Abbreviation | BSAC |
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Formation | 15 October 1953 |
Type | NGO |
Legal status | Limited Guarantee Company incorporated in England |
Purpose | Recreational diving services, training and advocacy National governing body |
Headquarters | United Kingdom |
Location |
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Region served | International |
Membership | 22,000 in 2022 |
President | The Prince of Wales |
Chair | Edward Haynes[1] |
CEO | Mary Tetley[2] |
Main organ | BSAC Council |
Affiliations | EUF |
Staff | 19 |
Website | www |
The British Sub-Aqua Club or BSAC has been recognised since 1954 by UK Sport as the national governing body of recreational diving in the United Kingdom.[3]
The club was founded in 1953 and at its peak in the mid-1990s had over 50,000 members declining to over 30,000 in 2009. It is a diver training organization that operates through its associated network of around 1,100 local, independent diving clubs and around 400 diving schools worldwide. The old logo featured the Roman god Neptune (Greek god Poseidon), god of the sea. The new logo, as of 2017, features a diver with the updated BSAC motto "Dive with us".
BSAC is unusual for a diver training agency in that most BSAC instructors are volunteers, giving up their spare time to train others, unlike many other agencies, in which instructors are paid employees, or self-employed.
Given that UK waters are relatively cold and have restricted visibility, BSAC training is regarded by its members as more comprehensive than some. Specifically it places emphasis on rescue training very early in the programme. BSAC also maintains links with other organisations, such as NACSAC.
Science writer and science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke was a famous member of BSAC.[4][full citation needed]
The current President of BSAC is the Prince of Wales. His father Charles, and grandfather Philip also held that position and his brother Harry also trained with BSAC.[5]
See also: History of underwater diving and Timeline of diving technology |
BSAC is recognised by the successors of the Sports Council as the National Governing Body (NGB) for Sub Aqua within the United Kingdom. It has held this status since 1954. 'Sub Aqua' (or Sub Aquatics) is a broad term that includes both recreational underwater activities such as recreational diving and snorkelling, and competitive underwater activities including underwater sports such as Octopush. It is also recognised by Sport England as the NGB for Sub Aqua in England.[3][13]
BSAC is one of three NGBs representing 'Sub Aqua' in the constituent countries of the United Kingdom. The others are the Northern Ireland Federation of Sub-Aqua Clubs (Northern Ireland) and the Scottish Sub Aqua Club (Scotland) with the British Sub Aqua Club being the NGB for the United Kingdom as a whole; a role it has held since 1954.[3][13] Wales has been represented by the British Sub Aqua Club since January 2016 when it replaced the Welsh Association of Sub Aqua Clubs.[14]
BSAC currently has seven diver qualifications (five standard and two intermediary):[15]
BSAC has eight instructor grades:[24]
The following grades which are no longer awarded may still be encountered:
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).
The following CMAS equivalencies have been agreed with the Sub-Aqua Association.[27][28]
CMAS | BSAC |
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CMAS 1 Star Diver | BSAC Ocean Diver |
BSAC Sports Diver | |
CMAS 2 Star Diver | BSAC Sports Diver with 10 logged dives |
BSAC Dive Leader | |
CMAS 3 Star Diver | BSAC Advanced Diver |
CMAS 4 Star Diver | BSAC First Class Diver |
CMAS 1 Star Instructor | BSAC Club Instructor + BSAC Advanced Diver |
CMAS 2 Star Instructor | BSAC Open Water Instructor + BSAC Advanced Diver |
CMAS 3 Star Instructor | BSAC Advanced Instructor + BSAC Advanced Diver |
BSAC obtained CEN certification from the EUF certification body in 2007 and re-certified in 2012 and 2019 for the following recreational diver grades:[29][30][31]
BSAC has four snorkeller grades:[32]
BSAC three snorkel instructor grades:[33]
BSAC scuba instructors can also teach all or parts of the Snorkeller Training Programme subject to meeting pre-requisites including additional training.
BSAC offer range of specialist diving courses known as Skill Development Courses (SDCs). While mainly for scuba divers, a number of courses can taken as snorkeller, and some without any dive qualifications:[34]
Courses in brackets () indicate pre-requisites for the SDC
Club Diving:
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Special Interest:
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BSAC offer a number of technical diving courses:[35]
CCR Courses:
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Open-circuit mixed gas courses:
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