Real Diving Thailand and Samae San local dive sites map.

The PADI Divemaster Course

At Real Divers the Instructors have been training PADI Divemasters since 1997. Our highly qualified staff and Instructors will help you get the most out of your divemaster training. We take the training serious obviously with a serious amount of fun thrown into the training and also outside of the training. Our training has been deemed as the most comprehensive in Thailand by those that know our methods. We treat our Divemaster candidates like customers which always turns into a good friendship as we go through the course working hand in hand teaching you the fundamentals and ropes of what it takes to be a good divemaster, this will keep you in good stead for the future.

On our internship you train with actual students as opposed to shop staff simulating students. We feel the internship provides a far better learning experience and it is the only option we like to teach. When training our PADI Divemasters we place the emphasis on fun and great dive training, if your Divemasters know what they are doing and are having fun then everybody else is having a good time.

Many Divemaster candidates don't realize that their instructor level training begins with the PADI Divemaster course. If in the future you want to become a dive instructor which most divemasters do, The PADI Instructor Development Program assumes that all components of the Divemaster course have been mastered and does not recover any of the waters skills or knowledge development that you learnt on the divemaster course. The PADI IDC assumes you had a good Divemaster course, so you owe it to yourself to get one! A lot of the DM knowledge and skills are tested in the Instructor Examination.

Divemaster Course prerequisites:

Be a certified PADI Rescue Diver or have an equivalent rating. (If equivalent rating the candidate must submit proof of CPR and first aid training within the past 24 months).

Have completed and logged at least 40 dives as documented by the individual's personal logbook. Note: at least 60 dives are required to complete the program.

Be at least 18 years old at the start of training.

Submit medical clearance for diving signed by a doctor, attesting to fitness to dive.

Schedule:

Much of the Divemaster learning is self-directed and while the motivated candidate can complete the DM program in two weeks, allowing 1 to 2 months makes for a more relaxed pace and gives plenty of time for all the dive course objectives to be met. Real Divers dedicated Divemaster internship program here in Thailand is maximum 3 months in length inclusive of everything from all training aids, manuals, slates, fees and dives.

Required materials (supplied):

PADI Divemaster Manual.

The PADI Encyclopedia of Recreational Diving.

The PADI Diving Knowledge Workbook.

Divemaster slates.

E-RDP with manual.

PADI Instructor Manual. (Sea Work).

Course Requirements:

Experience:

The candidate must have completed and logged at least 60 dives by completion of this course. These dives must include experience in night diving, deep diving and underwater navigation.

Knowledge Development:

Candidates must read the PADI Dive-master Manual and complete all the Knowledge Reviews

There are eight exams:

Physics.

Physiology.

Equipment.

Decompression Theory and the RDP (Recreational Dive Planner)

Dive Skills and the Environment.

Supervising Certified Divers.

Assisting Student Divers in Training.

PADI Divemaster Conducted Programs.

Each dive master candidate must complete an Emergency Assistance Plan. This is essentially an emergency plan for evacuation and assistance in the unlikely event of a diving accident.

Stamina and Water Skills:

Theres a few swim tests that need to be completed on the course, you build up the stamina for these swims by diving and snorkeling on the day trips. Heres the swim tests.

400m swim, 800m Mask snorkel and fins swim, 15 minute tread water, 100m tired diver tow.

Rescue Assessment:

Candidates must perform a simulated rescue of an unresponsive, non-breathing diver. The exercise is pass/fail but you do get as many goes as you like until you reach mastery, the candidate's performance must be of Instructor demonstration quality. Being a Divemaster in training you'll be assisting with many rescue diver courses ensuring that your skills are sharp and honed.

Skill Demonstration:

Candidates must demonstrate the PADI 20 Basic Scuba Skills. Points are awarded from 1 to 5 with a total of 68 points required to pass.

Required Training Exercises:

Mapping Project.

Equipment Exchange. Exchanging full equipment whilst buddy breathing (Swimming pool) - a fun solution thinking test.

Divemaster Conducted Program.

Dive Internship Requirements:

Divemaster candidates must participate in at least:

One PADI Open Water Diver course confined water session.

Four additional confined water training sessions from any PADI course or program.

One PADI Open Water Diver course open water training dive.

One PADI Adventures in Diving, Rescue Diver or PADI Specialty Diver course open water training session.

Three additional open water training dives from any PADI course or program.

One supervisory situation with certified divers not in a formal course.

We state the very least requirements by PADI, On the Real Divers divemaster internship extensive experience shall be gained in all areas. After you've finished this course and especially if you go on to be a working instructor you will realise that one of the reasons you have a job is because you can teach your students and still do the divemaster chores like it was second hand information, to do that you must of had a good divemaster course and that is what we will give you at Real Divers.

Next Dive Course: IDC - Instructor Development Course. This encompasses the AI - Assistant Instructor Course and prepares you fully for the IE (Instructor Examination) to become a fully licensed PADI Scuba Diving Instructor or OWSI (Open Water Scuba Instructor). Check out the "Diving Instructor Internship" package for full details.