5 Questions To Ask Your Potential Dive Instructor

[@adampilot8275]

Jamesy is brilliant. Straight to the point but very honest and very human. NEVER a bad clip. This man truly loves diving and appreciates the rest of us that feel the same no matter what level of competency. 5 (non PADI) stars for Jamesy.

[@MatthiasLebo]

All very valid points mate. Number 5 is by far the most important one in my opinion. No passion - no good 👍🏻 😉

[@DiversReady]

Couldn't agree more

[@stedebonnet1340]

Looking at this as an old geezer PADI instructor and former dive center owner, I found it to be mostly great advice. But a couple of considerations should go along with this little "pre course interview". Firstly...people should remember that you get what you pay for. I found most people wanted the cheapest course they could find. And I know dive shops that pay the instructor only $50 per student even if hes just teaching 1-2 students at a time. Realistically, it takes at least 20-40 hrs of the instructor's time to make an open water diver class happen....if he/she is doing a quality course. So basically, what you should expect from your course/instructor should be tempered by what you are willing to pay for the course. Secondly...Most "shop" instructors are limited in the time and resources they can put into a class. As employees of a dive shop, they will be obliged to conduct the course as prescribed by their employer (of course...meeting the training agency standards as well). As an independent instructor, I have been able to spend much more time with students and offer those extra gems of knowledge you mentioned. And there was also the benefit of building a lasting friendship with students. Some of my best friends are people I certified to dive 25 yrs ago. And lastly, initially, I was that guy who taught and guided divers 12+ days/nights in a row and then went fun diving on my day off. BUT....that cannot continue for more than a few months. It's down right unhealthy (physically and mentally) for the instructor. They have to take time for other endeavors, family, chores, rest and even off gassing. Yep the one time I may have had a touch of the bends was from diving 4-5 dives per day 2 weeks straight. Not to mention that they can eventually get totally burned out on diving. It happened to me after about 5 yrs and I had to take a long break. Bottom line is...you want an instructor who is excited about diving. But you also want him/her to have a healthy work/life balance.

[@toriless]

What is typical around here is they will put 8 into the classroom portion and then send along 1 assistant for the pool and 2 assistants for the OW portion but I have seen even more assistants at times.

[@shuntao3475]

off gassing..... I visited a chamber a few years ago. Doctor suggested my average of 5 dives a day (on Air) for 5 weeks was the cause. He said you can do that in your 20's, not in your 40's.

[@stedebonnet1340]

@@shuntao3475 Yep...I was 32 at the time. Put myself on O2 and rested a couple of days. Probably should have "called for pizza". But the nearest chamber would have required an airlift. So I had another instructor monitor me. Started feeling better in a few hours. Most people dont realize it but instructors and divemasters have a significantly higher exposure to the bends and even ear injury because they are constantly chasing down wayward divers and surface bolters. Plus, we tend to be party animals at night :)

[@gregropp1003]

My open water instructor was great. It was very clear that even with all the diving has done that he was still passionate about diving. He loved it and wanted to share that love and passion with you so you could enjoy it as much as he did.

[@andreasfranzfodinger971]

friend request on facebook andreas franz födinger the picturse is buds spencer will make owd padi

[@everythingscuba]

Great video James. As instructors, we fully agree that questions should be asked of the dive shop and the actual instructor assigned to you! And YES......work with an instructor who dives on their own time! You know then you are dealing with someone who loves diving!

[@randyfreston962]

"Until your undercarriage looks like a rusted out Ford Bronco" That was hilarious! One thing my Instructed emphasized and advertised was that his class and training included more "pool time" and "underwater training" than the other LDS'. To me that meant more hands-on underwater training and skill re-enforcement than the other shops. At the time that sounded like more value to me and looking back, I feel it was better.

[@richadcock70]

I was fortunate to have instructors who are passionate about scuba and they still keep in touch with me to invite me to dives or just what dives I've been doing.

[@billhazel4476]

When I initially attempted the sport I didn't know what to ask and was randomly assigned an instructor. Of course the results were less than optimal. The classroom portion was ok but I really retained little to nothing. First day in the water I was a bit slower than my peers and the furthest I got was relative comfort in about 22 feet of salt water. I couldn't descend to the requisite 28 feet to kneel and go through the drills. After this approximate 10+ hour day the instructor informed me I should truly consider if I'd be able to complete the next day where I'd have to descend to 60 feet. The next morning prior to reporting time he called me up and informed me he had thought of me, my performance the day prior and strongly recommended that I recycle into another class. He gave me drills to practice but really no clear directions on how to know when I was ready. Ultimately after a few months I recontacted him and insisted I be given the opportunity to get back on the horse to complete the course. To no ones surprised I found myself referred to another instructor to complete the course lol. I completed my Open Water Course about six months after initially beginning. I then proceeded to despite my discomfort to plug away through the hoops/specialties and finally achieving PADI DM status. Am I the best diver on island? Heck no but I keep jumping in and feel I've moved lightyears over the past 4 years. Love the sport but I get it, not every instructor can teach/reach every student!

