A Test again?

[ray]

Hi/

Should the old BSAC (A) test be brought back, or does your club still use it?.

What do you realy think about the new training?.

[Twinsetmad]

Our Club Northants955 does the swim test everytime. The old A test was rearly good though. I wonder if the swim with 4 kilos would allow 12 year old to join though? Thats another thread....

[Andy C]

What is the test ?

[Steve L.]

I think you mean the swimming test `Group A`. This is it from the 1966 BSAC manual. In those days, you had to achieve full snorkeling status before even looking at an aqualung set.

1. Swim 200 yds freestyle without stopping
2. Swim 100 yds backstoke
3. Swim 50 yds with 10lb weighbelt
4. Float on back for 5 mins (arm and leg movement permitted)
5. Tread water with hands above head for 1 minuite
6. Recover 6 objects from deep end of pool (One object per dive )


There is no doubt that if it was brought back, BSAC would be dead and buried. A lot of people, however much they enjoy the sport, don`t want to eat, live and breath it.

I`m an average swimmer, can run 3 or 4 miles at a push and confindent in the water, but have just turned 50, the prospect of spending a few mights a week working up to the test - well it ain`t going to happen, I`d transfer to PADI.

However, I think the test was relevant in it`s day. Remember, that was before BCD`s as they are now, direct feeds to drysuits, etc. But with PADI coming into the country and opening up SCUBA diving to all, for BSAC to introduce the test, even in a watered down form, would be suicide.

[jptaylor9]

Originally Posted by Andy C

What is the test ?

A Test (from my blue BSAC qualification book)

• Swim 200m freestyle (except back stroke) without stopping
• Swim 100m back stroke without a stop
• Swim 50m wearing a 5Kg weight belt
• Float on back for 5 minutes
• Tread water with hands above your head for 1 minute
• Recover 6 objects from deep end of swimming pool (one dive per object)

I don't think were allowed to do this any more, branch wouldn't be covered by BSAC's 3rd party liability insurance! Recently got my wrists slapped for demonstrating "air sharing" as an extra skill

Then there was B thru to F to get 3rd class diver, now called Sports.[list]
Oh, you first had to qualify as a Snorkel Diver, that included doing dives to 7m in the sea on a snorkel

Group D was the final snorkel test, before you could start aqualung training. It included:

• Confirm physical fitness
• Fin 500m in open water wearing basic kit & during swim surface dive to a depth of 7m & tow another snorkel diver 50m.
• Attend 3 open water meetings using basic snorkel kit

[jptaylor9]

Originally Posted by Twinsetmad

Our Club Northants955 does the swim test everytime. The old A test was rearly good though. I wonder if the swim with 4 kilos would allow 12 year old to join though? Thats another thread....

Not sure if BSAC branches are permitted to do this any more, branches may not be covered by BSAC's 3rd party liability insurance. We don't do A test in my branch any more (not for many years).

[Juz]

My last club - SAA - still used the A-test and I think it's a great idea, I also think Instructors should have to complete it once every year too.

Juz

[Lou]

Why would I want to swim wearing my weightbelt???? Surely the last thing you want to encourage is the idea that people can cope with their weightbelt on when so many discussions of incidents have come back to "if only they had thought to ditch their weights"?

[Scubanut]

I can remember doing this at school when we started a club.
A shame that it all ended when one of the instructors was killed in a road traffic accident. Sort of ended the enthusiasm of all.

Then 20 years later..............................

20 years!!!!!!!!!!! I suddenly feel old

Double that would now be 24 years ago!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Scubanut

[Janos]

Originally Posted by ray

Hi/

Should the old BSAC (A) test be brought back, or does your club still use it?.

What do you realy think about the new training?.

I think it's good to be fit when diving, but not essential. So I don't think it should be mandatory. Some of it is part of the Lifesaver SDC though.

Also what's this "new training"? The 2002 DTP has been around for three years now Seriously though I like it. Especially Sports Diver and Dive Leader which I think are excellent courses.

Janos