Two & third class divers

[tommytwohats]

We have a couple who would like to start diving again, one is second class diver and the other is one lecture short of third class diver I assume these qualifications are crossed over at sports diver level with some updates ie tables and rescue techs. the people have dived all around the world and the uk but have not dived for around 19 years ie the kids have now flown the coupe! any recommendations for a cross over plan that is not too patronising for them would be welcome
Good diving!
Ps for young uns these qualifications are BSAC

[David Walker]

We have a couple who would like to start diving again, one is second class diver and the other is one lecture short of third class diver I assume these qualifications are crossed over at sports diver level with some updates ie tables and rescue techs. the people have dived all around the world and the uk but have not dived for around 19 years ie the kids have now flown the coupe! any recommendations for a cross over plan that is not too patronising for them would be welcome

If they haven't dived for 19 years, you really need to be starting just about from scratch. Just about all the equipment is different now, tables changed, techniques for most things different, the course content i'm sure has changed significantly, etc etc etc. Maybe take them through everything from Ocean Diver, but don't necessarily do it exactly as you normally would. You can probably rush through the stick your face in the water and breathe type bits, but most other stuff should really be refreshed and practiced anyway. If I was a DO I certainly wouldn't be happy to just send them into Open Water as an Ocean Diver equivalent, let along Sports Diver, and just hope they're OK.

There may be restrictions on what you are allowed to make them do, and if you find they are fine then just skip through everything quickly, but i'd want to see them do absolutely everything up to Sports Diver level demonstrated competently before I treated them as such. They might not like it, but they can't expect to stop diving for nearly 20 years and come straight back in.

David

[Mike Halligan]

I guess the "one lecture short of Third Class" could be considered an unqualified trainee (someone's bound to scream and shout if I'm wrong).

However, the Second Class Diver is a qualified diver, and IIRC somewhat similar to Dive Leader. I guess a call to HQ to check this, and then a suitable checkout by someone of AD qualification would be appropriate.

HTH
Mike

[andy botten]

Second class is the equivalent of Advanced Diver
And third class, Sports Diver.
The best I can say is talk it through with them, tell them what is required at each level and go with what you think is best.
That said here is my fourpenneth:-
Given that the 2nd class diver probably has not done: O2, PRM, etc. As a DO I would want them to go through at least Sports practical to brush up their rescue skills; and sign them as Sports. Then put them straight into D/L training, which they should walk. If they are any good they would want to do that anyway for their own piece of mind.

For the 3rd class diver, give them a shakedown in the pool/OW, you may feel they have enough to skip Ocean, and go through the Sports course.

I think signing someone off as Advanced with that gap is a step too far.
I am sure there are other views.

[Edward Haynes]

See the BOH advice from the link.

The Branch Diving Officer has the last word as he/she is responsible for all diver safety within the Branch.

But like most things it's how you explain it that matters.

Edward

[Philip Smith]

I guess the "one lecture short of Third Class" could be considered an unqualified trainee

Quite -- almost. They should have a "Snorkel Diver" qualification.

Philip Smith

[John Williams]

I guess the "one lecture short of Third Class" could be considered an unqualified trainee (someone's bound to scream and shout if I'm wrong).

However, the Second Class Diver is a qualified diver, and IIRC somewhat similar to Dive Leader. I guess a call to HQ to check this, and then a suitable checkout by someone of AD qualification would be appropriate.

HTH
Mike

2nd Class is equivalent to Advanced Diver.

My thoughts would be to discuss an appropriate way to return to diving with the divers. You might find that they want to go back to square one and get "refreshed" on everything - as a club you should obviously be prepared to "fast-track" them through all the stuff they already know/are quick to master. One thing you probably should not skimp on however is the process of checking their rescue skills and the teaching of stuff that was not around 20 years ago (eg BSAC 88 tables)

John


John

[John Williams]

I think signing someone off as Advanced with that gap is a step too far.
I am sure there are other views.


I was agreeing with everything you said until this bit.

This person IS ALREADY signed off as Advanced Diver - you cannot take that away.

You can (and should) treat them differently from a diver who has been active in the 20 years since qualifying - but you cannot remove a BSAC qualification once it has been awarded (unless you are the NDO and there are truly exceptional circumstances).

Treat them in the way you suggested by all means - but always remember that they ARE ALREADY an Advanced Diver (a rusty one but still qualified)

They have demonstrated all the organisational and management ability they need. All that they are missing is practice (though a little extra training in PRM/O2 etc would not go amiss whilst they regain their confidence and gain the practice)


John

[Andy Wade]

:=
:=I think signing someone off as Advanced with that gap is a step too far.
:=I am sure there are other views.
:=

I was agreeing with everything you said until this bit.

This person IS ALREADY signed off as Advanced Diver - you cannot take that away.

I agree fully with this, in fact it is extremely important that this is remembered, otherwise you'll be short of 2 prospective members immediately, I'd treat the other person with a touch more respect than an unqualified diver too.
However, I don't think anyone has actually said that these people are worthless as divers... well, not yet anyway.

Has anyone asked them what they think yet? I expect that if they are anything like half decent, then they'd be expecting to go through most of the training again anyway.
I know I would.
Perhaps that's the first step, talk to them and see what they want and expect from the club.
After all, there's nothing to stop them going off diving on their own if they wish, they apparently want something from the branch environment other than just going diving.

[Dave]

I think signing someone off as Advanced with that gap is a step too far.
I am sure there are other views.

Indeed there are. I agree with the others; you cannot decree that the person is not an advanced diver; the person automatically qualifies for Advanced Diver by virtue of being BSAC 2nd Class diver. Might well be rusty , but that's not the point. It isnt up to someones personal whim to drop someone down qualifications


Dave

[tommytwohats]

See the BOH advice from the link.

The Branch Diving Officer has the last word as he/she is responsible for all diver safety within the Branch.

But like most things it's how you explain it that matters.

Edward


Thank you all for the input, some of the replies looked abit out until I realised I had written: one was one lecture short of third class! What I should have written was one was third class and the other was one lecture short of second class! The input was helpful and running along the lines I was thinking next step see the DO and write up a training schdule

[clive cobby]

They are already qualified as thier log book will show, you can not take that away from them.Bring them up st speed on any new training since they qualified and road test them in the water. If they are safe get them in the water as often as poss to re gain experience.

good luck