[@johannarath9290]

Thanks for your great channel and thanks for all the tips. My boyfriend and I are now diving for 1.5 years. We did the OWD on Curacao last year. We had an amazing instructor who invested plenty of time in our exercises. And also after the dives he took the time to answer all our questions while having a beer together. We were so happy to have done the OWD with someone who combined the fun of diving with expertise. This year we did our AOWD in Greece and were shocked by the training. It was completely different. We had the impression, that it’s more teaching in a production line. If we had asked the second dive center the questions in this video, we certainly would not have done a course there. Keep up your great work. It is a pleasure to watch your videos. Greetings from Berlin, Germany

[@toriless]

Most of those vacation spot courses are joke. An hour or two in the pool and then they take you out for your first dive.

[@canelabuxade]

I really like your comments. What you say is look for pasion on your teacher. I follow your videos because i could feel the pasion you have for your sport. with exception of people per class ( I've been teacher in another outdoors sport and unfourtanally is something that not allways teacher could decide). the rest of the tips is pasion. And pasion, you will see in your instructor in the 3 first minuts talking with him or you never will see. Totally agree, you need talk with you instructo i

[@shuntao3475]

I agree with everything expect the Physic's statement (Dive Table's and Physiology). I truly believe there can be less focus on these topics for OW. Prior to moving from AoW into Tech, I do not remember 1 time Physic's and Physiology mattered. I have user Dive Tables 1 time (AoW class) in my recreational diving career. Focus should be - Neutral Buoyancy, Trim, Breathing, weighting, propulsion, and configuration. I think gear configuration is way under emphasized.

[@jaydee1020]

Great video and topic! My OWD instructor, did the bare min to get me certified. I got handed the book with instructions "read this and we'll go diving". He hung over me during my written telling don't answer anything you don't 100% know. I always wondered if I hadn't read the manual if he would have just feed me the answers. In contrast my son's instructor provided so much classroom and pool instruction, he didn't really need to watch the E-learning stuff.

[@alle_namen_schon_vergeben708]

I made a try dive with my father and the instructor a year before we made our open water certification with him. It was quite cold (my lips turned blue - german baltic sea) and the air resistance at my regulator was set incredibly high (probably the guy who dived it before I did made that), but the instructor surfaced with me and managed to calm me down and we finished the dive (it was still a nice dive) A year after our OWD we made our AOWD with him and I'm looking forward to make my rescue diver with him as well. He is very funny and nice all the time and opened the dive base after he was done with his "real" job :D I think couldn't have found a better instructor as him :)

[@BlueHorizonDiving]

A lot of really good valid points. Passion is massively important!

[@KEECHYGAMING]

I've done my open, advance, rescue, wreck and deep all at different schools around the world without speaking with the instructor just doing my research and getting recommendations and I never had a problem with all 5 instructors

[@toriless]

You were lucky. At least one in three are bad. I was on the beach when one killed a few kids and he had done it before.

[@chriscoleman8826]

HA! Great shot of the Mk 2 :) great advice. I accidentally asked the "when was the last fun dive" question and it was the one that sold me on my instructor. FYI she couldn't stop talking diving.

[@OrenNoah]

I got super lucky with my OWSI. Only four students in the pool and I was the only student for the ocean dives (with a DMT to boot!). We became friends and I've even stayed over at his house many times on dive weekends.

[@toriless]

I had about 8 to 12 for my OW dives but I was lucky enough to be partnered with the instructor so I got do to a couple of exercise (I think shared air since you can see the details when close too) with him but many with others. However, most of the time was spent just swimming around so he could observe I followed the safety rules and could perform on my own under real world conditions as one should be able to do. He was a Divermaster for a long time as well. It mostly seemed like I was doing my first real post OW dive.

[@beanscream]

thank you for this video as a freshly new OWD i have found myself asking for what a good dive instructor would need to offer and this very clear and straight to the point. much appreciated!!

[@BlackPearlCamaro]

Lots of good points! I was lucky to meet an choose my instructor and now I have a good friend out it now that I'm certified!

