R & N BSAC Club Information

We are the Ruislip & Northwood Sub-Aqua Club, part of the British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC), and we have been diving as a club since 1963. We are not a professional dive training organisation but we do have fully qualified instructors with many years diving experience, who train new members to the high standards expected by the BSAC. We have about 100 members of whom over half are regular divers in the UK. Have a look at the Club Constitution to find out more about how we run as a club.

We meet at Highgrove Swimming Pool, Hume Way, off Eastcote Road,near Ruislip every Thursday evening from about 8:30pm onwards. We have the use of the pool from 9:00pm until 10:00pm which is used for both training and swimming.

Prior to the pool session, we have dive theory training sessions in a room at the Highgove Pool. After the pool session, most of us gather for more 'training' at the "Case Is Altered", just along Eastcote High Road from the pool.

What Do We Do ?

We are a sport diving club and dive for fun (please note we are not a school, but a club - run by members for members). To be completely honest, we're looking for club members, not to just train people. However, if that's all you require, we may be able to help if we have spaces, or point you in the direction of a scuba diving school.

Diver
We dive all year round, but obviously during the summer months there are more excursions organised. Many of these are along the South and South West coasts, but we do travel further afield, even abroad. Basically you name it, we'll dive it !

Usually there are also numerous 'non-diving' Social Events organised during the year including a Christmas Dinner Dance, barbecues, discos and bowling evenings; and were always open to new suggestions.

Divers On a RIB
Currently the club owns one boat, a 5m rigid hulled inflatable, powered by outboard engines. The boat is fully equipped for use at sea, with navigational aids, depth sounder, marine VHF radio, emergency equipment and all other items necessary for safe diving.

The club has all the necessary equipment for trainees to use whilst undergoing pool training and some of this is available fot the initial open water training. However, some items will have to be purchased when you start your training; especially mask, fins and snorkel.

Some Facts About Diving

Contrary to popular belief and some newspaper comment, diving is not a dangerous sport and is not even in the top ten of so-called dangerous sports. More people injure themselves playing football or horse-riding annually, than by sports diving. However, because it has been an unusual and not well known sport in the past, it has attracted a certain amount of sensationalism when incidents happen. At worst, sports diving can be described as an 'adventurous sport', but like a lot of these types of sport, is as adventurous as you wish to make it.

What happens if you want to join - things you need to know ?

Whilst diving is not dangerous, it is a sport where you have to be responsible to yourself and other people. Therefore the club sets a normal minimum age requirement of 16 years, unless a parent is also joining. There are also specific circumstances, eg. Duke of Edinburgh Award etc., which are looked at on an individual basis. Then the BSAC's minimum age requirement applies, which is currently 14 years.

The first part of your training is to take the BSAC's swimming test, which gives you a chance to assess your swimming ability and general fitness, and also us a chance to assess your abilities and general water confidence, so that we can put suitable training groups together. Please teat the word 'test' loosely- it's only 100m freestyle in your own time, and we're not looking for the next Adrian Moorhouse or Sharon Davies.

Whilst we can start training you after the 'test', before you start training on Aqualungs, we will need to check that you are fit and okay to actually learn to dive. Due to the special nature of diving specific questions need to be answered - you may unknowingly have a problem that does not normally affect you but might should you start diving.

BSAC requires that a sports diving medical form is completed, this will be given to you when you join the club or earlier. The form is for a self certification medical, however, depending on the answers you may be required to contact a specific medical referee for confirmation. However, the club stresses that those members new to diving should seek confirmation from their GP that they are fit to dive.This will not entail a formal medical signoff and would normally not be chargeable.

No one can progress into the Aqualung part of the training without a valid diving medical certificate.

Please don't worry about the medical, you'd have to have something seriously wrong with you to fail one. The two most common factors we've found to give people concern about the medical are high blood pressure and bad asthma.

Training

After the 'test' your training starts properly. For this you'll need a mask, a pair of fins, a snorkel and a swimming costume. The club provides all other necessary equipment for training. You'll be taught what each piece of equipment is, why we wear it, and what it does, but please talk to your instructor or one of the training team either about making the right purchase before you buy your own equipment. This includes your mask, fins and snorkel, but not your swimming costume!

Training will normally progress rapidly onto aqua-lungs once you have your medical. There is a gap of about three weeks from when you join to when you start using aqua-lungs, ample time to ensure you have one.

The pool and classroom training stage will usually last about a minimum of eight weeks, but if you are a slow learner don't worry, we have very patient instructors (don't forget we all started the way you will). Unlike diving schools there is no limit on our training courses, it takes as long as you need to.

