Just courious

[Owen Wichard]

Hey All

Just wondering who buys from the BSAC shop, apart from the essentials like the training packs and tables.

But stuff like the book's, DVD's and clothing etc etc.

As say the clothing would makes us walking bill boards for BSAC and add to the money pot which is surly a good thing??

Sorry if this does not make sense just written as what was going round my head at the moment.

Thanks all Owen

[northern_diver]

-logs books
-tables
-several of the books/training texts (seamanship/rescue et al)
-the odd training course/SDC
-waterproof note pad

-may get a DL clothe badge when i finish...though i dont have the OD/SD/ASS. INST anywhere other than a draw.

would buy the hoddies/polo shirts but i think they are a bit crap so the club is getting some instead.

Why you interested?

Maybe, without looking to far into it before i type this, but i would imagine, if the BSAC organised monthly dives/fortnightly/weekly dives, people would sign up and use them. I would look at that to see how it compared to that was on offer and possibly use it. Could see it as a useful tool to direct members what probably dive less than club members and also supplement the usual club dives, especially for many inland clubs which i would also expect to dive less often than coastal. Hmmmm...i wonder.

John

[Gav S]

Tend to buy bits and pieces from time and am quite happy to do so thinking it supports the shop/BSAC a bit even if similar items are available elsewhere.

e.g. log book, pencils, various diving books, dampire drying thingumies, a dry bag...

Have considered a t-shirt and would probably get one if I was an instructor I guess. However, if BSAC did the t-shirts and could customise them a little to enable branch members to add their branch number/name/logo I would be inclined to get one. My branch arranged for a batch of polo shirts with the branch logo and they were quite popular.

[Eddie Clamp]

Could see it as a useful tool to direct members what probably dive less than club members [/I]
John

This member what dives with BSAC direct may have something to say about your view. :rolleyes: :eek: :p

[northern_diver]

Some people dive more than others, but i wondered at the usefulness of the BSAC organising dives, surely they could fill trips with there membership base.
Not talking big trips all the time, but something maybe. Have to do some forum thinking.

John

[Eddie Clamp]

Some people dive more than others, but i wondered at the usefulness of the BSAC organising dives, surely they could fill trips with there membership base.
Not talking big trips all the time, but something maybe. Have to do some forum thinking.
John

The idea is yours as is the ball. Go for it! :)

Look forward to your ideas.

[Nigel Hewitt]

The shop? Wet notes, instructor materials.

I don't think BSAC should be organising diving. It is easy enough to find dives even if you aren't in a branch. I did most of my diving through internet contacts at first and that's how I came to BSAC. I still dive more outside my branch than inside because RIBs make me seasick so I can cox happily but kitting up blows me away if the weather isn't very flat. Hard boats I manage better even if it is more expensive.

[Ed Howarth]

This describes BSAC organised diving:
[/URL][url]http://www.bsac.org/page/513/expedition-faqs.htm (http://www.bsac.org/page/513/expedition-faqs.htm)

But, John, I think the point of being a BSAC qualified diver is that most members are able to organise dives. It is a real pity that people sit through the lectures on planning a trip and then sit back and wait for others to do it, sometimes moaning that their branch doesn't do enough diving. It's great fun, just getting a few mates together and going off for a day or few.

Anyone wanting to get involved, just seek out the people who already organise dives and ask if they will oversee your efforts.

Ed

[Roz]

As Nigel said, "Wet Notes". v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v. useful indeed. I think I now have four pads. Anyone who wants to be able to communicate in more detail than "look" "fish", ought to get one. They are sensibly priced and save so much time and faff underwater because you can really explain/discuss things. For anyone heading off down the instructor route, this is one piece of kit you ought to have as standard.

And the new tshirts are v. sexy. Seriously considering buying one actually because they are that nice and I certainly don't feel like a walking billboard wearing one.