[@lestersitotrying6841]

I wished I had watched this video long time ago before I took my ow course. I met the most unprofessional, unethical person someone could ever have as an instructor, mainly because of him “ my buddy “ at the time had a traumatic experience and never got back in the water again. Every time I asked him he kept making excuses. Gave my feedback to the owner, he took over whatever I got left from my course however I came back to shop the other day and the terrible instructor is still there

[@mataszanevicius815]

Got certified a year ago in Vilnius Lithuania. And I did get very lucky 🙂 My instructor is as passionate about diving as anyone can possibly be. And he is a great teacher. I dive with him to this day. Althoug I'm a certified diver now the mentoship never stopped. I am still learning stuff everytime we dive. When it comes to buying gear I know I can trust his advice being sure that he will put my best interest first, even when it means that I am not buying from him. He retails gear as well, btw. I simply can't recoment the guy enough. Find a way to contact me if you are shopping for couses in Lt and I will be more than happy to give you a refference.

[@lydialeigh4]

Great questions to ask! I even took a friend with me to a couple of the dive shops I was checking out so I could have another set of eyes and ears checking out the team and the shop. It helped.

[@omegadivingacademy7937]

Hey James Good Video, especially the focus on customers asking questions before doing the training. I am sure you are aware that it is fantastic for a LDS since you can be "judged on apples for apples" basis when selling the training course versus the " you get a free cooler with course registration" and 10 bucks discount and by the way we will throw in some scuba training. A informed customer or one having done some research on the training makes for great conversation where scuba on the whole is the focus so that the customer does not even have to ask question 5 as through the interaction a customer can already tell. I think any LDS should be excited to have such a possible customer as it also relates to the customers commitment too.

[@toriless]

I did the opposite and paid the extra $80 for dry suit lessons, which includes the equipment. I thought it was bargain. The rental alone can easily cost that much. I was show about half a dozen was to recover from if my feet get filled with air and I end upside down, I practiced most and had to demonstrate proficiency in 3, I think. It was more then 2. It is surprisingly easy. I find it unimaginable that some people have died from it. Anyhow, this was along with all the other skills plus you get used to the weird feel of them. 40F is a warm surface temperature around here. At least the water is clearer in the fall.

[@brentrandolph1396]

I wish I watched this video when I took my course. I was 16 when I got certified and I walked into the nearest dive shop and signed up for the class. My first instructor was cool but I guess that was just a sub for my actual instructor that I wasn’t really a fan of.

[@declan2227]

Hi James, new to the channel and brand new to diving. I did a Discover Scuba, and now I am in love and looking to get certified. I reached out to a few dive centers with the 5 questions you outlined in your vid. One took offence, saying that "this is the most pretentious email they have ever seen." Guess they are off the list, lol. Thanks again for the great content.

[@kurttidd8922]

James - as usual, another video jam-packed with wisdom and insights, useful for both the prospective diver and the experienced diving professionals. I’d offer that these same five questions (with perhaps slight variations/adaptations) are useful screening questions for dive center operators to use as they interview prospective new instructors. And IDC Directors could use them to help frame IDC candidates’ perspectives and expectations about actually becoming a dive professional. Really appreciate your great content, keep up your passion, and come dive with us down in Islamorada sometime!

[@alvaromedina4242]

James, great video as always. I got lucky many years ago with my open water dive instructor. He was passionate about diving, and dove often ( it helped being on an island with tons of great diving). I hope I get to speak with instructors for my advance open water course this year before I get assigned one, and if not I hope I get lucky again. Love the videos and too bad you're in Miami I'm hoping to dive in Tampa this coming year looking forward to diving the circle of heroes.

[@ScubaHockeyDoc]

James Your passion for the sport is contagious. I can't wait for my training with you in a couple of months! Steve

[@scottvannederynen6429]

Your suggestions for specific classes on Equipment, Dive Ediquate, Packing for dive travel, in water basics are wonderful.

[@toriless]

Etiquette

[@uniquediver]

Another spot on video!

[@aralverson]

Spot on! I've experienced everything you've mentioned in this video, but was lucky enough to happen upon a fantastic instructor earlier in my career rather than later. I've also seen some that have been stuck with horrible instructors because that's all they knew. A lot of this also falls on the staff at the dive store to encourage new dive students to find the right instructor. Unfortunately, there are also students that get stuck with the instructors because that's the only time that works in their schedule.