Once you have finished your pool training, you're ready to dive. Although you're eligible to dive with the club, and can do so on appropriate trips, we continue with more training in the pool, towards the next qualification. You can also attain even higher qualifications if you wish, within the club, or nationally through the BSAC - even become an instructor!

Regular attendance to the theory lessons and, more importantly, the pool training sessions, is vital. If you miss training sessions, you will be holding up other people in your group unfairly. If you are unable to come every Thursday for the period of your training then we may not be the best place for you to learn to dive; a diving school may be a better option. Please remember that we are giving up our free time to train you. However, please feel free to talk to any of the training team about this, or about any other aspect of your training. As a note, we have trained doctors, firemen, policemen and nurses in the past, all who work irregular hours, with no problems. As long as we know we can work around it. Also you do not have to be trained by us or through BSAC to join us; previous diving training and experience can usually let you transfer into the club at an appropriate level. We can also recommend a good diving school where, if necessary, you can train with them and then join us.

BSAC Qualifications

The basic grade or a BSAC diver is 'Ocean Diver'. This allows you to dive in open water up to 20 metres deep under the supervision of more experienced divers. The next qualification is 'Sports Diver' which comes with more diving experience and training, allowing you to dive up to 35 metres. Following on from 'Sports Diver' come 'Dive Leader', 'Advanced Diver' and 'First Class Diver' all requiring substantial experience and additional training, much of which focuses on organising safe diving for larger groups and running diving expeditions.

Membership Costs

The cost for a new member joining the club, without previous diving experience, is £312.00¹. This includes the joining fee (£30), full branch membership (£145), full BSAC membership (£47.00) ² which includes the monthly BSAC magazine), training starter pack and workbooks (£55), and open water diving skills training (£35). In addition we ask you for a £50 refundable deposit on the aqua-lung equipment we lend you so you can start diving before buying your own diving equipment. After your first year the membership is £192.00³ (including branch and BSAC membership).

You should remember that there are additional costs associated with diving. It does not have to be a very expensive sport but it does involve travel to dive sites, the purchase and maintenance of your personal equipment together with the social element of being a member of a club. Open water diving usually works out at about £35 per day (two dives usually) plus your costs of compressed air (£3.00/dive). We normally share the costs of driving (and towing our boats) down to the south coast for weekend diving.

1 - PADI Crossovers £277.00 as open water training does not apply
2 - £19 Student & Junior BSAC membership £32.00 Abated/Family membership
3 - Branch membership for under18's living at home is 50% (£72.50) if a parent is a member. Branch membership for students living away for 6 months of the year is 1/3 of the Branch Membership(£48.33).

Equipment Costs

Once you have trained and qualified as a 'Ocean Diver' you'll be expected to purchase most of your own equipment by the end of the first years diving; it is better to have your own equipment than hiring every time, which can also work out expensive in the long run.

You must be realistic, if you are thinking about taking up diving as a hobby, and look at spending somewhere in the region of £700 by the end of your first year, to enable you to dive safely, with equipment that will last you for the years to come. This doesn't mean that you have to buy every gadget - it's the minimum amount of equipment you can dive with, without putting yourself or anyone else in jeopardy. This sum can be reduced by buying some second hand equipment and club members can usually give you advice on this.

Below are some example costs, but as you can see they soon mount up. But remember that once you have purchased the equipment and take reasonable care of it, it should last you a very long time, so you should spread the costs over a good number of years.

Summary

Quite a lot to read and take in, but don't worry, if you join our club it will all be explained and we'll also answer any questions that you might have.

So, either come down one Thursday evening at 8:45pm, and ask for the Membership Secretary, who is usually around in the foyer after the theory lessons and prior to the pool session at 9:00pm. The club also has notice boards which are displayed on club nights along side our permanent display in the pool foyer.

Alternatively, telephone the Membership Secretary(see below) which is the best idea. They will suggest an appropriate date to come down, so that you're not kept hanging around. Please note we can only train a limited number of people at a time and only as few groups during the year whilst we go diving, so like many other clubs we may have a waiting list when you call.

We also run 'Try Dives' for those who aren't sure if they will enjoy diving, or just want to see what it's like (we can accommodate large groups providing we have sufficient notice - and this has been used as a social event by other clubs). 'Try Dives' give you the opportunity to have a go on an Aqualung and see what it's all about, at a very reasonable price of £10-00. The try dive fee is taken off your membership fee if you subsquently join

Below is a link to the contact details for the membership secretary and other committee members. If they're not in then leave a message and they should get back to you. Failing that, come down to the pool one Thursday evening.

For further details about the club, to book a 'Try Dive' or to join us then please contact the Membership Secretary or the Diving Officer

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Details About The Club