Freelance DM work?

[gtjason2000]

Is it very hard, next to impossible to be a freelance DM? There seems to be a lot of politics and competition such as LDS v LDS, this instructor v that instructor. I just want to do a lot of dives, help a lot of people become divers, and make some cash while doing so to buy more/better dive gear.

[WV Diver]

Originally Posted by gtjason2000

Is it very hard, next to impossible to be a freelance DM? There seems to be a lot of politics and competition such as LDS v LDS, this instructor v that instructor. I just want to do a lot of dives, help a lot of people become divers, and make some cash while doing so to buy more/better dive gear.

Ah yes, the american dream (if you're scuba obsessed). Good question, wish I had a good answer. I would suspect you could do so for tips on dive charters if you were in an area with a lot of dive shops.

[mm_dm]

Exactly. You're better off working on a dive boat if you want to pick up cash as a DM. Most DM's get paid little or nothing working for a LDS or two, usually the only money coming from Refreshers.

[cummings66]

From what I've seen around these parts a DM only gets work at a shop that trained them. The shops tend to do things their way and want to train you how to do it that way.

If you want to DM otherwise it's hard. You'd have to be a regular with that shop and they would then trust you. Even then it's touchy.

[woody]

Originally Posted by gtjason2000

Is it very hard, next to impossible to be a freelance DM? There seems to be a lot of politics and competition such as LDS v LDS, this instructor v that instructor. I just want to do a lot of dives, help a lot of people become divers, and make some cash while doing so to buy more/better dive gear.

Not may shops pay DM's, but some do. What agency are you through, that will help in focusing your quest.
You look to be local so why don't you PM me as we are always looking for DM's and we do pay them as well.

Thanks,
Woody

[Don Wray]

Cash is hard to come by unless your working on a dive boat. Mainly, free air and room and travel expenses when working with a class.

[RECDiver]

I am aware of one LDS in Austin that pays DMs, but not very much. I know several instructors who will buy lunch/airfills/nitrox fills/ for a DM to help with a course. I was never paid for any classes that I assisted when I was a DM, but I sure did get alot of experience that helped when I became an instructor, so there were dividends in the long run.

[PlatypusMan]

Originally Posted by Don Wray

Cash is hard to come by unless your working on a dive boat. Mainly, free air and room and travel expenses when working with a class.

This would appear to be the norm out there.

I know of one LDS in the Dallas-Ft Worth area whose owner told me that his DMs travel each season to Cayman and work the boats there; apparently they find this financially lucrative--but he did moan a bit about how this impacted his classes while they were gone and unavailable.

IF you intend to try working outside the U.S., research what the requirements are to be able to work in your target country well before making the leap...several have limitations and restrictions that can prevent you from working fully--or at all for that matter.

[Kingpatzer]

I've actually wondered if the LDS-DM arrangements I keep hearing about around here don't violate more than a few state employment laws . . .

[scubasamurai]

thanks for some of those tips, i heard the islands are the place to be as a dm but alot of the people i dove with were instructors as well so that speaks volumes
the dive shop i hang with puts you on dive boats and lets you dive for free but doesn;t pay you, you only get tips. so if your lucky a good dive you get paid along with a free set of dives.