[@kyleknickerbocker8650]

I wish I had these when my wife and daughter got their certs. Fortunately the shop made it right, what a cluster for their cert dive.

[@Biken17]

Love you're videos I know I'm late to the party but just found this, I would say my open water was middle of the road. I liked the instructor but class was on the bigger side. Ended up feeling good with most skills but my buoyancy is awful

[@blindey]

This was really helpful. I was going to make the mistake of just meeting up with a random instructor at the local dive center and it may've worked out but mayv'e been really bad.

[@wadehowell1369]

I will be an instructor soon and I have had good instructors in the past. I agree that passion for the sport is an excellent indicator. My plan is to have additional dives beyond the checkoff dives that are included/required before I certify someone and to have "pre-planned" fun dives with students to keep them engaged, encouraged, and to build experience. Love the channel, come up to cave country check out our springs. Let me know when you do...

[@toriless]

The problems is lots of the classroom takes place on weekday evenings and the OW doves on weekends mornings which leave little "you" time if you have a real job weekdays before teaching.

[@roymcelwee9334]

Great info and tips as always. Thanks.

[@thomasgillett8102]

As always, awesome video James!

[@drewbursey6022]

I got really lucky with my instructors and numbers. My open water class had 6 (plus a dive master). My AOW had 5 (plus a DM) and my deep had 4 which was great for practicing skills. Hopefully my next course will have less people 🤞

[@toriless]

Rescue Diver courses are often big and not held that often. I have observed many courses being taught.

[@benmaier7169]

You got that content !!!!!!!

[@safelander7811]

Hi James, thank you for making this video and putting so much passion into your content! I'm about to become a newly certified Instructor and will be working at a dive centre in Malta next year, and I'm looking forward to teaching the best courses possible :) would you be interested in making a video for all those intructors out there looking for practical advice on how to be the best instructor you can? I'm sure many dive pros would find any hints and tips incredibly useful!

[@louwgreeff6591]

Your last point kindoff sums it all up. Luckily im blessed with a instructor whos nr1 rule, and he make this clear every day, is it must be fun...

[@toriless]

I had one that taught it like boot camp. It is still quite common.

[@ramytk1]

James. Was that a Garmin MK2...? You just flashed on your wrist? If it is when are we getting that review?

[@DiversReady]

It's coming!

[@mikepark5884]

Love this. I’ve got a dive shop 5km from my house and another 50km away. I always go to the one 50km away for the reasons you mention. The local guy was more about selling than teaching. He once gave me nitrox in a tank that looked like a regular tank (not color coded). Not going there any more.

[@commonexplosion9910]

yeah, nothing feels worse than to be sold something that's being hyped up by the seller to later find out much easyer and better/cheaper solutions are available. Happens especially when buying a bcd/wing. The nitrox tank however isn't necessary a problem though. Anything under 40% O2 can be used in a regular tank with a normal regulator IF it is premixed in a buffer. Anything above and you'll need the special tank with safe plastics,... (that's the rule where I dive at least)

[@mikepark5884]

@@commonexplosion9910 Agree on the requirements but I’m super about safety and differentiating between Nitrox and air with a piece of tape seems wrong. Easy for people to mix up. When you dive with others not using Nitrox

[@stevecoffey4884]

Walk in the shop and there are 10 cylinders in the hallway standing up unsecured?

[@johnmontgomery2735]

I have a friend who is looking to get certified on our Bonaire trip next year. I worry about the level of training hell get at a resort in another country. Any suggestions on how to close this gap when training somewhere unfamiliar?

[@aftvlog3925]

Hi james. love your channel and thanks for all the advise. I just want to share my experience, 3 years ago I did my Advanced Open water with an SDI instructor. I did my training although I was not very happy with all the lesson I received, so many skill that I believe is missing through the course from E Learning access, Navigation Skill and even DSMB deployment. I paid him extra so that I can have 1:1 session with him and he promised me a flexibility time through out the course. 3 years gone by and I still not receive a certificate/cards or online certificate but Im glad I didnt, since then I've tried to contacted him and ask for further training, helps or a refund. he kept ignoring me all the time. however I will not blame the agency as I had a good SDI instructor when I did open water class and I do believed its not about the agency however is it possible to report this problem to the agency so that this will not happen to other people. please share your thoughts. thanks

[@brandonm1088]

Just a heads up the DiveRite social media accounts aren't in the description

[@dannysingletary9648]

Is that the Garmin Descent mk2i on your wrist?

[@alle_namen_schon_vergeben708]

it is. Just after his last video garmin sent those to him (3x) He posted it on his instagram profile-> instagram.com/diversready/

[@DiversReady]

Maybe... !

