Crossover to CMAS

[chrisch]

Having looked around all the options I have decided to dive in France. Their cranky rules being what they are they want CMAS, not "le padee" or my shiney new IANTD tickets.

I need Level 3 (CMAS 3*{BSAC AD}) to do as I please.

Anyone had experience of the crossover? I found one place that takes PADI RD to Level 3 for €215. But what's involved and just hom much Franglais do I need??

Chris

[Juz]

Why not join the SAA and cross over, it wont take you to CMAS 3, but will take you some of the way and should reduce the €215, of course, you'll need to check how much club fees are and what (if any) the saving would be.

Juz

[Finless]

Can't answer your question BUT I am curious to know why you need a CMAS Cert. Are you a professional diver?

Surely as part of the EU (despite the NON vote) they are obliged to accept BSAC certs?

[Chef]

Alternatively, BSAC now do equivalent CMAS cards through a tie-in with SAA (see here)

[MATTBIN]

Doesnt CMAS and SAA have reciprical arrangements i.e. equiv code printed on back of C card, and I thought BSAC were creating closer links once again with CMAS.
Agree though that SAA seems the best way forward to me from what I know, crossover from BSAC should be straight forward enough.
Matt

[chrisch]

Both SAA and BSAC offer CMAS certs. However, since there are no SAA or BSAC clubs in Luxembourg not much help. Plus you need to do the SAA DM or BSAC DL and AD to get 3 star.

PADI RD is CMAS 2 star - i.e. 20M with a guide. (Also PADI DM as there is no "deep" element in DM).

My IANTD stuff is unrecognised.

Some French PADI centres will let you do 40M, but no more - cos its PADI limit. AFAIK there are no PADI/DSAT places to get 50 (DSAT Deep Tec). But that still don't let me dive the Donator....

Hmmphh..

[nigelH]

Originally Posted by chrisch

Having looked around all the options I have decided to dive in France.

You decided?

YOU?

The French will soon fix that.

[chrisch]

Originally Posted by nigelH

The French will soon fix that.

Ahh.. you padee divers wiz your long oossees and your funnee gassess. Hah!

I fart in your general direction...

[Finless]

Originally Posted by chrisch

Both SAA and BSAC offer CMAS certs. However, since there are no SAA or BSAC clubs in Luxembourg not much help. Plus you need to do the SAA DM or BSAC DL and AD to get 3 star.

PADI RD is CMAS 2 star - i.e. 20M with a guide. (Also PADI DM as there is no "deep" element in DM).

My IANTD stuff is unrecognised.

Some French PADI centres will let you do 40M, but no more - cos its PADI limit. AFAIK there are no PADI/DSAT places to get 50 (DSAT Deep Tec). But that still don't let me dive the Donator....

Hmmphh..

I am missing something obvious here.

1) Dive Certs give "recommended" limits.
2) The French are not renown for sticking to the rules.
3) In Tenerife I went to 60 mtrs with a dive guide from a French owned and run (CMAS but recognised PADI/TDI/experience) dive centre.

Are you just doing "guided dives"? If you live there can't you join a Club? You can buy dive insurance from anywhere (outside of France). Is it not like the UK where, provided you do have quals and experience, getting to know the Skipper is your passport to diving???

IF only CMAS Certified divers can join a French Dive Club then start your own .

[MATTBIN]

Bryan
when I did my Padi AOW over there they were really hot on diving to the limits of your C card, none of this they are guides only stuff. In fact AOW certs you to 30m but under French rules they only go to 25m (or did at that time) and we were advised that once we had passed AOW we would only be certed to 25m in France, elsewhere once passed we could do 30m, but not in France.

Matt