BSAC Advanced Diver Question

[gansell]

As part of the bSAC Advanced Diver course, I have to do a number of dives in varying conditions, eg boat dives, drift dives, etc. In my Qualification Record Book there is an area for these dives to be signed off by instructor.

My question is, do these dives have to made with a BSAC Advanced Instructor as a buddy and signed off by them, or do I just have to do the dives, and get an Instructor to sign them off when they have seen my log book?


Gareth

[Pez]

As far as I am aware any NQI ie an OWI or AI can sign these dives off. I am certain that we will get an authoratative answer, but I am an OWI and Adv I have been conducting these dives for student Adv. this was how I completed my work up as well! The theory lessons AT1 and AP 1+2 are taught by an AI as you probably know.

Pez

[Janos]

My understanding is that they definitely don't have to be signed off by an AI. An Advanced Diver + OWI is sufficient for everything but AT1, AP1, and AP2.

Thinking about why these boxes are there, I believe it is so that as an AD you have experienced a wide range of conditions. As such I do not think the instructor has to be your buddy, but they do need to be satisfied that you did the dive correctly.

[EDIT]This was discussed on the Bsac forum earlier this year (but this was SD getting dives signed off for DL) http://www.bsacforum.co.uk/forums/in...osts/4220.html

I don't think we came to any firm conclusions.

Janos

[up 4 it]

Hi Gareth

In answer to your question Both the above are correct for the training lectures, dry practicals and skills reviews, however the qualifying dives do not have to be done with an NQI. They are a range of dives in varying conditions which can be done with an NQI, a buddy, or whilst on holiday providing they are logged and fall within the categories you are allocating them for.

Provided your DO accepts that you have done the dives and that they fulfil the criteria your DO will sign them off as qualifying dives and therefore count towards you AD qual.

Good luck with achieving it.

Steve
AI3526

[TerryH]

Originally Posted by gansell

As part of the bSAC Advanced Diver course, I have to do a number of dives in varying conditions, eg boat dives, drift dives, etc. In my Qualification Record Book there is an area for these dives to be signed off by instructor.

My question is, do these dives have to made with a BSAC Advanced Instructor as a buddy and signed off by them, or do I just have to do the dives, and get an Instructor to sign them off when they have seen my log book?


Gareth

To do the dives justice you need to have as a buddy somebody who
understands what is required at this level. So the minimum would be the
same level as what you are trying to acheive + an Instructor.
That would be an OWI/Adv.

TerryH

[Paul Oliver]

Personally most of this i would sign off having been on the same dive and knowing the criteria are met as in type of boat/wreck/dive/conditions as many are routine for us and the AI's in my club would do the same.

I would not expect our NQI's to dive with the candidate on many, as with his/her experience level they would have been with an inexperienced diver on most club dives as i and the other NQI's almost always are.

Some of the deco and navigation dives and the dive marshaling would need i feel the right level to be with the student (if thats the right word )

At the end of the day ask whoever is gonna sign of the qualification be it your DO or another AD. They are signing the qualification so they need to let you know what they will accept.

[Narked@50]

There is always a bit of debate about "grey" areas like this, I think that it is equaly important that the candidate wanting the dives signed off is honest with themselves also. By that, I mean they are not doing themselves any favours by trying to be more qualified than they actualy are, and paper chasers are usualy a hazard to everyone else around them to.

I am happy to sign dives off as experience dives if I am confident the candidate has and can handle themselves in that situation, that usualy means being on the same boat or at least trip and talking to others around them about their dives. It's a hard call to make as to where you draw the "audit" line.

James