PADI after BSAC

[jw2013]

I'm currently training for my Ocean Diver qualification (Open Water equivalent of PADI) with BSAC and once qualified, I'd like to do some specialist courses with PADI. Like the Rescue, Wreck Diving and Search & Recovery courses.

I have also been told to go the PADI route if I want to do Instructor training as PADI are more in-depth, their courses are more in-depth and obviously pushed globally.

Does anybody know if I will have to pay and complete the PADI Open Water course in order to "pre-qualify" for these courses or will PADI accept my BSAC qualification and allow me to pay for the courses I want to do?




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[Deviance]

On the PADI website, the pre-requisite for PADI AOW is A PADI Open Water Diver (or qualifying certification from another training organization).

So yes, PADI should recognize your BSAC cert.

 

[Storker]

There's an agreement between PADI and CMAS on transfer between the programs (CMAS* qualifies for an AOW course, CMAS** qualifies for a DM course; OW plus 5 logged dives or AOW qualifies for a CMAS** course, Rescue Diver qualifies for a CMAS*** course). If I were you, I'd check if a similar agreement exists between BSAC and PADI, or if you can have your BSAC cert transferred to a CMAS cert.

Worst case, you could check if you can enroll to a CMAS** course after your BSAC course, that should give you access to anything PADI up to and including DM.

 

[Deviance]

I checked on the BSAC website. Yes, there is a transfer agreement between PADI and BSAC.

Information for divers crossing over from PADI, SSI, SSAC & SAA - British Sub-Aqua Club

Dive Agency Crossovers BSAC, CMAS, SSI, NAUI & SAA to PADI

 

[jw2013]

Fantastic!
Thank you for the super fast response.


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[Mustard Dave]

I'm currently training for my Ocean Diver qualification (Open Water equivalent of PADI) with BSAC and once qualified, I'd like to do some specialist courses with PADI. Like the Rescue, Wreck Diving and Search & Recovery courses.

I have also been told to go the PADI route if I want to do Instructor training as PADI are more in-depth, their courses are more in-depth and obviously pushed globally.

Does anybody know if I will have to pay and complete the PADI Open Water course in order to "pre-qualify" for these courses or will PADI accept my BSAC qualification and allow me to pay for the courses I want to do?




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There are many that would say the complete opposite of the bit in bold. Many of the skills taught on PADI specialities are covered by BSAC training anyway. I believe they also offer 'skills development courses' which cover specific skills (I am not a BSAC member - hopefully somebody else can answer better).

PADI will accept your BSAC qualifications - click here for crossover info.

PADI are better known worldwide but you can still dive worldwide with your BSAC qualifications.

 

[Phil_C]

Before I post I will declare my position - I trained CMAS up to Three Star (PADI DM/BSAC Advanced Diver), but have since done many BSAC SDC's (skills development courses) and a couple of PADI ones, so I have no axe to grind either way as far as PADI or BSAC are concerned. I belong to two BSAC clubs and I would say that 'generally' the BSAC training in a club environment is more in depth, and often taken at a slower pace, so it can be a bit more thorough and repeated/personalised where necessary. Some PADI instructors will do the same, but many are under commercial pressure to complete a certain number of dives and skills sets to get a 'customer' through the course as a paying customer.

That is the biggest difference, BSAC is a club, and can take time and give you a really thorough grounding because the time pressures and commercial pressures generally do not exist. PADI sometimes cannot do this as well. So there is your fundamental difference.

The biggest question you need to ask yourself and decide is WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO? if the answer is to dive for yourself for fun,then a BSAC club is a great way to do this, and will be recognised worldwide without difficulty. If however you want teach or DM at a resort, then you are best to go over to PADI and do DM and then OWI as a minimum as this will make you more employable. If you want to dive with friends and develop within the club scene then stay with BSAC, you will have club organised dives to join in with, buddies available without having to hunt around, and a mechanism for training and keeping your skills fresh in the winter at the club (both mine have a pool night every week).

My CMAS training was within a 'dive club' environment and was very similar to BSAC, and was again probably more in-depth. 12-15 dives and about 20 hours of classroom to qualify to one star, the same for two star, with a requirement for a total of 50 dives, as well and a year of helping at the dive club with lessons and dives, working the compressor, helping people kit up and so on, as well as theory and written and practical exams for three star.

You can do courses from all three (and others - GUE, SSI and so on) without penalty, and pick what you are interested in. It is only really if you want to teach that you have to be a bit cuter about choices.

So decide what you want to do - then chose the best route for that - whatever you decide, dive safe and have fun - Phil

 

[jw2013]

Thank you for this. I'm a BSAC club member and learning the BSAC way but my only frustration here is pool nights are every two weeks and are cancelled at times meaning we don't get the pool training sometimes for 3 weeks.

I was considering PADI as a second string to my bow after my BSAC OW qualification to learn faster but remain with BSAC clubs to gain more dive experience post qualification(s). I feel I will get more from my diving this way.

If PADI accept my BSAC OW as a base, it gives me this chance to expand my dive knowledge and BSAC will let me gain my all important experience.


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[tracydr]

If you really want in-depth training, try GUE. There are at least a couple of instructors in England.

 

[Wingy]

I would have to agree being both CMAS and PADI that CMAS training is WAY more indepth than PADI. Do a quick google of the certification equivalents and you will find your cross over may be a little higher than you think. Dive Agency Crossovers BSAC, CMAS, SSI, NAUI & SAA to PADI