View Full Version : BSAC and Politics?
Nick Snip
10-08-2009, 11:17
I'm new to BSAC, and just about to finish my Sports diver course.
Although this has taken nearly 8 months the training has been thourough and reasonably well structured. It bemuses me though that I have a buddy on my course that has been diving for 2 years and only has 2 sea dives around 12 in total. Not because he didnt want to dive, but because the BSAC club he is with always held him back.
I understand that theory is an important part of diving, but surely you gain experience through actually diving?
I started with PADI and was diving within a month, obviously under a fully qualified instructor, and yes it did cost me £300 or so. Having made around 70 dives within 8 months or so under PADI I believe that this would never have happened with BSAC.
I moved across to BSAC thinking that there would be a real club environment, with dives organised on a regular basis that everyone could get on, which is definately not the case as certain members get priority first.
I've also been asked to attend a commitee meeting regarding my supposed 'ignorance' when I used the ScubaText website endorsed by BSAC to send txts to everyone informing them about an upcoming dive. Its like being back at school!
After 9 months with my BSAC club I'm a little dissapointed and cannot see what you actually get for your membership money, as the other members (including the committee) seem to invite non members on dives, then blow out the less senior or developed divers.
The dives are not there, and they don't seem to urge people onto the next course such as DL so that they themselves can arrange dives. Which I must say myself and my buddy did outside of the club, we had a mixture of experinced and less experienced divers from PADI and BSAC and the dive went extremely successfully.
It seems as if a lot of members are still running an old club, and are set in their ways, they obviously do not want to move forwards. Maybe I should get eight members together and set my own club up?
This thread is really just a rant as I'm really dissapointed and thought that the club environment of BSAC would really shine through.
Some how it doesn't?
It seems as if a lot of members are still running an old club, and are set in their ways, they obviously do not want to move forwards. Maybe I should get eight members together and set my own club up?
This thread is really just a rant as I'm really dissapointed and thought that the club environment of BSAC would really shine through.
Some how it doesn't?
It's not the fault of BSAC if your branch doesn't function the way you want it to.
You'll probably find that the people who run your branch are happy with it.
That leaves you three choices, try to change your existing branch, join another that behaves as you'd like, or, as say, form your own.
But anywhere were you get a disparate group of people who only have a hobby in common you will have disagreements and "club politics".
:)
Ian@1904
10-08-2009, 14:07
There can be all sorts of reasons for instructors not being available for running courses: work, injury, going diving themselves, to name a few.
When instructor resource is not available it is worth asking the branch committee members to contact the Regional Team and you may be able to complete the training with another branch or BSAC school. You can raise this when you have a chat with them :) As an example I am running a DL day next weekend, the trainees have nothing to do with my own branch. Their DO has asked me to help out like I did last year.
Some branches prefer to be a bit insular. If the branch is large, say 40 members with several active instructors, then not too much of a problem. Smaller branches can end up with no diving taking place as a result and this can hold divers back.
It may be worth looking at things from the perspective of the committee. Have you failed to attend any training sessions, possibly at short notice. Some training requires at least three people, so if one withdraws then no training takes place. Some trainees can be a right pain. Trainees are not customers, they are members, sometimes this gets lost in communication.
I suggest that you speak to your committee.
I'm new to BSAC, and just about to finish my Sports diver course.
It seems as if a lot of members are still running an old club, and are set in their ways, they obviously do not want to move forwards. Maybe I should get eight members together and set my own club up?
Why not, contact HQ for an information pack. My Branch was formed by 2 x SSAC, 3 x PADI, 1 x SAA and 2 x BSAC. the SSAC guys were the driving force.
One of the reasons we run the South Scotland training sessions is to allow individuals to get in the water, OK once a month, and go diving or complete an aspect of their training.
All the best
Edward
Your comments sound very familiar to me, and I think this can be a weakness in the BSAC system. It will vary from club to club though, as different clubs have different priorities.
.... 2 years....2 sea dives ....12 in total.
I'm seeing people like this all the time, but it's not the club actively "holding them back", but more that the club doesn't put on dives suitable for training / ocean diver level. The end result is that sport divers qualify with very few dives under their belt and they were all training dives spaced out over a large period of time.
