Why choose GUE Rec-1?

[Blackcrusader]

Diving schools 40 years ago were obviously very different from today's ones. Since I was not even alive, I cannot have a clear view of what was happening at that time. But it doesn't surprise me that they were teaching these things; there was obviously way less knowledge than today about the underwater world, physiology, gas management, dive planning, etc. So it makes sense to me that they were teaching how to save people in certain scenarios that today we consider a bit (a lot?) extreme

BSAC dive planning in the club I was in was pretty important. We had dives all written out on a white board with depths, times, deco stops and times, who was whose dive buddy, who was leading the dive, keeping track of all the divers in the team so you did head counts during the dive to know where people were. It's not like most padi centers where the dive briefing is follow the guide the dive depth is such and such, we are going in this direction off the boat and don't exceed NDL and enjoy yourselves.

Yeah perhaps you are correct. I was also taught to keep my BCD bladder clean and using special solutions that kill bacteria. Why you may ask? Well you see as a last resort if you need to save your self in an out of air situation, we were taught that you could re-breathe the air from your BCD. This would allow you to get to another diver for help or to get to the surface. Now this is a last resort extreme emergency and not one that is practiced in real life. We were also taught how to manually clear water from the inflator hose by sucking it out as well. I've seen divers suck dry their BCD and wings to pack them into their travel bags.

Now the reason this is not taught is that many agencies say you should never be in that situation but it has happened to divers on rebreathers that had failures, to regular divers and technical divers on OC. Better to risk a lung infection where you can get that cured than to drown, where there are far less opportunities for to recover from that. Also my BSAC instructor was a commercial diver instructor trainer as well so he definitely wanted people to be able to self rescue where ever possible. His theory was how can you rescue anyone else if you can't even rescue yourself. Part of our training was to be blindfolded without a mask and have to take our gear off and put it back on.

 

[Blackcrusader]

I was, my NAUI basic scuba class was in1975, my NAUI Sport diver class was in '77, chemically inducing vomiting while diving would have been outside the norm even then.

First we did it out of the water with the regs, then we did it at the shore in water we could stand in. Certainly wasn't given at depth and trained while diving. Fact is I am grateful for that training as the first time I did have to vomit I was in control and not about to panic. I just puked and continued on with the dive. I feel for that Korean diver that drowned due to lack of any training. She wasn't feeling sick prior to her dive either.

 

[ginti]

I was, my NAUI basic scuba class was in1975, my NAUI Sport diver class was in '77, chemically inducing vomiting while diving would have been outside the norm even then.

Touché I let you guys with more experience discuss this topic

 

[Edward3c]

I was, my NAUI basic scuba class was in1975, my NAUI Sport diver class was in '77, chemically inducing vomiting while diving would have been outside the norm even then.

I learned with BSAC in the 70s. Induced vomiting was not part of the official syllabus, sounds like @BLACKCRUSADER had an instructor who added it to his training.

 

[Angelo Farina]

I am currently unaware of any recognized training agency that conducts their entry level scuba course like GUE. Not saying there are not great "non GUE" instructors out there teaching and teaching above their agency standards, just that there are no other options with the same standards as GUE Rec 1.

Not following DIR standards, but I know that BSAC (in UK) and FIPSAS (here in Italy), both release CMAS certifications after long and thorough courses.
Perhaps not as long and thorough as the FIPSAS-CMAS course I followed in 1975 (lasting 6 months, starting with CC rebreathers and ending with double tanks with deco), but still another world than PADI/NAUI/etc...

 

[Blackcrusader]

I learned with BSAC in the 70s. Induced vomiting was not part of the official syllabus, sounds like @BLACKCRUSADER had an instructor who added it to his training.

Yeah I do believe he taught us many things not exactly in the course manuals. His being a commercial diver for Brunei Shell I'm sure he passed on some other invaluable knowledge. I firmly believe it should be covered in all OW or novice training, at least in an oral class setting at least not with say real life induced vomiting. But hey that's just me. Actually next time I get to vomit on a dive I'm going to video it and put it on you tube as an instruction on how to remain calm and feed the fish at the same time.

