The BSAC course is not worth the paper the certificate is printed on.
Some interesting opinions on the various boat handling courses.
I attended the BSAC Boat Handling course some years ago
on the particular one I was on the Instructor was as well as an experienced diver was a Rya qualified Instructor, whether I was just fortunate at the time I don't know.
When I took the course I had been diving for quite a while and was fortunate in that I had gained some hands on experience in locating wrecks & reading charts & I spent a good few hours within Holyhead Breakwater practicing dropping off and picking up a representation of a kitted up diver. The skills I learnt on the weekend really dotted the i's and crossed the T's. I don't think its so much the agency saa ssac as the particular instructor. I agree the BSAC course is only basic, however at the very least it gives you some good safety advice, no one ever said you'd become an experienced dive coxswain in a weekend.
The BSAC also used to do Chartwork and Navigation Courses geared up for divers in ye olde days before GPS.The Diver instructor who took us for this was a qualified skipper.
Agree the Rya courses are excellent and any diver involved in using boats on a regular basis is well recomended to attend these.
I have witnessed some RYA qualified Cox's boathandlers who have exibited no real grasp of whats involved in catering for divers. Sometimes you need that "specific experience" for the task. The point being here is doesn't Always follow RYA Qualified = a good "dive" boat handler.
Good an bad examples in all organisations Clubs.