Lower Diving Age

[diverdan]

I see that BSAC have agreed to lower the age that young divers can start their training at. I believe that it is now 14 still higher than PADI. I wonder if all other organisations will now follow suit ie SSAC SAA etc and have a agreed lower age limit.

Any knowledgeable personnel out there with the correct info or even just opinions?

[Ivon]

Yes that is correct, it going through now but its still down to the individual branch. I think ours have decided that they are only going to teach there siblings except in certain circumstances so we wont realy see a change at our club.

[Darren27]

The age limit for BSAC clubs has been lowered to 12 years old. It is now the same as BSAC schools, although branches have the right to impose a higher age limit if they chose to do so.

I suspect that my branch will not lower the age limit, but we will vote at our AGM for a rule change and will see what happens.

[gobfish1]

We have decided siblings only,

[ratcliffe]

I think the 12 year old lower limit brings BSAC into line with PADi now anyway ?
I think 12 is perhaps a little young, but most sports seem to start at 12, cycling road racing and time trialling does, anyway.

[Phoenix]

Originally Posted by ratcliffe

I think the 12 year old lower limit brings BSAC into line with PADi now anyway ?
I think 12 is perhaps a little young, but most sports seem to start at 12, cycling road racing and time trialling does, anyway.

No it doesn't, my daughter completed her JOW at 10, that is PADI's earliest age.

Ian

[Adrian Kelland]

Originally Posted by Darren27

The age limit for BSAC clubs has been lowered to 12 years old. It is now the same as BSAC schools, although branches have the right to impose a higher age limit if they chose to do so.

I suspect that my branch will not lower the age limit, but we will vote at our AGM for a rule change and will see what happens.

Not quite.

The passed vote was to instruct the BSAC council to use its powers to reduce the age limit to 12.

It is not yet 12 for branches.

From BSAC;
The motion to reduce the minimum age for Junior Diving Members to 12 years old was supported by a majority of 63%. Council noted the repeated majority view of our members at their Council meeting on Sunday 22 May 2005. NDC have been tasked with preparing the advice for Branches who wish to train divers between the ages of 12 and 14. The NDO will report back to Council at the next Council Meeting on July 23/July 24 2005 with a view of implementing this change. The advice of the NDO will then be communicated to all BSAC Branches.

[ratcliffe]

Originally Posted by iani

No it doesn't, my daughter completed her JOW at 10, that is PADI's earliest age.

Ian

I stand corrected, Sir!
10 is way too young to understand all the physics and what to do/not to do in the case of a problem. Thats just MHO though

[Phoenix]

Originally Posted by ratcliffe

I stand corrected, Sir!
10 is way too young to understand all the physics and what to do/not to do in the case of a problem. Thats just MHO though

Well she's been a water baby since she was 6 weeks old, I on the other hand didn't learn to swim until I was 11, she is definately more comfortable in the water than I am. She passed the same exams as every other PADI OW diver has to.

Ian

[ratcliffe]

I guess it just goes to show that some people do have it at an early age then!