18-544: 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 . 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
36-602: A four-year cycle ahead of the Tokyo and Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games respectively. The investments are made through Athlete Performance Awards which are paid directly to the athlete and contribute to their living and sporting costs and through central funding to sport National Governing Bodies to invest in coaches, facilities and sports science and medicine. 51°31′24″N 0°7′29″W / 51.52333°N 0.12472°W / 51.52333; -0.12472 Sub-Aqua Association The Sub-Aqua Association ( SAA )
54-544: A number of technical diving courses: CCR Courses: Open-circuit mixed gas courses: UK Sport UK Sport is the government agency responsible for investing money sourced from the National Lottery and the government, into Olympic and Paralympic sport in the United Kingdom . It is an executive non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport . It
72-528: Is a diver training organization for scubadivers in the United Kingdom . The SAA and other UK-based diving groups have traditionally used a club-based system with unpaid instructors, while other training agencies organise most of their training programs through professional instructors and dive shops. The other major club-based diving organizations in the UK are the British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC) and
90-669: Is a member of the British Diving Safety Group (BDSG), CMAS Europe . and the Joint Nautical Archaeology Policy Committee (JNAPC). It also collaborates with other external organisations, such as the Marine Conservation Society , Seasearch, and other environmental groups, the media, and examination boards to provide advice and expertise. The SAA also acts as an advocate for amateur divers in
108-589: Is done via the SAA and its qualifications are accepted worldwide through the CMAS affiliation. The association's training focuses on preparedness for the relatively cold and often visibility restricted waters around the UK. The SAA training also aims to be as comprehensive as possible, emphasizing rescue training very early in the programme. The association exercises regulation of its membership and has disqualified divers found guilty of breaches of its safety rules. The SAA
126-710: 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. 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
144-514: 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. The current President of BSAC is William, Prince of Wales . His father Charles III , and grandfather Philip also held that position and his brother Harry, Duke of Sussex also trained with BSAC. BSAC
162-686: 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. 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
180-568: 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
198-666: The Scottish Sub Aqua Club , and the principal non-club-based organisation is PADI . The Sub-Aqua Association was created in 1976 to represent diving clubs outside of the BSAC branch structure. Its training structure is based on the BSAC levels and offers a full range of diving qualifications. The association is made up of independent clubs, while the BSAC is a single club with many branches. Sub-Aqua Association member clubs maintain their independence and individual clubs organize diving programs and instruction according to
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#1732786602640216-681: 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. BSAC currently has seven diver qualifications (five standard and two intermediary): BSAC has eight instructor grades: The following grades which are no longer awarded may still be encountered: The distinction between Novice I and Novice II
234-516: 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
252-636: 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 be taken as snorkeller, and some without any dive qualifications: Courses in brackets () indicate pre-requisites for the SDC Club Diving: Safety and Rescue : Seamanship : Special Interest: BSAC offer
270-739: 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 . BSAC obtained CEN certification from the EUF certification body in 2007 and re-certified in 2012 and 2019 for the following recreational diver grades: BSAC has four snorkeller grades: BSAC three snorkel instructor grades: BSAC scuba instructors can also teach all or parts of
288-429: The national standards of the association. The association provides regional and national support for these activities. The SAA is one of two UK affiliates to World Underwater Federation (CMAS), the international umbrella organisation for diver training organizations, and has voting rights for both CMAS Technical and Scientific Committees. Application for CMAS cards (qualification or "C-cards") for divers in Great Britain
306-434: Was created in 1997, following a "rock bottom" showing at the 1996 Summer Olympics where Team GB won just one solitary gold medal . Team GB and Paralympics GB went on to place third in the medal table at London 2012 and second in the table at Rio 2016 . UK Sport currently invests around £345m in summer Olympic and Paralympic sports and £24m in winter Olympic and Paralympic sports. These investments are spread over
324-489: 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
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