Padi to Bsac

[Twix]

New to forum so Hi.
As a Padi DM i am looking for local buddys(Blackpool), so was thinking of joining BSAC as well. Looking through the forums it seems advancement can be down to how you get on with Dive Leader/ Advanced Diver etc. Any other people who have swapped can offer advice? This is not a Troll and i dont want to start a BSAC/Padi etc slagging match.

Thanks in advance!
Twix

[Dave]

New to forum so Hi.
As a Padi DM i am looking for local buddys(Blackpool), so was thinking of joining BSAC as well. Looking through the forums it seems advancement can be down to how you get on with Dive Leader/ Advanced Diver etc.

If you join BSAC you will cross over as being equivalent to Dive Leader plus having Practical Rescue Management and ,iirc, First Aid for Divers.

You would have to cover the Intro to BSAC lecture and also the ue of the BSAC Dive Tables.

You will be able to go on dives as if you were a Dive Leader. If you wish to progress further, you can embark on the training for Advanced Diver.

Info on the transition are given on <a href="http://www.bsac.org/techserv/tecpuba5.htm" >http://www.bsac.org/techserv/tecpuba5.htm</a> and <a href="http://www.bsac.org/techserv/salt2.htm" >http://www.bsac.org/techserv/salt2.htm</a>

If you find that you come across a branch of dinosaurs who don't want to recognise you for what you are then try another branch

Dave

[petem]

New to forum so Hi.
As a Padi DM i am looking for local buddys(Blackpool), so was thinking of joining BSAC as well. Looking through the forums it seems advancement can be down to how you get on with Dive Leader/ Advanced Diver etc. Any other people who have swapped can offer advice? This is not a Troll and i dont want to start a BSAC/Padi etc slagging match.

As a PADI qualified diver you can dive within BSAC with no real further training - you will be treated as a dive leader and if you want to continue training you start from that point, see link for further info. You will be asked to sit in on a lecutureon how the BSAC works and how the BSAC tables differ from other, personally we tend to do this sitting in a quiet corner of the pub for experienced divers.

<a href="http://www.bsac.org/techserv/salt2.htm" >http://www.bsac.org/techserv/salt2.htm</a>

With regard to the how you get on within the club this is down to the personalities within, unfortunatley there are still dinasaur clubs who don't trust anyone that is not BSAC trained, fortunately they are dieing out.

My advice is go along to any club you are thinking about joining a few times, get to know the people, if you can go on a dive with them. If you join a good club you will find it very rewarding and a great place to meet new friends and buddies - as you have seen though there are some problem clubs.

HTH

Pete

[John Williams]

New to forum so Hi.
As a Padi DM i am looking for local buddys(Blackpool), so was thinking of joining BSAC as well. Looking through the forums it seems advancement can be down to how you get on with Dive Leader/ Advanced Diver etc. Any other people who have swapped can offer advice? This is not a Troll and i dont want to start a BSAC/Padi etc slagging match.

Thanks in advance!
Twix

I concur with the advice about "dinosaur" branches given already. It is very difficult for someone to make a breif visit to a branch and find out exactly how "old-fashioned" they are. You should get a basic impression from a visit - but probably not a lot more.

The BSAC Coaching Scheme however will have tried to build relationships with all branches in the area and will therefore have a good idea which are more progressive and encouraging. I suggest you contact your Regional Coach and ask them for advice before - might save you a couple of non-productive visits.

Your regional coach would be Jim Donbavand and he can be reached at <a href="mailto:nw.coach@bsac.com">nw.coach@bsac.com</a> (or go through the "Round the Regions" link at www.bsac.org )

Welcome

John

[TerryH]

Just to add to what the rest have said.

If you intend to go for your PADI Instructor at some time in
the future then you couldnt do better than join a BSAC club and
become a BSAC Instructor first.

As a DM crossing over to Dive Leader you can go on the BSAC
Instructor route straight away and get the chance to play with
all those novices. So you teaching skils get honed and
perfected prior to you even thinking about and spending all
that dosh on the PADI exam.

Think of it as a club based internship. Works very well and
breaks up that very big step between DM & OWSI.

Rgds
TerryH

[Roger Stephen Thorpe]

New to forum so Hi.
As a Padi DM i am looking for local buddys(Blackpool), so was thinking of joining BSAC as well. Looking through the forums it seems advancement can be down to how you get on with Dive Leader/ Advanced Diver etc. Any other people who have swapped can offer advice? This is not a Troll and i dont want to start a BSAC/Padi etc slagging match.

Thanks in advance!
Twix

I converted from PADI RD (ca 800 warm dives) to BSAC SD with BSAC Direct then trained as DL and joined our local club so I could get more into local diving. Its all been a very positive experience for me. In particular, the knowledge of local diving conditions in the club is impressive and essential. No "dinosaur" attitude noticed although you will inevitably have to go thru the process of being the only person who knows no one else. Go for it.
Roger

[Mike Halligan]

Go for it, a DM is a Godsend to a Branch with tremendous potential realised (relatively) painlessly.

See also my response to "Another lost membership" on the Club Matters Forum.

Hope this helps,

Mike

[TWIX]

Go for it, a DM is a Godsend to a Branch with tremendous potential realised (relatively) painlessly.

See also my response to "Another lost membership" on the Club Matters Forum

I did and the responces were very encouraging. Thanks.
Also thanks to Terry. I am thinking of doing my Padi Instructors, although in a while (see Divernet posting) and had not considered the extra experience available to me in this respect, while also hopefully offering something to a club. I have e-mailed a local club. Details of which I found on the BSAC site.
As a final point adjoining a thread from other parts of the forums if more non BSAC divers were aware of these forums new members may be attracted that way. No-one told me about them I found them through a round about way.
Many thanks and safe diving!