[northern_diver]

Hi Edward,

Yeah, far too many people do take a back seat and do winge that there isnt enough diving been done, simple answer to that is 'stop been a stupid, inconsiderate little wannabe and put to use that training you decided to undertake'...though thats seems harsh, its basically how i feel when people moan and do nothing...or book then faff about.

I'll have a think on it and see what happens, but i figured it might be a fairly easy to use and convienient way of getting some people diving. As it would probably be organised by the regional team in some manner (in that the region would organise a dive, so as to stop it all been down plymouth or somewhere similar), with head office support maybe.

I understand that the regional team arent paid and have jobs, but maybe even the task could be organised by the branches, within a region, on a rota sort of idea. Not trying to forcing anyone to anything, but getting more mingling and generally out diving...rather than sitting on a bloody computer/bar stool talking about it.

Basically, a annual/semi annual regional based (not mattering who organises it) dive session.

It sounds like normal branch diving, and is for a lot of clubs, but it might spur on the not so active members/clubs/few friended divers. Almost like a BSAC aided dive notice board, could even be placed in the same area as the SDC's, so you could buy your way onto a course and book a session of diving too.

Opinions please.

John

[Edward]

Hi northern_diver,

I think you will find the Regions have a hard enough time filling SDCs.

Then there is the issue of Branches accusing the Region of undermining its diving programme. I've had this running the South Scotland training sessions (not from a Branch in our Region either).

Another obstacle is Data Protection, Regions are entities in their own right and require individuals to agree to receive information from them, just like a Branch are required to.

The West Midlands Region - Gloucester Area used to co-ordinate 4 trips a year arranged by Branches in the Area. This only lasted two years before interest died.

Regards

Edward

[MattS]

Opinions please.These forums offer all the facilities a BSAC Direct Member might need to organise a dive for other BSAC Direct members. The motivation to do it, they would have to find themselves though.

[Fiona]

Could see it as a useful tool to direct members what probably dive less than club members and also supplement the usual club dives, especially for many inland clubs which i would also expect to dive less often than coastal. Hmmmm...i wonder.

John

As Eddie mentioned you don't have to be a member of a "regular" club to do the amount of diving you want to do, I belong to an internet club - something like BSAC Direct but cheaper :D

I left my club in 2003 and I organised more dives in the following few years that I would ever have done in a club, I dive with divers from all agencies all over the country through internet forums, dive trips are not exclusive to BSAC clubs.

As for purchases from the shop the last items I bought were those lovely, discrete little Nitrox stickers :)

[northern_diver]

I started with a fairly long and passionate reply on how to get around this and sort that and generally make a go of it, till i re-read something while getting a quote-

The West Midlands Region - Gloucester Area used to co-ordinate 4 trips a year arranged by Branches in the Area. This only lasted two years before interest died.


Thats what its going to be like and to be honest, im sick of hearing it. People make me sick with this 'i'll wear the t-**** culture, but dont ask me to do anything way of doing stuff'.

My idea had would be ran as something much like the scotish regional training weekend, though more often, smaller in indivdual event scale and more focused to diving for pleasure than diving for training...though not excluding of course.

But, whats the point, the actual DIVERS will dive anyway, everyone else will watch or play computer games or whatever. Idea withdrawn.

John

[Fiona]

Thats what its going to be like and to be honest, im sick of hearing it. People make me sick with this 'i'll wear the t-**** culture, but dont ask me to do anything way of doing stuff'.

But, whats the point, the actual DIVERS will dive anyway, everyone else will watch or play computer games or whatever. Idea withdrawn.

John

Sounds like you are getting a little hot under the collar for no reason. As long as you are doing the diving you want to do through your branch, why worry about everyone else.

Owen's original post was about the BSAC shop not about organising dive tips.

[northern_diver]

:mad: :o :(
Yes, your right, bit of a thread highjack (though atleast i answered the question first), my apologies Owen. Any special reason for asking by the way?

john

[Owen Wichard]

Hi

No problem with the hijacking found the replies intresting. They is no real reason just was looking around the shop and just wondered what people buy from the shop.

Thanks all Owen