I understand that theory is an important part of diving, but surely you gain experience through actually diving?
Absolutely. In my book it's like driving. You pass your test and then you start learning how to do it.
I started with PADI and was diving within a month, obviously under a fully qualified instructor, and yes it did cost me £300 or so. Having made around 70 dives within 8 months or so under PADI I believe that this would never have happened with BSAC.
I did the same and I'm glad I did. I think doing PADI to AOW and then switching (as I did) has allowed me to progress my diving regardless of the fact it's taken me 12 months to get through Sports Diver. I'm always being told how comfortable I am in the water by instructors, but that's because I've got about 100+ dives under my belt, and the people I'm training with have a handful.
Because I had a 30 meter ticket already, I've been able to go on a good number of club dives. That has progressed my diving more than the training. If I hadn't I think I would have given up / gone elsewhere. I know some who have.
Personally I think a club wanting new divers to stay should occasionally run Ocean Diver over a couple of weekends, and then organise dives they can do. Blitz the first course and get them diving. People have an enthusiasm for diving when they start, and they'll stay enthusiastic if they can go diving.
I like my club, but I think the last year has seen some very fed up students.
With respect to the other things you mention it sounds like your club has a few issues making new people feel welcome. Also you may find that now you have an SD ticket, it may feel less "Dives for the boys" as there'll be more dives you're qualified for. I've yet to meet a diver that minds bringing somebody new along, as long as the new guy can do what the old hand enjoys doing.
Richard Whitcombe
10-08-2009, 21:54
This thread is really just a rant as I'm really dissapointed and thought that the club environment of BSAC would really shine through.
Some how it doesn't?
Find a new club. Simple and effective solution.
Nick
The branches are both the strength & weakness of BSAC.
No two branches are the same, some are little cliques of old friends, others are very welcoming to new members.
If you added your location to your details you may get some advice about alternate local branches.
Gareth
mark-james
11-08-2009, 21:04
sounds alot like my old club, dive weekends would be advertised, but all places would be full up and you would be the first person to see the list.
best thing to do like us, 12 people from the club we all left to join another .
Nigel Hewitt
11-08-2009, 21:26
We use a re-mailer so in theory everybody gets it at once, although I have had emails saying "I see you are down to organise Wednesday evening so..." which I don't think of as cheating, just 'eager'.:D
Plus, being by the sea, we can do a deeper and a shallower dive on the same day so two different groups get catered for. I can see if you have to drive lots of miles you all want to do all the dives.
We usually have to use both boats but it is rare we fill them both to capacity and have to turn late-comers away.
Yazzyfooty
11-08-2009, 21:57
Nick
I can understand your frustration and I doubt I would stick with a club like that. Can I suggest that you have a few options, one is to leave the club and find one that suits your needs better, the second option is to get on the committee and start making changes from the inside and finally find similar soles from your club and arrange your own dives as a group. If you get enough interested people it might be worth checking out how to start your own branch up ;)
I am always getting Scuba text wrong and I am wandering why you need to go in front of the 'committee' and will be interested in the outcome of that. Seems rather drastic and personally I would tell 'the committee' to take a running jump. Your an adult not some naughty school boy so dont let them treat you like one. Your club membership money is as good as theirs.
Politics eh! Huh! Drives you mad!
Nick Snip
22-09-2009, 18:16
Just to top it off, it seems like I'm not free to air my views to anyone. The club have read this post and feel that I need to be up in front of the committee again???
Why oh why??? Bring back PADI.
Nigel Hewitt
22-09-2009, 18:24
Just to top it off, it seems like I'm not free to air my views to anyone. The club have read this post and feel that I need to be up in front of the committee again???
Take this as an opportunity to ask them what they are going to do about the problems.
That's what you have a branch committee for.
Just to top it off, it seems like I'm not free to air my views to anyone. The club have read this post and feel that I need to be up in front of the committee again???
Why oh why??? Bring back PADI.
If you are that anti BSAC why not just join a PADI dive society?
Take this as an opportunity to ask them what they are going to do about the problems.
That's what you have a branch committee for.
Nick
As I pointed out before, no two branches are the same.
I have to say, the way you have presented your branch I would not choose to remain a member. Although a different member may present a completely different picture.
