British Sub-Aqua Club

Timeline

• 1953, 15 October : BSAC was founded by Oscar Gugen, Peter Small, Mary Small, and Trevor Hampton.
• 1953: Jack Atkinson, an aero engineer, was appointed as the club's first national diving officer.
• 1954: First BSAC branch formed, in London.
• 1954: Members of Southsea Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC Branch No.9), invent underwater hockey (originally called "Octopush").
• 1955, March: BSAC is accepted by the Central Council of Physical Recreation.
• 1957, January: BSAC and 14 other national diving federations create Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques (CMAS), the world governing body for sub-aqua.
• 1959, January: Jack Atkinson, produced the BSAC Diving Manual.
• 1988: Release of the BS-AC 88 dive table
• 1990: BSAC moved its offices to Ellesmere Port, North West England.
• 1995: BSAC allows Nitrox diving and introduced Nitrox training.
• 1997, 20 May: BSAC was expelled from the Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques (CMAS)
• 2002: The introduction of a new Diver Training Scheme (2002 to 2023).
• 2007: BSAC is the first recreational diving agency to introduce Nitrox diving as part of core training.
• 2023: Revision of the 2002 training scheme with a complete overhall of the Dive Leader course.

Presidents

• The Duke of Edinburgh (1960–1963)
• The 5th Earl Granville (1964–1966)
• The 1st Baron of Kendal (1967–1970)
• Lord Ritchie Calder (1971–1974)
• The Prince of Wales (1974–2014)
• The Duke of Cambridge / Prince of Wales (2014–present)

Recognition

BSAC is the National Governing Body (NGB) for sub-aqua within the United Kingdom, a role it has held since 1954. The body is recognised by Sport England as the NGB for sub-aqua in England, and by Sport Wales as the NGB for sub-aqua in Wales.

Regional bodies

The Scottish Sub Aqua Club, formed in 1953 (the same year as BSAC) is recognised by sportscotland as the NGB for sub-aqua in Scotland.

The Northern Ireland Federation of Sub-Aqua Clubs is recognised by Sport Northern Ireland as the NGB for sub-aqua in Northern Ireland.

Sport Wales previously recognised the Welsh Association of Sub Aqua Clubs as the NGB for sub-aqua in Wales until January 2016.

Competitive sub-aqua

While forms of sub-aqua, many competitive forms of sub-aqua are not governed by BSAC, as BSAC is not a member of the Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques (CMAS) who is the global governing body for competitive sub-aqua.

Underwater hockey in Great Britain was governed directly by BSAC with the sport being invented by one of its branches in 1954. BSAC remain the NGB until 1977 when they recognised the British Octopush Association (BOA), who formed a year prior, as the new NGB. BSAC remained a governing body for a limited number clubs who didn't switch to BOA governance. In 2013 the BOA affiliated itself to BSAC to legitimaise its safeguarding procedure. The BOA is recognised by CMAS as the NGB for underwater hockey in Great Britain.

BSAC was the first body to govern underwater rugby in the United Kingdom, though only two clubs are affiliated to the body. The British Underwater Rugby Association (BURA) is the UK's governing body affiliated with CMAS.

Diver Training Programme

Diving Qualifications

BSAC currently has seven diver qualifications (five standard and two intermediary):

• **: Basic skills, supervised diving (depth limit 12 m).
• ****: Basic skills, non-decompression diving (depth limit 20 m).
• **: Further Basic skills training, navigation, nitrox (up to Nitrox 36%), non-decompression diving (depth limit increased to 30 m with a series of 5 m progression dives).
• ****: Rescue, navigation, nitrox and decompression diving (depth limit increased to 40 m with a series of 5 m progression dives).
• ****: Dive leading, dive planning and management, and rescue management (depth limit increased to 50 m by completing a selection of experience dives).
• ****: Fully trained diver capable of leading a group of divers in normal club activities.
• ****: Trained to lead a group of divers carrying out a project. This is nationally examined with a two-day practical test.

