BSAC Membership Information - Study Projects

ASSISTANCE WITH STUDY PROJECTS RELATING TO SPORTS DIVING

We regret that BSAC HQ Staff do not have the time to make individual responses to requests for information on the sport of underwater swimming and the function of the British Sub-Aqua Club, for use in College / University Study Projects. We hope that studying the enclosed information sheets and brochures will provide you with much of the information you seek.

For detailed information about the techniques of diving, we recommend that you study the BSAC 'The Diving Manual', published by Circle Books. It is usually available from your local lending library, or may be purchased using the enclosed order form from the BSAC Mail Shop at this address. For detailed information about the history and function of the BSAC, the services it provides to members and matters relating to BSAC Branch administration, we recommend the BSAC Branch Officers' Handbook, also available from the BSAC Mail Shop.

The BSAC 'The Diving Manual' includes a brief history of diving, but the book Divers and Diving by Reg Vallintine, Blandford Press, covers the history of diving comprehensively. It is unfortunately out of print, but you may be able to borrow one from a local lending library. The enclosed copy of DIVE Magazine will give current prices of diving equipment and addresses of main suppliers.

Another source of a wide range of information about BSAC and the sport of underwater swimming can be found on the BSAC Websites at: www.bsac.com and www.bsac.org

The best way of learning more about diving is to learn to dive yourself! Among the enclosures are lists of BSAC Branches and Schools where diver training is available. Do contact local Branches and Schools if you would like to learn! We regret that we cannot offer more individual help with your project, but wish you every success with it. .

BSAC Membership Growth - 1960 to 2004

This information is regularly requested for project purposes. Figures give membership at each year end. 'Guesstimates' only are available until 1965, after which precise records were kept.

1953	Formed	1960	5,000	1965	6,813
1966	7,979	1967	8,350	1968	9,241
1969	11,299	1970	13,721	1971	14,898
1972	17,041	1973	19,332	1974	22,150
1975	23,204	1976	25,310	1977	25,342
1978	27,510	1979	30,579	1980	24,900
1981	27,834	1982	29,590	1983	32,177
1984	32,950	1985	34,861	1986	34,210
1987	34,500	1988	32,960	1989	34,422
1990	36,434	1991	43,475	1992	47,192
1993	50,356	1994	51,156	1995	52,247
1996	51,460	1997	51,112	1998	50,121
1999	44,501	2000	44,332	2001	43,276
2002	40,934	2003	39,505	2004	38,490

In the absence of any single authority able to provide accurate figures, BSAC estimates that the total ‘UK sports diving population‘ to be in the order of 200,000, many of whom are former BSAC members who now dive privately with friends and not as members of a club or association. Without doubt, BSAC is the largest representative diving club in UK.

Qualifications held by BSAC members
At the end of 2004, membership qualifications were (approximate figures):

Under Training	7,000	Snorkellers	1,500
Club Diver	10,000	Sports Diver	12,500
Dive Leader	6,500	Advanced Diver	7,000

The following qualifications are also held by some of the above Dive Leaders and Advanced Divers (approximate figures):

First Class Diver	500	Club Instructor	2000
Open Water Instructor	2000	Advanced Instructor	1500

(*This qualification was introduced in autumn 1994)

World sports diving population
This is very difficult to predict. No single authority is publishing figures - even the World Underwater Federation does not know! The following are estimates of the number of active divers world-wide, based on the very limited amount of factual information available.

Great Britain	200,000	Europe	1,000,000
Middle East	100,000	Far East	1,500,000
Americas	2,500,000	African Continent	150,000
Australasia	600,000

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Page last modified: 2nd Nov 2006 - 10:04:09