You may find being more involved (joining the committee) you can change things. Alternatively, join a different branch, which suits your aspirations & interests. Where are you based? Asking here might give you some potential alternate branches to look at.
Having served on branch committees in the past, it can be very hard work & demoralising if all you get is criticism & no support. Alternately, it can be immensely rewarding. We do try actively to get new blood onto our committee, a different point of view & a new enthusiastic committee member is a great benefit both to the committee & the branch.
Gareth
Mike Halligan
22-09-2009, 18:51
Just to top it off, it seems like I'm not free to air my views to anyone. The club have read this post and feel that I need to be up in front of the committee again???
Why oh why??? Bring back PADI.
Different folks, different strokes. It all depends on perception.
You didn't post what happened over Scubatext. Was it a carpetting for breaking ranks as you seemed to anticipate? Was it an enquiry as to how you managed to pull it off, so that the new technology could be used more widely? Or something in between?
When a committee asks to see a member, it could (just possibly) be because they wish to use ears (2), eyes (2) and mouth (1) in strict proportion - fully intending to spend twice as much time listening and twice as much time watching as they will talking.
Nah! Now that's just being silly - or is it?
One of the lucky ones, a member of a good club.
Just to top it off, it seems like I'm not free to air my views to anyone. The club have read this post and feel that I need to be up in front of the committee again???
Why oh why??? Bring back PADI.
Time to vote with your feet I think Nick
but I would take the time to attend the "Commitee" and tell them what you think of them.
Hope it all works out for you
Nick Snip
22-09-2009, 20:49
The thing is, I was all for BSAC, trying to convert friends of PADI to BSAC. It just seems that every step you take to try and help the club is wrong.
Mike Halligan
22-09-2009, 21:43
The thing is, I was all for BSAC, trying to convert friends of PADI to BSAC. It just seems that every step you take to try and help the club is wrong.
Been there, done that, got quite a wide selection of T-shirts, but I've only ever torn up one of them :eek:
Please don't judge the BSAC in general by experience of one aspect in isolation. If your experience was unhappy in one place, try another - just like any other agency / club / sport / association.
I asked whether perception was the key. Remember also that experience is what you get when you don't get what you expected. :o
Good luck in your search,
bootneck
23-09-2009, 21:47
The first BSAC club I joined in 84 was just like that, however on returning to the fold I noticed a hell of a change in BSAC and BSAC clubs. There are always two sides to the same story so I won,t comment on your club, but if your unhappy join the committee or vote with your feet and join a better club.
Nick Snip
22-10-2009, 23:12
Regarding my intial post that started this thread, I must say that I attended my clubs committee meeting. This turned out to be extremely helpful and cleared up a few issues that had been outstanding.
All I can say is, always speak to the committee and discuss any problems or ideas you may have.
I'd also like to say sorry to my club and BSAC in general if some of the comments in my intial post seemed a bit harsh.
All the best.
John Bantin
23-10-2009, 09:15
...and I'd like to take this opportunity to point out that the spelling of definitely is definitely not 'definately' as is becoming common on Internet forums. Thank you.
...and I'd like to take this opportunity to point out that the spelling of definitely is definitely not 'definately' as is becoming common on Internet forums. Thank you.You are defiantly sure about that then :D
Mike Halligan
23-10-2009, 18:29
Gad to hear that all turned out well in the end.
Regarding my intial post that started this thread, I must say that I attended my clubs committee meeting. This turned out to be extremely helpful and cleared up a few issues that had been outstanding.
All I can say is, always speak to the committee and discuss any problems or ideas you may have.
I'd also like to say sorry to my club and BSAC in general if some of the comments in my intial post seemed a bit harsh.
All the best.
Nick
Thank you for following up your initial post. I am pleased to see that you feel that you are resolving issues that where irritating you.
I also think it is nice to see some one saying they where a bit harsh in there initial critisism/complaint etc. Its not unusual for us all to have a little bit of a rant on the forums, but too few of us applogise, when we calm down or the issues are explained.
I hope that you find that your branch can provide the diving & support you are lookng for. Prehaps you will find, that your committee branch harness your enthusiasm, & you are involved in making the changes. One enthusiast is worth ten pressed men:).