Instructor Qualifications

BSAC has eight instructor grades:

• ****: Trained but unqualified. Must be supervised when instructing.
• ****: Qualified to instruct unsupervised in the classroom.
• ****: Qualified to teach open water under supervision.
• ****: Qualified to instruct unsupervised in open water.
• ****: Qualified to supervise other instructors in classroom and open water training.
• ****: Trained to teach advanced skills, such as boat based skills and group diving techniques.
• ****: Qualified to staff Instructor events.
• ****: Leads Instructor Training courses and BSAC National exams.

Grades no longer awarded

The following grades which are no longer awarded may still be encountered:

• : A diver who has completed the extensive sheltered-water (i.e. pool) training of the BSAC syllabus of the time, but has not yet dived in open water.
• : A Novice I diver who has completed two open-water assessment dives. The distinction between Novice I and Novice II was mostly for practical reasons to do with the difference between hiring a pool and travelling to the coast. A Novice I diver would normally complete the two open-water dives as soon as possible, but if this were not possible straight away (perhaps over winter) they would at least have a specific grade within the club. The lengthy and club-oriented Novice syllabus was replaced with the Club Diver and Ocean Diver syllabuses in the late 1990s. (However, some argue the Novice description was usefully accurate and aided diver safety because nobody with such a qualification would attempt dives beyond their capabilities).
• : This is more or less the same as Ocean Diver; originally the two were operated in parallel with Ocean Diver awarded at schools and Club Diver at clubs.
• : An instructor grade junior to Open Water Instructor, but allowing the holder to instruct practical and theory lessons without supervision.
• : This was the entry-level grade prior to the splitting of its syllabus during the mid-1980s to create the Novice and Sports Diver grades. Divers who held this grade at the time were awarded the Sports Diver grade.
• : This was the immediate grade prior to the splitting of its syllabus during the mid-1980s to create the Dive Leader and Advanced Diver grades. Divers who held this grade at the time were awarded the Advanced Diver grade.

CMAS equivalencies

The following CMAS equivalencies have been agreed with the Sub-Aqua Association.

EUF Certification

BSAC obtained CEN certification from the EUF certification body in 2007 and re-certified in 2012 and 2019 for the following recreational diver grades:

• Discovery Diver – ISO 24801-1
• Ocean Diver – EN 14153-2/ISO 24801-2 – 'Autonomous Diver'
• Dive Leader – EN 14153-3/ISO 24801-3 – 'Dive Leader'
• Open Water Instructor – EN 14413-2/ISO 24802-2 – 'Instructor Level 2'
• Sports Diver – ISO 11107 – 'Nitrox diving'
• Nitrox Gas Blender – ISO 13293 – 'Level 1 Gas Blender'
• Mixed Gas Blender – ISO 13293 – 'Level 2 Gas Blender'
• Snorkelling Guide – ISO 13970 – 'Snorkelling Guide'

Snorkeller Training Programme

Snorkelling Qualifications

BSAC has four snorkeller grades:

• Dolphin Snorkeller: swimmingpool based course designed for children.
• Snorkel Diver: training for pool or sheltered water activity.
• Advanced Snorkeller: training for open water activity.
• Snorkel Dive Manager: training to plan, organise and lead snorkelling activities, in addition to snorkelling first aid.
• Snorkel Guide: furthering skills learned on Snorkel Diver Manager.

Instructor Qualifications

BSAC three snorkel instructor grades:

• Snorkel Instructor: club instructing, qualified to teach Snorkel Diver and Advanced Snorkeler (provided these qualifications are held by the instructor)
• Advanced Snorkel Instructor: qualified to teach Snorkel Diver Manager and Snorkel Guide
• Snorkel Instructor Trainer: qualified to train instructors.

BSAC scuba instructors can also teach all or parts of the Snorkeller Training Programme subject to meeting pre-requisites including additional training.

