Padi or BSAC?

[lemoncloud]

Hi Lemoncloud, I dive out here in Qatar as well, as others have said, check the instructor first. I've heard that the kit you can hire out here is often old and worn out. If you plan to dive more you will need the same BCD and reg set for here or colder water (if you get a cold water first stage), but try to buy on line or when you return to Europe, the prices here are way too high!

Thanks a lot, QatarDiver. Not really surprised about old equipment. Seen some working related stuff here where people in Europe would run away screaming I guess it'll have to do for now, and once I know where I'll spend the next couple of years I can buy equipment suitable for the water there... if there's divable water around at all.

Could you explain what a cold water first stage is? Not familiar with this vocabulary yet.

 

[Hickdive]

A I just sited an example to emphasize a show-how approach versus know-how one - that's something to do with the agency's philosophy, would it make a difference in diving? no. are you feeling OK with their approach? for me I'm not.

Nope, it's do to do with Dr Hennessy's approach rather than BSAC's philosophy but, hey, why let the facts get in the way of your opinion?

 

[AndrewA]

I know the local BSAC Regional Coach (a BSAC National Instructor) in Qatar and am sure that the training available will be first class. One big advantage to joining a BSAC club in our area is to have people to dive with on a regular and organised basis. (Most/all clubs will also welcome divers who have already trained with other agencies)

 

[lemoncloud]

I talked to a colleague about the different options here today and learnt that he apparently had problems with his BSAC card at some holiday destinations as many smaller bases in SE Asia only accepted a Padi card. :depressed: Hmm...

Also the training there might be a bit more difficult with my job because the instructors are not paid professionals but enthusiasts and only offer courses once in a while and not when I'm around.

 

[victor]

Lemoncloud
I have never heard of this, I have only been to Malaysia, & Bali but I have talked to many who have more experience than I and it has heard of it being an issue.

I talked to a colleague about the different options here today and learnt that he apparently had problems with his BSAC card at some holiday destinations as many smaller bases in SE Asia only accepted a Padi card. :depressed: Hmm...

BSAC is a club so training tends to be more regimented to dates than PADI buisnesses who are charging you for the training.

Also the training there might be a bit more difficult with my job because the instructors are not paid professionals but enthusiasts and only offer courses once in a while and not when I'm around.

The quality of the training is dependant on the teacher their are fantastic PADI & BSAC instructors however the bar to pass for BSAC is higher as there is no financial preasure to pass.
In the UK they train to the local water conditions, cold high current, etc so the level of training needs to be higher to insure safety as compared to the caribean or red sea.

Chat to the instructors, see who you get on with, watch a class, and speak to some students. Then get started, it is a fantastic sport.

 

[Apecks]

I talked to a colleague about the different options here today and learnt that he apparently had problems with his BSAC card at some holiday destinations as many smaller bases in SE Asia only accepted a Padi card. :depressed: Hmm...

Also the training there might be a bit more difficult with my job because the instructors are not paid professionals but enthusiasts and only offer courses once in a while and not when I'm around.

You would not have a problem with most PADI dive centres here in Thailand. BSAC divers have a reputation for being well trained.

In fact BSAC have just started a local branch here:-

BSAC Thailand | Respected the World Over | Diver Training, Seamanship

 

[String]

BSAC is a much more rigorous and thorough course.

Not really. At entry level the syllabus is pretty identical to all the others. Its a 20m depth not 18m and they can lift a casualty to the surface. They dont do BC or weight remove or replace underwater, CESA and a few other things.

Other than that, no difference. You can do it in 4 days just like a PADI course. You produce divers that can do all the core skills but have absolutely no diving experience just like PADI.

I have yet to see a poorly trained BSAC diver.

Ive seen many. One of the advantages is also one of the disadvantages. Very little oversight of clubs and a lot of things can depend on who you know or how much the guy doing the course wants to put in. There are standards but they're hardly enforced at all so you could get a very good course or a very choppy one.

A BSAC qual has an ISO and EUF equivalent so like all the others is accepted in any dive centre anywhere in the world without issue so that isnt a problem.

BSAC is a club so training tends to be more regimented to dates than PADI buisnesses who are charging you for the training.

Not strictly true. BSAC is also a commercial agency with schools just like any PADI dive centre where you pay your money and do your course. BSAC can also produce 4 day wonders "for-profit". Instructors can get paid through a shop just like PADI. Its not all club based.

As for the tables i dont think anyone seriously dives the BSAC '88 bendomatics but the key point to remember is these are decompression tables - BSAC allows mandatory deco diving so their tables allow to play for it (quite how sufficient the training is for deco diving is a different matter entirely). The tables are not based on hypothetical tissue models etc and are derived from a secret formula from the guy that made them. EAD apparently doesnt work on them according to him.


Brutal truth is for entry level courses if you do it through a school you're going to get pretty much the same training and content through BSAC as you will any other agency.
Club based training takes longer (typically 9 months to train a diver), has the same syllabus but they get LOTS more pool dives and OW dives in between so can emerge a lot more experienced doing it that way. However, due to the lack of oversight etc you may get skipped or poor club training depending entirely on the attitude and ability of the instructor in that club.

---
Richard Whitcombe (BSAC OWI and Diving Officer of a BSAC Club. Also PADI MSDT).

 

[Deep29]

I Qatar its simple, it you want to join a gentleman's club who sit at the beach all day, join BSAC, if you want to dive join PADI...

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I Qatar its simple, it you want to join a gentleman's club who sit at the beach all day, join BSAC, if you want to dive join PADI...

And if you want to post a relevant response to a current thread, check the date first... old thread.