Replica of BSAC system in the States?

[FafferUK]

Hi guys

Im British but will be getting married to my American gf in around a year or so and moving to the states.

You may or may not know that BSAC primarily use a club based system. The vast majority of training is done by the club, usually one night a week. Although taking longer than a PADI/SSI course etc. It is much cheaper as the instructors are volunteers and you pay a nominal membership fee.

Is there anything similar in the states? I really enjoy the club system and the social side that comes with it and hope to find something similar in the US. We will prob be living in NJ.

Thanks

Dan

 

[knotical]

According to BSAC.com, there's one in New Jersey:

Contact Person: Mr F A Vogel
Email: seaviews@mac.com
Town: New Jersey
Latitude: 40.1189
Longitude: -74.044

You're fortunate you will be in NJ. The only other club listed in the US is in Florida.

 

[FafferUK]

Thats cool ha ha. It would not have to be BSAC though. An active club with NAUI etc. would be great too.

Is the club a common occurence in the states?

Thanks

 

[np251]

Im a brit too, moved over here 2 years ago. Id been divign the BSAC way for a couple of years, but got certified PADI about a month before i moved in order to have an official card that the fill monkeys and boat captains recognised. It sucks havign to make that investment, but you will find it very difficult to do any real independent diving (ie without a buddy filling/renting tanks and using a private boat) without it.

As to the club aspect- pretty much all LDS ive been to here have some form of club catering for a whole range of levels and they pretty much have some social events around organising diving. Also, great for networking to find some new buddies.

Good luck with the move and the wedding. Its gonna be a blast!

 

[Walter]

Im a brit too, moved over here 2 years ago. Id been divign the BSAC way for a couple of years, but got certified PADI about a month before i moved in order to have an official card that the fill monkeys and boat captains recognised. It sucks havign to make that investment, but you will find it very difficult to do any real independent diving (ie without a buddy filling/renting tanks and using a private boat) without it.

You can dive with the BSAC certification. You do not need a PADI card to get fills or dive from charter boats. BSAC is recognized in the US.

 

[Lead_carrier]

Im a brit too, moved over here 2 years ago. Id been divign the BSAC way for a couple of years, but got certified PADI about a month before i moved in order to have an official card that the fill monkeys and boat captains recognised. It sucks havign to make that investment, but you will find it very difficult to do any real independent diving (ie without a buddy filling/renting tanks and using a private boat) without it.

As to the club aspect- pretty much all LDS ive been to here have some form of club catering for a whole range of levels and they pretty much have some social events around organising diving. Also, great for networking to find some new buddies.

Good luck with the move and the wedding. Its gonna be a blast!

You actually didn't have to make the investment. Practically all of us fill monkeys and boat captains know that england has a national dive club that gives certs and what the initals really stand for.

 

[divinginn]

I wished we had bsac here in the states,from what I have read about it it sounds like a great organization. What would be required to start a chapter here?

 

[String]

Arent most "clubs" in the USA just extensions of dive shops more than anything else? Thats the big difference to here where clubs arent connected to anything commercial, own their own boats and so on so go diving on their own without having to pay dive shop charter costs etc (here at least this works out MUCH cheaper than "clubs" connected to shops which just offer discounts) which is what im guessing the original poster is looking for as opposed to training etc.

I wouldn't put too much (ok any) faith in the BSAC website as time and time again they've shown they don't actually have records of where their clubs are and so on.

 

[rstofer]

There are many clubs independent of dive shops. Still, you wind up at a shop sooner or later.

And there are dive trips organized by dive shops. In many cases, they are trying to fill a charter boat that is being used for classes.

There shouldn't be any problem with BSAC certification and there absolutely won't be any problem finding clubs. Just look on the Travel -> USA forum for a very small sampling.

Richard

 

[Nemrod]

You will find the retail scuba equipment store (aka LDS) a poor substitute for BSAC and ultimately unfulfilling, sort of like a Twinky when what you really want is a juicy burger.

I don't deal with LDS, I don't do PadI, such "clubs" using the word loosely are just meant to floor plan gear sales to plebes who are always seeking the "best" regulator, snorkel, tank clacker, retractor and honking huge air integrated console and then getting all in a twist when their snorkel rules are not followed. Nope, no clubs in the USA. In the USA you hear divers refer to "their" LDS. This always kills me because I did not know so many people owned retail dive equipment stores. Must be a bang up business to be in or something.

N