Skill Development Courses

BSAC offer range of specialist diving courses known as Skill Development Courses (SDCs). While mainly for scuba divers, a number of courses can be taken as snorkeller, and some without any dive qualifications:

Courses in brackets () indicate pre-requisites for the SDC

Club Diving:

• Accelerated Decompression Procedures (Sports Diver, Nitrox Diver, Gold Standard Buoyancy)
• Buoyancy and Trim Workshop (Ocean Diver, Minimum Standard Buoyancy)
• Compressor Operation
• Dive Planning and Management (Sports Diver)
• Marine Life Appreciation
• Mixed Gas Blender/Nitrox Gas Blender (Nitrox Diver)
• Search and Recovery (Sports Diver)
• Wreck Appreciation
• Wreck Diver (Sports Diver)
• Advanced Wreck Diver (Sports Diver, Wreck Diver)
• Twin-set Diver (Sports Diver)
• Primary Donate Workshop (Twin-set Diver)
• Drysuit Training
• Nitrox Diver Safety and Rescue:
• Oxygen Administration (Basic Life Support)
• Practical Rescue Management (Sports Diver)
• Automated External Defibrillator (Basic Life Support)
• Lifesaver Award (Ocean Diver)
• Advanced Lifesaver Award (Lifesaver Award)
• First Aid for Divers (Ocean Diver)
• Sea Survival (Ocean Diver)
• Snorkel Lifesaver Award (Snorkel Diver)
• Advanced Lifesaver Award (Lifesaver Award) Seamanship:
• Boat Handling
• Chartwork and Position fixing
• Diver Coxswain Assessment (Boat Handling)
• Outboard engine and Boat Maintenance Special Interest:
• Underwater Photography (Sports Diver)
• Ice Diving (Sports Diver)
• Shore Surveyor
• Beach Comber
• Underwater Surveyor (Snorkel Diver)

Technical Diving Courses

BSAC offer a number of technical diving courses:

CCR Courses:

• Poseidon Se7en CCR Diver (40m)
• Divesoft Liberty CCR Diver (45m)
• MOD 1 AP Vision CCR Diver (40/45m)
• MOD 1 AP Mixed Gas Top-up (45m)
• MOD 2 CCR Diver (60m)
• Advanced Mixed Gas CCR Diver (80m) Open-circuit mixed gas courses:
• Sport Mixed Gas Diver (50m)
• Explorer Mixed Gas Diver (60m)
• Advanced Mixed Gas Diver (80m)

Notes

References

References

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2. "BSAC HQ". British Sub-Aqua Club.
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8. "C.M.A.S.". Luigi Ferraro's official site.
9. Adkisson, G. (1991). "The BS-AC '88 decompression tables". South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society Journal.
10. Allen, C. (1996). "BSAC gives the OK to nitrox. reprinted from Diver 1995; 40(5) May: 35-36.". South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society Journal.
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18. Underwood, Cliff. "How the BOA was formed". British Octopush Association.
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20. British Sub-Aqua Club ''SCUBA magazine'': October 2024 Issue, pg 29.
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23. "Discovery Diver course".
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25. "Advanced Ocean Diver".
26. "Advanced Ocean Diver to Sports Diver".
27. "Sports Diver".
28. "Dive Leader".
29. "Advanced Diver".
30. "First Class Diver".
31. "Instructor progression flowchart". British Sub Aqua Club.
32. ''Sport Diving: The British Sub Aqua Club Diving Manual'', 1985, Stanley Paul & Co. London, page 244.
33. ''Sport Diving: The British Sub Aqua Club Diving Manual'', 1985, Stanley Paul & Co. London, pp. 244–245.
34. "CMAS Equivalency Cards". BSAC.
35. "Club Crossover Guidance Chart Re Equivalent Qualifications". Sub Aqua Association.
36. BSAC HQ. (21 May 2018). "BSAC retains EUF accreditations for scuba diver and instructor qualifications".
37. "EUF Certified Training Systems/Training Organisations". EUF Certification International.
38. (22 May 2012). "BSAC EUF accreditation maintained". British Sub-Aqua Club.
39. "Snorkel Grade Training". BSAC.
40. "Become a Snorkelling Instructor". BSAC.
41. "Skill Development Courses (SDCs)". British Sub Aqua Club.
42. "Technical diving courses".