BSAC Sports Diver - Deco diving

[Tricky]

Not sure if this is the right place for this, but I'm sure it will be moved if necessary

It was suggested to me recently that, as a Sports Diver, I'm not allowed to plan deco dives (in the words of the other guy - I assume he meant plan or dive deco dives). Now, I was under the impression that this is not the case and that an SD can do deco diving. Who's right on this?

[Keiron]

You should have done Decompression Dive Planning in your Sports Diver Course, also, one of your open water drills should have been a Simulated Decompression Dive.

[andy_chesney]

As a sports diver you ARE allowed to do deco diving. As KeironO said one of your dives should be a simiulated deco dive.

[Adrian Kelland]

As there have 3 changes to the syllabus since 1988, I'm not sure if all SD courses included deco. Don't forget, some SD's were qualified for 50m too.

[Janos]

As a Sports Diver you are qualified to conduct decompression dives. Of course all dives should be planned but this is especially true of deco dives so yes you can plan them too.

Remember however that a newly qualified Sports Diver is initially only qualified to 20m, and should build up to 35m progressively. My club takes a similarly progressive approach to deco - ie introduce it gradually.

Regards,
Janos

[Tricky]

That's what I thought, although I'd forgotten about the simulated deco dive in the training. The guy who said it is marshalling a boat I'm on at the weekend and is known for being a bit anal, despite not being particularly clued up - not a good combination.

[Ivon]

Your right compleatly. Sports divers can do planed decompresion dives, it would be a waste of time diving to 35m if you could not, you would only get about 15min without any deco. I have just done the BSAC Extended Range Diver course as a Sports Diver for one reason and one reason only. To shorten Deco times by allowing higher O2 content i.e 80%.

[Keiron]

Originally Posted by Tricky

That's what I thought, although I'd forgotten about the simulated deco dive in the training. The guy who said it is marshalling a boat I'm on at the weekend and is known for being a bit anal, despite not being particularly clued up - not a good combination.

Take a set of Sports Diver instructor slates or lesson plans with you, and when he says you can't whip them out and say that BSAC must have made a mistake then.

[Janos]

Christ it's not me is it?

Quick question mate: How many dives have you done and how many with the club? Have you done any deco dives before? And what is your max depth been so far? What is your max depth with the club?

I've checked your profile and seen your qualifications so on the surface of it you certainly can "talk the talk". But if this guy doesn't know you particularly well then you need to convince him that you "walk the walk." Fair enough as it's his neck on the line if you make a mistake.

What I would do is that if there are other respected divers in the club who can vouch for your diving skills then get them to have a word with him. If no one has dived with you before then explain to the marshall that you are qualified to do deco, and ask him what you need to do to go about it in the club. Why not suggest that you buddy up?

One thing to remember is that deco is not an end in itself and as a marshall I get slightly worried about people who seem overly keen to do deco.

Janos

[Janos]

Originally Posted by NarkedOFF

I have just done the BSAC Extended Range Diver course as a Sports Diver for one reason and one reason only. To shorten Deco times by allowing higher O2 content i.e 80%.

Interesting. Does this change the depth you are qualified to dive to? I genuinely don't know the answer.

Janos