Cheers
Gareth
Richie N
23-10-2009, 21:47
As Nick's DO, I'm pleased he took the opportunity to go along, air his views, listen to the club and understand the bigger picture. In these circumstances I guess it's not an easy call to present yourself to a panel or committee, but he did. He proved he had b@lls and gladly as a club we can move on with Nick very much part of that.
Steve Walsh
27-10-2009, 12:15
glad you got it sorted out between you.
first branch I was in had a monster of a DO, the stereotypical thought he was the branch. after being told I was not entitled to anymore training as I hadn't shown him my log book of dives arranged outside of the branch i told the branch where to get off to.
regional were no help in my situation.
next branch was excellent but I soon had little chance to dive with them due to distance and work but i stayed as it meant i had BSAC membership.
I fianlly joined a new branch local to me in june this year and it is superb.
sometimes you need to look for the branch that suits your needs better
glad after being told I was not entitled to anymore training as I hadn't shown him my log book of dives arranged outside of the branch i told the branch where to get off to.
I dont get this TBH.
If you did training outside of branch it's prefectly resonable to expect to see
proof before continuing training. If you refused to show that proof then I
wouldnt hesitate to stop any training that was reliant on previous
experience/modules.
I've been in a situation where a guy wanting to cross-over, was very
convincing that he was PADI AOW with a 30m rating, but had lost his card.
He didnt know that I was a PADI pro as well, so onto the PADI website and
I found out that he was in fact only an OW diver and so only 18m rated.
DO's have a hard enough job and I dont see any problem with one asking
for a look at a QRB.
Steve Walsh
03-11-2009, 12:00
I dont get this TBH.
If you did training outside of branch it's prefectly resonable to expect to see
proof before continuing training. If you refused to show that proof then I
wouldnt hesitate to stop any training that was reliant on previous
experience/modules.
I've been in a situation where a guy wanting to cross-over, was very
convincing that he was PADI AOW with a 30m rating, but had lost his card.
He didnt know that I was a PADI pro as well, so onto the PADI website and
I found out that he was in fact only an OW diver and so only 18m rated.
DO's have a hard enough job and I dont see any problem with one asking
for a look at a QRB.
read it again and in the best BSAC exam question style answer the question not what you think is the question.:D
1 I had not received training outside of the branch I had been diving with another branch
2 he wanted to see my LOGBOOK not my QRB.
3 I had previously shown him my QRB, as I had received no training from the branch except lectures he was aware of what was required.
4 He had a photocopy of my AOW Qual card given to him at time of joining the branch when I did the SALT so he knew I was an AOW ( not that it matters as an AOW salts over the same as an OW).
there are lots more other instances of cliques and stereotypical behaviour that let the branch down. the current branch has a few members who left the same branch as me as the same DO was doing the same to them years previous.
read it again and in the best BSAC exam question style answer the question not what you think is the question.:D .
I did :rolleyes:
1 I had not received training outside of the branch I had been diving with another branch.
No but this "after being told I was not entitled to anymore training", can only
mean that you or they, thought you wanted training.
2 he wanted to see my LOGBOOK not my QRB..
Makes no difference, logbook gives confirmation of eligablity for diving as
much as training.
3 I had previously shown him my QRB, as I had received no training from the branch except lectures he was aware of what was required..
But not the logbook ;)
4 He had a photocopy of my AOW Qual card given to him at time of joining the branch when I did the SALT so he knew I was an AOW ( not that it matters as an AOW salts over the same as an OW)..
AOW might SALT over to Ocean Diver, but you can dive upto the max depth
of the grade you've acheived with the club in conditions equal to those that
you've dived in. Were you the 25m min required to get AOW, 30m or 40m
with the deep specialty? The AOW card itself doesnt give that info, the
logbook does.
there are lots more other instances of cliques and stereotypical behaviour that let the branch down. the current branch has a few members who left the same branch as me as the same DO was doing the same to them years previous.
Maybe, but if we read the OP and not what you think you wrote, how would
we know that :D
Steve Walsh
04-11-2009, 07:51
OK to clarify for the terryH of this world who get all uppity when we say anything bad about a branch
1 I had not received training outside of the branch I had been diving with another branch. I had been training with the branch I was a member of and had done theory with the DO
2 he wanted to see my LOGBOOK not my QRB.
