Hi, it's your instructor calling....

[carrielsal]

I think I have heard of this before, but not in the United States.

 

[Sas]

I think I have heard of this before, but not in the United States.

I think there might be a few US clubs but I think not many. Are there many independent clubs in the US? Here it is mainly LDS clubs but there are a number of independent clubs locally in my state (two of which are BSAC ones, but there are other ones as well including uni clubs).

 

[Wookie]

BSAC rocks. They solve the problems of LDS's. You can buy your gear wherever you want, the instructor is a club member, the club probably has a boat for offshore dives, the club dives as much as it's members want, there is always someone around to mentor you, they have air compressors and cylinders, in short, just what folks are asking for on these threads. Their cards are indeed recognized worldwide (except by lots and lots of tank monkeys in backwoods dive shops) (Backwoods is an attitude, not a location) and I love to see BSAC divers on the Spree, because you know their training is top notch. I am pretty well assured of that because of the club approach. The instructors are mentored all the way through the process. They don't stand for instructors that are 100 dive wonders like we seem to like here in the USA. I love the thought of BSAC clubs. CMAS (the french agency) too.

BSAC is having a hard time maintaining their integrety in the face of the 800 lb gorilla that wants to teach the world to dive. Getting a BSAC card means you EARNED it. You trained with your group of students when it was convenient for the instructor, the course probably took 3 months in the winter, a month in the summer. BSAC divers train in cold dank yukky water like Lake Travis, but don't just do 4 dives there before heading to COZ, they actually LEARN TO DIVE there.

There are a few independent clubs in the states not attached to any shop, in Texas there is CHUM which you know, and Bay Area Divers. I believe the Houston Underwater Club still exists. Trouble is, in the states, clubs seem to implode under the weight of the politics going on in them. They get split into factions, the new regime wants to get rid of the old regime, the old regime wants to meddle in the new regime, and, quite frankly, shop sponsored clubs are formed for the shop to sell gear, go on trips, and have a following.

I would love to see a BSAC style club network in the USA. I think it would be grand.

Frank

 

[AfterDark]

BSAC rocks. They solve the problems of LDS's. You can buy your gear wherever you want, the instructor is a club member, the club probably has a boat for offshore dives, the club dives as much as it's members want, there is always someone around to mentor you, they have air compressors and cylinders, in short, just what folks are asking for on these threads. Their cards are indeed recognized worldwide (except by lots and lots of tank monkeys in backwoods dive shops) (Backwoods is an attitude, not a location) and I love to see BSAC divers on the Spree, because you know their training is top notch. I am pretty well assured of that because of the club approach. The instructors are mentored all the way through the process. They don't stand for instructors that are 100 dive wonders like we seem to like here in the USA. I love the thought of BSAC clubs. CMAS (the french agency) too.

BSAC is having a hard time maintaining their integrety in the face of the 800 lb gorilla that wants to teach the world to dive. Getting a BSAC card means you EARNED it. You trained with your group of students when it was convenient for the instructor, the course probably took 3 months in the winter, a month in the summer. BSAC divers train in cold dank yukky water like Lake Travis, but don't just do 4 dives there before heading to COZ, they actually LEARN TO DIVE there.

There are a few independent clubs in the states not attached to any shop, in Texas there is CHUM which you know, and Bay Area Divers. I believe the Houston Underwater Club still exists. Trouble is, in the states, clubs seem to implode under the weight of the politics going on in them. They get split into factions, the new regime wants to get rid of the old regime, the old regime wants to meddle in the new regime, and, quite frankly, shop sponsored clubs are formed for the shop to sell gear, go on trips, and have a following.

I would love to see a BSAC style club network in the USA. I think it would be grand.

Frank

The training sounds very similar to what used to happen back in the 60's and 70's. My scuba class was 12 weeks long in 1968. I pucker when I read about 4 day courses. Darn near criminal IMO. I agree this is just the kind of thing I'd hook up with.

 

[TSandM]

It sure would be nice to hear from some new divers who haven't contacted their instructors or DMs . . . but I suppose most of those people probably don't find SB.

 

[ucfdiver]

It sure would be nice to hear from some new divers who haven't contacted their instructors or DMs . . . but I suppose most of those people probably don't find SB.

I bet we don't see their instructors on here either....I suspect many of them don't want to hear about diving once they get off "work".

 

[RJP]

It sure would be nice to hear from some new divers who haven't contacted their instructors or DMs . . . but I suppose most of those people probably don't find SB.

I bet we don't see their instructors on here either....I suspect many of them don't want to hear about diving once they get off "work".

Let's not be so full of ourselves to assume that only WE are divers. Who knows...perhaps the reason that we don't hear from many others is that they are actually out DIVING instead of posting on ScubaBoard.

 

[Wlragan]

I guess I am lucky I had an instructor like you who offers and does dive with his former students. We are always welcome to come back to the pool when he has classes going so we can get some time in the water for a little refresher. He always welcomes us when he is taking students to do their OW dives. He also does these great houseboat trips in Bull Shoal's Lake in AR. Did this in late Sept. He had regulars he had been diving with for 20 years, students that have been diving with him several years, some a couple of years and a few that did their OW's this summer. I think I could have easily turned into one of those vacation only divers if it weren't for my instructor. That is why I got certified in the first place because we vacation in the caribbean.

Instructor encourages his students to get in the water and dive. Can't say that lake diving will ever be my favorite but because of it I was able to considerably improve my skills this year. I have a long way to go with only 28 dives but enjoy it more every time

 

[noreastDIVER84]

I have gone diving with my instructor(s) on most of my dives since certification. I may only have 30 dives, but I get to see more, and have even been out with my instructor who was doing open water dives, but just needed an extra set of eyes since it was a large group.

 

[*dave*]

It sure would be nice to hear from some new divers who haven't contacted their instructors or DMs . . . but I suppose most of those people probably don't find SB.

I pass out a list of resources to every student and follow it up with an email containing the same info. The link for SB is included, but I'm not aware of any of my students on the board.