Training Record - Minimum Dives

[Sidders]

Hi All.

I'm relatively new to diving, and am working my way through the qualifications, very much enjoying it!
I?m a little confused with the Minimum Dive criteria in the training records. They state;
Ocean Diver: Minimum 4/5 dives.
Sports Diver: 5 dives.
Therefore as a OD an additional five dives are required minimum for SD.
But what if an OD had done 50 dives, do these count towards the SD 5 minimum dives?
In general the Minimum Dive criteria doesn?t state the 5 dives required for SD have to be of a specific type, or using specific equipment that is outside the skills taught to OD?s. Is the Minimum Dive simply for experience?

If so, Minimum Dive criteria for DL is 20. In addition to the OD + SD dives, that?s a total of 30 dives experience minimum BSAC recommend for Dive Leader?

How does all this experience compare to the equivalent PADI diver grades?

Thanks

[Mike Halligan]

Sid,

Welcome to diving, glad to hear you are enjoying it. Can I first recommend that questions such as these are better put to your DO or TO over a pint than posted here. IMHO, you will get far better advice and the opportunity to clarify.

However, you've asked, so I offer my personal, practical, TO opinion (i.e. it may be wrong and it certainly isn't binding).

I believe you are looking at the boxes on pages 10, 14 and 18 of the current Qualification Record. My interpretation of the Instructor Manual is that before awarding the qualification of OD, your DO should be satisfied that 4 or 5 dives have been undertaken safely with a total duration of 2 hours.

Similarly, before awarding SD a minimium of 5 dives and another 2 hours since award of OD. Ultimately, before award of DL and since SD, a minimum of 20 dives and a total underwater time of 10 hours should be demonstrable.

The syllabi for SD and for DL specify the competence that must be demonstrated and the dives used to attempt this may score within the number and duration specified.

There has been debate over what constitutes a minimum requirement probably ever since there have been qualifications. These are just the current standards and my interpretation of them.

I'm not competent to say how this racks up in comparison with PADI qualifications. All I know is that I have met both excellent and downright dangerous divers purporting to hold most of the grades in either code. Draw your own conclusion.

Hope this helps,

Mike

[Lindsey Doyle]

.
Sports Diver: 5 dives.
Therefore as a OD an additional five dives are required minimum for SD.
But what if an OD had done 50 dives, do these count towards the SD 5 minimum dives?
In general the Minimum Dive criteria doesn?t state the 5 dives required for SD have to be of a specific type, or using specific equipment that is outside the skills taught to OD?s. Is the Minimum Dive simply for experience?

The 5 dives for SD are actual lessons from the syllabus that are the minimum required.
It is also required for the new SD to have "experienced" at least 5 dives in conditions laid out in instructor manual. These can be the SAME dives as the lessons (if that were possible in planning lessons)or simply "fun" dives that an NQI has supervised.
So the absolute minimum no. of dives for SD is 5 since OD achieved, but will probably be more in practice.
HTH, Lindsey