 ) or instructor can be deepened and extended ( ISO 24802-2 ).

Prerequisite to start training as a Dive Leader is the completion of training in an Autonomous Diver ( ISO 24801-2 ) or one of the higher, non-normalized intermediates. In many dive shops about 40 to 100 documented dives and a current certificate from a diving medical examination by a diving physician must be submitted before the course starts.

Because it does not concern official documents at the usual certifications for scuba divers, they are only recommendations. However, the spirit brevets, corresponding to the dive leader, just for professional dive guide a professional card equal to the them - thanks to the international standard - allows to accept jobs worldwide. Occurred in a common diving group an accident, so the event of any legal dispute or insurance usually is the behavior of a diver is certified as Dive Leader or equivalent, because of his training valued differently than that of a diver with a deeper Brevetierungsstufe. Therefore, it may be advisable that a diver additionally insured with an equivalent to the Dive Leader certification.

Training in accordance with ISO 24801-3

Worldwide, about 1.7 million people a year are trained in accordance with ISO 24801. Despite the common normalizing the individual diving courses diving organizations in content, development and philosophy differ sometimes considerably. The minimum requirements that are defined in the ISO standard, however, guarantee that a diver can easily change the training organization.

The following courses meet the requirements of the normalized Dive Leaders:

CMAS ***

The CMAS *** ( three stars) training goes beyond the requirements defined for the Autonomous Diver. CMAS first requires the existence of a theoretical examination before open water may be practiced (such as in a lake or sea). Therefore, the basic understanding of the student diver is first built in usually 6 theory lessons. After passing the theory test then the diving practice for six to ten lessons learned in open water, practiced and tested. Part of the course are several apnea exercises, such as the Plug - and time diving. After the successful completion of the learning with specialized courses or the CMAS TL * ( one-star instructor ) can be deepened and expanded. CMAS recommends a three star diver with an appropriately trained Buddy to dive to a maximum depth of 40 meters. For three star diver 10-14 years of age, a maximum diving depth of 15 meters is recommended.

The focus of the CMAS *** - training is on the dive team leadership. Basically, the diver should learn all the exercises and techniques of CMAS ** - to control (two -star ) training safely under additional stress and at the same time leading a group of several divers and perfect for all involved. The following topics are covered in the CMAS *** Course:

  • Diving Medicine
  • Diving physics
  • Rescue techniques
  • First aid
  • Emergency plan
  • Dive planning and organization
  • Environmental and conservation
  • Decompression
  • Dive guide
  • Conducting briefings
  • Group leadership
  • Planning and Securing apnea dives

To participate in a CMAS *** Course, a diver has a CMAS ** or an equivalent certification card and must be able have at least 20 logged dives since the conclusion of the two-star training. Overall, he should have an experience of at least 50 dives and be at least 16 years old. For a certification card - the launch of the three-star level - is necessary an experience of 100 dives. The CMAS gold course can be attended from the age of 10 years. These children diving courses differ only by a child-friendly mediation of the same content.

The dive leader training of the individual CMAS member organizations (eg: VDST, TSVÖ or SUSV ) may deviate from the rules and the CMAS Bezichnungen.

NAUI Divemaster

The NAUI Divemaster Course (DM, English for diving champion) is a Tauchfüherausbildung corresponding to the normalized Dive Leader. This training is a diver convey the skills and knowledge to guide you safely as your dive guide a group of trained divers. A NAUI Divemaster should be able to support an instructor at the training. In addition to the group leadership of the course provides an understanding of all the diving is included in the the building upon instructor training. Except, of course, are mentioned in the instructor training didactic themes. The training includes about 20 hours of theory lessons and a test and about 10 open water dives. NAUI recommends DM- divers to dive to a maximum depth of 40 meters. After successfully completing the Divemaster training the acquired knowledge can be deepened and extended with so-called Specialties or NAUI Assistant Instructor or NAUI Instructor Course.

