Congratulations on your decision to become a PADI Divemaster! The leadership skills you’ll learn during your training will add immensely to your diving pleasure and confidence. By adding to your Rescue Diver skills, it will make you one of the most qualified people at the dive site. With the Divemaster certification, you will qualify to serve as an assistant to a PADI Instructor, providing a valuable service. Most of all, you will be prepared to begin training to become a PADI Instructor!
Characteristics expected of a PADI Divemaster:
- Exemplary diving skills
- Exceptional Rescue Diver skills
- Professional-level knowledge of dive theory
- Competence as a certified assistant
- Dive management and supervision abilities
- Ethical role model behavior
- Enthusiastic and fun!
As a certified PADI Divemaster, you will be qualified to:
- Independently guide Open Water diver students on the tour portion of the Open Water diver course training dives 2-4, at a ratio of 2:1
- Accompany Open Water students under the indirect supervision of an Instructor during surface swims, navigation exercises, and staying with the group while the Instructor conducts skills such as ascents.
- Conduct any subsequent dives for Discover Scuba Diving, at a ratio of 2:1 (if insured), after they successfully completed the first dive with an Instructor.
- Conduct Discover Local Diving experiences for certified divers (if insured)
- Conduct Discover Snorkeling (if insured)
- Conduct Scuba Review for certified divers (if insured)
- Teach and certify PADI Skin Divers independently (if insured)
- Accompany certified divers during training dives, generally supervise training and non-training activities, assist a PADI instructor in the confined water (increase ratios by 4 additional students) and assist in the open water (increasing ratios by 2 additional students) for the Open Water course. Also, your assistance can increase the allowable student ratio for an Instructor by 4 additional students for courses beyond the Open Water course.
To qualify for entrance into the PADI Divemaster course, you must:
- Be certified as a PADI Advanced Open Water diver, or equivalent
- Be certified as a PADI Rescue Diver, or equivalent
- Have logged at least 20 dives in your personal logbook
- Be at least 18 years of age by the start date of the course
- Submit a medical clearance signed by a physician
- Have a complete set of SCUBA equipment
There are 3 segments of the PADI Divemaster course:
Knowledge Development
You will be required to successfully pass 8 exams:
- Supervising Activities For Certified Divers
- Supervising Student Divers In Training
- PADI Divemaster Conducted Programs
- Dive Physics
- Dive Physiology & First Aid
- Equipment
- Decompression Theory And The RDP’s (Tables And Wheel)
- Dive Skills And The Environment
The first 3 exams are best studied from the PADI Divemaster manual. The following exams should be studied from the Encyclopedia of Recreational Diving and the Diving Knowledge Workbook. Additionally, you will be required to turn in the completed Knowledge Reviews at the end of each module of the Divemaster manual.
You may complete individually, or part of a team, an emergency assistance plan for a local dive site. This information should include medical contact information, local authorities, nearest recompression facility, communication requirements and any other important information. You will also make a map of the local dive site – individually or as part of a team.
Watermanship And Stamina
This portion may be completed in as little as 2 or 3 pool sessions or confined open water. You must score at least 12 points for the following exercises:
1. 400 yard swim – without stopping – no swim aids
under 6 minutes = 5 points
6 to 8 minutes = 4 points
8 – 10 minutes = 3 points
10 – 12 minutes = 2 points
12 + minutes = 1 point
2. 15 minute tread – with hands out for the last 2 minutes
Performed satisfactorily = 5 points
Did tread but no hands out = 3 points
Used side no more than twice = 1 point
Used side or bottom more than twice = 0
3. 800 yard mask, snorkel & fin swim
Under 13 minutes = 5 points
13 – 15 minutes = 4 points
15 – 17 minutes = 3 points
17 – 19 minutes = 2 points
more than 19 = 1 point
4. 100 yard inert diver tow
under 2 minutes = 5 points
2 – 3 minutes = 4 points
3 – 4 minutes = 3 points
4 – 5 minutes = 2 points
more than 5 = 1 point
Additionally, you will need to master an effective rescue of an unresponsive diver. This will include in-water resuscitation and equipment removal of both rescuer and victim.
Another portion of the watermanship and stamina is the skill circuit. You will learn how to demonstrate the following skills (with a score of 3 or better):
- gear assembly
- pre-dive safety check (BWRAF)
- deep water entry
- buoyancy check at surface
- 5 point descent
- weight belt R & R (remove & replace)
- fin pivot
- 5 point ascent
- snorkel-regulator exchange
- BC - R & R (remove & replace)
- hover motionless
- buddy breathing stationary
- buddy breathe swimming
- mask R & R (remove & replace)
- free flow regulator
- alternate air source – stationary
- emergency swim ascent
- regulator recover & clear (remove & replace)
You must score at least a 3 on each skill – and score a total of no less than 63 on the entire circuit. The scoring is as follows:
- Couldn’t perform skill – had great difficulty = 1
- Performed with some difficulty = 2
- Performed correctly although a little quickly = 3
- Performed very smoothly – no problem = 4
- Showed details of skill – looked easy – showed subskills = 5
The final skill is the equipment exchange between two divers while buddy breathing. This will assess your ability to deal with unexpected problems and stress. This is a problem solving evaluation and development tool only, it has no other application. The grading system is the same as above. You must score a 3 or higher.
Practical Application
This is the portion where you get to put it all together – applying the knowledge and skill you mastered in the previous sections.
- You will conduct an actual Discover Snorkeling, Discover Local Diving, Scuba Review or Skin Diver course under the direction of a PADI Instructor. Close attention will be paid to your ability to complete a briefing, effective and safe in water supervision, and a debriefing.
- You will participate in at least 5 confined water sessions while training actual students.
- You will participate in at least 4 open water training dives.
- You will participate in at least 1 open water training dive from a continuing education course.
- You will assist in a supervisory situation with certified divers not enrolled in a formal course.
The question often pops up, “How long will it take to finish the course?” Well, this course like all the other PADI programs, is performanced based. This means that you will be allowed to progress at your own pace. Some master the academic knowledge in a matter of days while others may take a few weeks. Completing the practical application portion can also vary. Some candidates will be able to devote everyday to this training while others may wish to spread it over several months. Therefore, it is possible to complete the course in as little as 3 weeks or up to a year or better.
The $695 tuition does not includes your Divemaster manual, spring fees or nitrox. the Divemaster Manual is $40. The extra costs you can expect is the PADI processing fee of $55 and the Encyclopedia of Recreational Diving ($35) and the Diving Knowledge Workbook ($16). You are encouraged to own your own copy of the PADI Instructor manual (paper or digital $180). You will need to access one for both the exam and to actually teach your courses.
You can expect to get approximately 10 – 15 dives during your training which will credit toward your required 60 dives to complete your training. Payment plans can be arranged.
You will soon earn your rating as a PADI Divemaster and be considered as a dive professional! This includes being a leader, a supervisor, a teacher, a boat master, a rescue diver, a medic, an equipment specialist, a marine environmentalist – a diving expert!
"This can be one of the best decisions of your life!" -Anna Schmitz