3 I had previously shown him my QRB,and my logbook at time of joining as proof of my diving experience to show him i was not a "holiday dfiver" with no UK experience I had received no training from the branch except lectures he was aware of what was required to complete SD.
4 He had a photocopy of my AOW Qual card given to him at time of joining the branch when I did the SALT so he knew I was an AOW ( not that it matters as an AOW salts over the same as an OW). and as it states in my expanded answer for pedantry experts , he had seen the logbook showing the 30m qulification and dives to 30m
5 he also stated that i was only entitled to dive to 20m maximum on any club dive, I quried this as i am aware that as you rightly state i can dive to my qual limits, In was told I was insubordinate and the comittee would need to speak to me and from that point on i was entitled to no further training with the branch
I don't appreciate being treated like a schoolboy so thats why I left. strangely enough the 2 other branches I have been in are nothing like this, and the multitude of branches i visited before settling on the current one all seemed to be completely different to the first branch i was a member of.
the DO has now left that branch and it seems to have improved , and the cliques have been broken up. I wouldn't go back though.
OK to clarify for the terryH of this world who get all uppity when we say anything bad about a branch
1 I had not received training outside of the branch I had been diving with another branch. I had been training with the branch I was a member of and had done theory with the DO
2 he wanted to see my LOGBOOK not my QRB.
3 I had previously shown him my QRB,and my logbook at time of joining as proof of my diving experience to show him i was not a "holiday dfiver" with no UK experience I had received no training from the branch except lectures he was aware of what was required to complete SD.
4 He had a photocopy of my AOW Qual card given to him at time of joining the branch when I did the SALT so he knew I was an AOW ( not that it matters as an AOW salts over the same as an OW). and as it states in my expanded answer for pedantry experts , he had seen the logbook showing the 30m qulification and dives to 30m
5 he also stated that i was only entitled to dive to 20m maximum on any club dive, I quried this as i am aware that as you rightly state i can dive to my qual limits, In was told I was insubordinate and the comittee would need to speak to me and from that point on i was entitled to no further training with the branch
I don't appreciate being treated like a schoolboy so thats why I left. strangely enough the 2 other branches I have been in are nothing like this, and the multitude of branches i visited before settling on the current one all seemed to be completely different to the first branch i was a member of.
the DO has now left that branch and it seems to have improved , and the cliques have been broken up. I wouldn't go back though.
Steve.
There might have been a miriad of reasons why you left and the last thing
i'm going to do is defend a bolshi DO that thinks the sun shines out of his
preverbial, but you said in your OP that you'd refused to show him your
logbook.
Ok so you've added more detail on subseqient posts, but my reply was based
on the original, where even the most lovely, fluffy DO would have the right to
ask, for a whole host of reasons worthy of another thread.
By all means spout personatity as a reason to leave, but the point here is
that in isolation (you hadnt added the other bits then) showing the logbook
was a reasonable request and refusal on your part, was grounds for refusal
on his.
Steve Walsh
04-11-2009, 12:46
Steve.
There might have been a miriad of reasons why you left and the last thing
i'm going to do is defend a bolshi DO that thinks the sun shines out of his
preverbial, but you said in your OP that you'd refused to show him your
logbook.
Ok so you've added more detail on subseqient posts, but my reply was based
on the original, where even the most lovely, fluffy DO would have the right to
ask, for a whole host of reasons worthy of another thread.
By all means spout personatity as a reason to leave, but the point here is
that in isolation (you hadnt added the other bits then) showing the logbook
was a reasonable request and refusal on your part, was grounds for refusal
on his.
quite correct, of dives done outside of the branch. after I had joined.
You are a DO i take it or you have been so surely if a diver comes from another agency you would have known as a DO, be they good or Bad, that a DO would have checked logbook on accepting the guy into the branch. or has my view of BSAC been warped by the original branch.
why should/would a DO need to check my logbook every month?
when i joined the other branches I showed my logbook and QRB at joining and the next time the 2nd branch DO looked at them was to sign off SD. In log and QRB. I assume this will be the same for my current branch.
quite correct, of dives done outside of the branch. after I had joined.