The NAUI Divemaster course includes the following topics:

  • Freediver rescue
  • Night Diving
  • Managing an emergency
  • Conduct briefings
  • Assist in diving basic courses
  • Organize dives
  • Scientific Diving
  • Duties and responsibilities of a divemaster
  • Emergency plan
  • Diver Rescue
  • Deep and Decompression Diving
  • Conservation
  • Diving equipment

To participate in a NAUI Divemaster course diver a NAUI Master Scuba Diver and NAUI Scuba Rescue Diver is a certification, or an equivalent certification card have. Total he should at least have an experience of 60 dives and be at least 18 years old. A first aid course with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR ) is also complete before.

PADI Divemaster

The PADI Divemaster Course (DM ) is a dive master training in a diver can learn all the content required by the ISO standard for a dive leader. In addition to the group leadership of the course provides all the knowledge and practical skills about diving is included in the building upon instructor training ( Instructor Developement Course ). Except, of course, are mentioned in the instructor training didactic themes. In 12 theory and practice various tutorials the contents of the Open Water Diver and Rescue Diver course will be studied in depth and learned and trained new. A fully certified as a PADI Divemaster diver may assist an instructor during training. If the Divemaster on additional training and qualifications, he may teach some courses or under supervision, such as: Discover Scuba Diving (DSD ), Digital Underwater Photographer (DUP ), Emergency First Response ( EFR ), Underwater Naturalist, etc. PADI divemasters allowed to dive to a maximum depth of 30 meters. Upon successful completion of the learning can be deepened with so-called Specialties or Instructor Developement Course (IDC ) and expanded.

The PADI Divemaster training includes three main parts:

  • Water and stamina
  • Diving skills in demonstration quality
  • Rescue skills
  • Role and characteristics of the divemaster
  • Supervision of diving activities certified diver
  • Assisting in the training of diving
  • Introduction to diving theory
  • Diving physics
  • Diving physiology
  • Diving equipment
  • Decompression Theory and the RDP
  • From Divemaster independently viable training
  • Risk Management
  • Business In Diving
  • Your diving career
  • Making an underwater map
  • From Divemaster executable program
  • Training Internship, Option 1, accompanied by real diving courses
  • Training simulations, Option 2, role playing

Prerequisite for Divemaster course is the PADI Rescue Diver certification card - (RD ) or a qualifying certification, at least 40 logged dives, a minimum age of 18 years and usually have a current diving medical certificate. Next is a PADI Emergency First Response Course or equivalent first aid course with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is less than 2 years old provided. Upon completion of the course, a diver must have at least 60 dives documented in the logbook.

SSI Dive Guide

The SSI Dive Guide course ( DG) is a dive leader training which is normalized to the dive leader equivalent. The entire training takes about 40 hours in which dives and advance a theoretical training and a test are included. The SSI Dive Guide may lead certified divers and plan dives. He is also entitled to independently under ranged snorkel training. From SSI Dive Guides will be allowed to dive to a maximum depth of 30 meters. After successful completion of the dive guide - training learned can be deepened with the SSI Divemaster training and expanded.

To participate in an SSI Dive Guide Course, a diver must have shot at least the SSI Advanced Open Water Diver, SSI Diver Stress & Rescue or equivalent training. The financial statements will be provided additional of 5 specialty or SSI Specialty Diver training and 40 recorded dives. The minimum age is 18 years and for a certification card as a dive guide is a solid shutdown in case of an SSI Dive Center compelling.

Further education

In addition to those mentioned above correspond to the following types of training the dive leader according to ISO 24801-3:

Criticism

Critics accuse the diver training organizations that they exhibit too many with the Dive Leader comparable Berevertierungen to maximize the profits of the organizations. Because of the large competitors struggle in the tourism industry and the many jobseekers dive guides the earning potential for dive guides were very modest worldwide. In addition, they see themselves in the job application often in direct competition with better-trained instructors. In many places, only instructors were hired for the job of the dive guides.

It is often criticized that it is possible to apply with only very limited experience as a diver, the responsible task of dive guide, which could endanger the safety of the divers out.

The training organizations response to this is that not only divers which aim to perform the task as a dive guide or cloth teachers, benefit from such training. The higher the proportion of divers with better training in a group is, the more secure will dive for all involved.

List of diver certification organizations National Association of Underwater Instructors Endurance Snorkeling
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