Keep Yourself Alive from Queen a good track to get in my head if I get into difficulty on a dive lol

 

[Edward3c]

Not following DIR standards, but I know that BSAC (in UK) and FIPSAS (here in Italy), both release CMAS certifications after long and thorough courses.
Perhaps not as long and thorough as the FIPSAS-CMAS course I followed in 1975 (lasting 6 months, starting with CC rebreathers and ending with double tanks with deco), but still another world than PADI/NAUI/etc...

BSAC is not part of CMAS, parted company in the early 1990s. We follow ISO standards.

 

[Angelo Farina]

BSAC is not part of CMAS, parted company in the early 1990s. We follow ISO standards.

Ah yes, I did forget of this story, and of its sad consequence on underwater hockey. More info on BSAC having been expelled by CMAS in 1997 here: CMAS Kicked Out Prince Charles - DeeperBlue.com
However the concept is the same: BSAC and FIPSAS are organizations (I would not call them "agencies") which promote scuba diving through first-level courses which are conducted with extensive and thorough training, instead of ultra-fast courses typical of PADI and similar.
Albeit I and my wife are instructors, and we trained "at home" our sons, at a certain point we did find it advisable to have them being trained (and certified) by FIPSAS. They both already had PADI AOW certs, but the level of training received was not "good enough" for our standards, and instead the first-degree FIPSAS course was far more structured and demanding.
When it comes to our sons, I think that saving time and money is a shortcut which is better to not pursue...
So I am entirely with the OP, he did send his daughter to the best and more thorough course available in his area. I had done the same!

 

[Edward3c]

Ah yes, I did forget of this story, and of its sad consequence on underwater hockey. More info on BSAC having been expelled by CMAS in 1997 here: CMAS Kicked Out Prince Charles - DeeperBlue.com
However the concept is the same: BSAC and FIPSAS are organizations (I would not call them "agencies") which promote scuba diving through first-level courses which are conducted with extensive and thorough training, instead of ultra-fast courses typical of PADI and similar.
Albeit I and my wife are instructors, and we trained "at home" our sons, at a certain point we did find it advisable to have them being trained (and certified) by FIPSAS. They both already had PADI AOW certs, but the level of training received was not "good enough" for our standards, and instead the first-degree FIPSAS course was far more structured and demanding.
When it comes to our sons, I think that saving time and money is a shortcut which is better to not pursue...
So I am entirely with the OP, he did send his daughter to the best and more thorough course available in his area. I had done the same!

BSAC wasn't 'expelled', BSAC decided not to pay for something that wasn't giving us any benefit. CMAS has been trying for over 15 years to get BSAC to rejoin, all they want is our money, even today they is no benefit.

 

[ginti]

Not following DIR standards, but I know that BSAC (in UK) and FIPSAS (here in Italy), both release CMAS certifications after long and thorough courses.
Perhaps not as long and thorough as the FIPSAS-CMAS course I followed in 1975 (lasting 6 months, starting with CC rebreathers and ending with double tanks with deco), but still another world than PADI/NAUI/etc...

Even FFESSM, the French organization affiliated with CMAS. However, CMAS training is very different in terms of content and philosophy with respect to GUE, and I believe it's very hard to compare them, if useful at all. Again, there is not best agencies, just different ones with different pros and cons.

One of the cons of FFESSM (according to some instructors of the organization) is that its methods are a bit old. Some thinks the organization should go under a modernization process.

CMAS should reform itself as well according to this way of thinking, since it allows the "old" standards of FFESSM. I know FIPSAS went under a modernization process (at least for technical and cave curricula), while for BSAC I cannot say anything. @Edward3c do you anything about it? How does BSAC stay on pace with the new development and discoveries related to scuba diving world? (I am really curious, it's not an attack to BSAC)