You are a DO i take it or you have been so surely if a diver comes from another agency you would have known as a DO, be they good or Bad, that a DO would have checked logbook on accepting the guy into the branch. or has my view of BSAC been warped by the original branch.
why should/would a DO need to check my logbook every month? .
Because dives done at any location can be counted towards both
qualification and (in individual clubs) eligabilty towards club dives. The fact
that you say that he didnt accept your PADI AOW depth limit means that
the club DID have its own requirement. Nothing wrong with that even if it
goes against what BSAC reccommends, because BSAC have no idea of the
local specific circumstances of that club.
when i joined the other branches I showed my logbook and QRB at joining and the next time the 2nd branch DO looked at them was to sign off SD. In log and QRB. I assume this will be the same for my current branch.
You cant assume.
Each club makes up aditional conditions based on historical precedents that
can be unique to that club. You have no idea if there was an incident which
meant that the DO now HAS to check the logbooks each month. If there was
a history, then he has a duty of care to ensure that didnt happen again, no
matter how remote.
The DO did nothing wrong in asking to see your logbook, but if you are to be
believed (I've got no reason to doubt you, although we dont have his side),
the manner in which he asked and using "the withdrawl of training" stick, shows a
lack of diplomacy.
Have a go at him for the way he asked by all means, but not that he asked
in the first place.
quite correct, of dives done outside of the branch. after I had joined.What difference would that make then?
You are a DO i take it or you have been so surely if a diver comes from another agency you would have known as a DO, be they good or Bad, that a DO would have checked logbook on accepting the guy into the branch. or has my view of BSAC been warped by the original branch.I am a DO, a position I hold because I have done a bit of diving and have the right BSAC qualifications. Often people joining the branch assume I must have an eye for paperwork and have a good memory, because I am a DO. Once they get to know me they work out just how wrong they are. As a BSAC instructor, I am required to teach Dive Leaders to look at log books for prior and recent diving experience. As a member of a BSAC branch I am quite happy to entertain the idea that any diving member should be able to examine the log book of any other diving member they are diving with or taking responsibility for. Foremost I am a diver, and from bitter experience I have learnt not to make assumptions.
why should/would a DO need to check my logbook every month?No idea. That sounds excessive. Maybe he got fed up waiting for people to produce the goods when asked.
when i joined the other branches I showed my logbook and QRB at joining and the next time the 2nd branch DO looked at them was to sign off SD. In log and QRB. I assume this will be the same for my current branch.If you joined my branch I would look at your log book and C-Card when you joined. I might want to look at your log book again should I be unsure of your recent history and so your suitability for something you signed up for. I would also want to see it before commencing training and signing off a qualification, irrespective of having looked at it the previous day. Training goes entirely by the book and that includes checking the prerequisites.
I try to be relaxed about qualified divers going diving, just as far as it is sensible. I think you will find most DOs have a similar outlook. There are the odd officious ones out there, who put 'The Club' before the people in it. Try not to confuse them with people asking to see your log book because they have a good reason to want to see your log book.
Steve Walsh
05-11-2009, 07:49
What difference would that make then?
I am a DO, a position I hold because I have done a bit of diving and have the right BSAC qualifications. Often people joining the branch assume I must have an eye for paperwork and have a good memory, because I am a DO. Once they get to know me they work out just how wrong they are. As a BSAC instructor, I am required to teach Dive Leaders to look at log books for prior and recent diving experience. As a member of a BSAC branch I am quite happy to entertain the idea that any diving member should be able to examine the log book of any other diving member they are diving with or taking responsibility for. Foremost I am a diver, and from bitter experience I have learnt not to make assumptions.
No idea. That sounds excessive. Maybe he got fed up waiting for people to produce the goods when asked.
If you joined my branch I would look at your log book and C-Card when you joined. I might want to look at your log book again should I be unsure of your recent history and so your suitability for something you signed up for. I would also want to see it before commencing training and signing off a qualification, irrespective of having looked at it the previous day. Training goes entirely by the book and that includes checking the prerequisites.
I try to be relaxed about qualified divers going diving, just as far as it is sensible. I think you will find most DOs have a similar outlook. There are the odd officious ones out there, who put 'The Club' before the people in it. Try not to confuse them with people asking to see your log book because they have a good reason to want to see your log book.
it wasn't so much the asking , it was the attitude that went with it. then the closing of ranks within the club clique.
as you said there are overly officious ones who end up as DO .