[@manuelbelloso456]

@@DiversReady You got it 😏 and I hope to see the review video soon after you do your water testing.

[@toriless]

I have had both and more. The first instructors was an asshole, he would give partial instructions and expect you to guess the rest and think it was your fault that he did not properly instruct you. He would berated people, etc. I took it again with a decent one but the best instructor I have ever observed was his assistant. She was "brilliant" as you blokes say. She made sure you did it right and not half-assed. She works at an aquarium for her real job.

[@shadwabarghash8734]

Thankfully my instructor is fun yet professional (want his trainees to be A* divers, for his name thus reputation is on our licenses & he cares), my earned money (given I'm just 1-yr experienced in workforce) has be cost-effective. Ahmed Marof "Salaka" - Bdiver community - New Cairo, Egypt. Just slow in licence delivery upon course completion, all else great.

[@stephaniecardenas3126]

Hey James I'm looking to get my open water certification over my college winter break in Palm Beach :D. Currently, I'm trying to find the best option for a prescription scuba mask. There are a lot of different options either going custom or buying premade inserts and I mostly have to look online right now because of the covid situation, but do you know of any good places to go online or in-person in South Florida that could help?

[@andywaring12]

"Backpacker on his gap year" - lol

[@toriless]

Yeah, I saw one, I did learn a few tricks from him like the guru float which did not take me that long to do as well.

[@kacbhc]

Hello James, as usual open words! I`m pretty sure following that advise can make a difference not just when it comes to quality of training but also finding your personal way into a great sport and staying active in it. There is another topic I`d be glad to get your opinion on. I remember your statement that the world would be a better place if every diver would be a rescue diver. After getting certified as AOWD I started my CMAS** training. Looking on the international standards it seems like CMAS** and AOWD are more or less equivalent but having a closer look on the training content it seems to me like CMAS** is quite similar to rescue diver training. Can you comment on this? By the way, as you originated from the UK can you state something about the acceptance of CMAS in Europe compared to the US? Is it really like some people say that CMAS certification is hardly known or accepted in the US? Thank you and greetings from Germany (Stay healthy of course!!!) Dominik

[@diverron1]

Hi Dominik, I am in UK, with BSAC. All of our qualification cards have the CMAS equivalent on them, although I think very few actual divers will be aware of CMAS. If you join a BSAC club, your Diving Officer will consult a cross-over table to work out exactly what your CMAS rating means, and if you need any additional training to help you dive locally. Your CMAS training will stand you in good stead. Off the top of my head (I’m bald, so its easy to see there) you would probably be rated as a BSAC Sports Diver, which would mean we would need to train you on our diving tables, and do dry suit training with you if you haven’t used one before (apart from the south coast, the water here is too cold for you to have good long dives in a wet suit (sea temperature here now is about 11 degrees C, and our local quarries are about the same). I can’t speak for the rest of Europe. Good diving, and stay safe! Ron

[@npirzkal]

Personally, I also need to see that any instructor (or even guide) has what appears to be bright enough to do simple math and has a realistic understanding of how physics and science works. I doubt I would dive with anyone who do not understand global warming for example....

[@andreasfranzfodinger971]

gif this video for germany speaker pepele

[@paulgee8253]

Nobody ever talks about that.

[@leczgdzietoniewiadoma2753]

How many 13 year Olds scuba dive?

[@toriless]

I have seen younger but teenagers are common, they are often learning with people that are already certified and won't to learn too. The twenties is the biggest newbie age. Some are actually pretty good despite being in that age range.

[@kevinstoll3900]

Will never look at a ford bronco the same.

[@DiversReady]

Hahahahahaha!

[@comptegoogle511]

Also, make sure that he's not a navy veteran nostalgic of the boot camp power trip. This is RECREATIONAL diving and older yet mildly achieved customers who spend alot of money in a dive shop to unplug from a stressfull job wont appreciate the rudness and it wont contribute to improve the diving association reputation that he's working for. For the week-end G.I. Joe wanna be there's always the navy reserve and this way you can get payed to learn how to dive. If you think I'm joking? Talk with this guy: facebook.com/Martin.van.Gestel

[@benarthur1492]

How often do you “fun dive?” Not nearly enough. If I had it my way for every student I certify I do 3 fun dives. Truth, I may get 20 fun times a year. Stupid work 🤬🤬

[@KB-gd6fc]

Too bad so many instructors get butt hurt if you expect anything better than the status quo.