Funny guys this is how it was in the BSAC club i was with. (comment at the bottom of this page)
The club I was wth would not invite you on dives unless you was needed to make up the numbers but they would try and stop you diving without them.
There is a member of my old club still waiting (for more than a year) to do DL, our new club we have started there are 2 members starting there DL training and they have only been diving for just over a year.
BSAC clubs to me look like they need your money but unless you are in the boys club you will be left out and what ever you do don't complain your opinion does not count unless you can get on the committee that is, the other thing i found was that the rules only count to who the committee say they do, safe diving goes out the window depending on who you are.
Answer to this is to start your own club, enjoy the diving with friends without the politics and exspence of club membership, find a local training centre to carry on with your training if this is what you want to do.
We have not looked back from forming our own club, its been up and running now for aprox 4 months (no membership, no politics), we have trips and holidays planned but the main thing is we get to dive when we want to, this is the future.
I'm new to BSAC, and just about to finish my Sports diver course.
Although this has taken nearly 8 months the training has been thourough and reasonably well structured. It bemuses me though that I have a buddy on my course that has been diving for 2 years and only has 2 sea dives around 12 in total. Not because he didnt want to dive, but because the BSAC club he is with always held him back.
I understand that theory is an important part of diving, but surely you gain experience through actually diving?
I started with PADI and was diving within a month, obviously under a fully qualified instructor, and yes it did cost me £300 or so. Having made around 70 dives within 8 months or so under PADI I believe that this would never have happened with BSAC.
I moved across to BSAC thinking that there would be a real club environment, with dives organised on a regular basis that everyone could get on, which is definately not the case as certain members get priority first.
I've also been asked to attend a commitee meeting regarding my supposed 'ignorance' when I used the ScubaText website endorsed by BSAC to send txts to everyone informing them about an upcoming dive. Its like being back at school!
After 9 months with my BSAC club I'm a little dissapointed and cannot see what you actually get for your membership money, as the other members (including the committee) seem to invite non members on dives, then blow out the less senior or developed divers.
The dives are not there, and they don't seem to urge people onto the next course such as DL so that they themselves can arrange dives. Which I must say myself and my buddy did outside of the club, we had a mixture of experinced and less experienced divers from PADI and BSAC and the dive went extremely successfully.
It seems as if a lot of members are still running an old club, and are set in their ways, they obviously do not want to move forwards. Maybe I should get eight members together and set my own club up?
This thread is really just a rant as I'm really dissapointed and thought that the club environment of BSAC would really shine through.
Some how it doesn't?
ChristianG
24-01-2011, 09:33
You do realise, don't you, that the last proper post on this thread was in 2009?
Tristan Green
24-01-2011, 21:38
You do realise, don't you, that the last proper post on this thread was in 2009?
There is no expiry date on threads on this forum. Members and guests are welcome to post on threads as they wish regardless of the date of the last post.
As Syko did not join the forum until 6 months after this thread was started I think that it's perfectly reasonable for them to post a response now or at any time in the future.
Cheers,
Tristan
Ron MacRae
25-01-2011, 10:01
There is no expiry date on threads on this forum. Members and guests are welcome to post on threads as they wish regardless of the date of the last post.
:eek: That's a bit controversial. Every time I post on an old thread I get told off.:) :)
However it's not a bad idea to point out the date of the preceding posts as sometimes they surface for various reasons and people like me, who scan for whats updated, reply not realising it's an old thread.
Ron.
I have a habit of checking new posts and not reading the date. Spent half an hour trying to find a TV programme that was being re-commended but 2 years ago.
Why do Spammers open up old posts anyway? I would have thought it would be easier to hide post in a new post that is being constantlby updated...
I have a habit of checking new posts and not reading the date. Spent half an hour trying to find a TV programme that was being re-commended but 2 years ago.
Why do Spammers open up old posts anyway? I would have thought it would be easier to hide post in a new post that is being constantlby updated...
Some forums order threads by first post date rather than most recent post date. Some moderators (not here) only look at recent threads rather than recent posts. If the spam is SOE spam then it does not matter that no human ever reads it.
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