BSAC 18 - Huddersfield Sub Aqua Club

16th August 2004, 9:15pm Huddersfield Sports Centre

Minutes from Meeting

1.

Apologies

● Sarah Churchman
● All other members present. Also present were Helen Briggs, Moz Hall and Jacques Bellon

2.

Matters Arising

● Compressor Risk Assessment

A meeting is scheduled with the Sports Centre on Wednesday 18th to try to seek progress on the reinstallation of the compressor.

● Dive Marshall Training

Due to lack of support, Martin has decided not to run a course in-house, but instead to run a regional course on the 23/24th October 2004. All interested parties to contact Martin.

● Diving Safety Guidelines

Kate / Pete will distribute at Emergency AGM in October to appropriate people

● Octopush T-Shirts

Dave Colley has not forwarded the logo. Andy Briggs will attempt to get the logo.

● 50^th Birthday Celebrations

The McAlpine Stadium has been booked for the dinner on Saturday 26th February. All existing members, partners and all previous members are strongly encouraged to attend. Costs are estimated at £25.00 each (Black Tie) and this will include 4 course dinner, initial drink and entertainment. We are seeking appropriate raffle prizes and event sponsorship from any interested companies.
A Waugh raised a point that ALL members should get a t-shirt in the 50th year - carry over to September meeting.

● Vulnerable People

Meeting with TO, DO and all instructors - Carry over

● Open Water Training

Open water training sections 1 & 2 will be undertaken at Capernwray on the 5th September.

● New Member Packs

Now in place and in use

Emergency Item;

● Training Officer

Dave Colley has resigned from his position as Training Officer and Kate approached Steve Hill who was willing to take over the role with immediate effect.

● Membership Secretary

Andy Booth has resigned from his position as Membership Secretary and Helen Briggs has been appointed to stand in.

Due to the fact that were are half way through the year, it was decided that we should offer this position to the full membership and agreed to hold an emergency AGM (with this one point) at the October 11th meeting. Stewart and Helen to organise the invites, etc. as soon as possible.

3.

Membership Secretary

● 7 Renewals with a few more outstanding that need chasing.

Helen will liaise with Steve Hill to sort out current and future training resource needs and procedures.

4.

Diving Officer's Report

A large group from BSAC18 has just returned from a weekend at St Abbs. It was the first sea-diving for four of our newly-qualified Ocean Divers. I accompanied two of them over the weekend and was very impressed by their skills. The only real test of our teaching standards and the syllabus we are asked to teach, is the skill of those who take the plunge! I could not fault their ability to assemble their kit, do buddy checks, ascend at a sensible rate and control their buoyancy. However, what still worries me is the syllabus and the lack of training in the use of SMBs. On the first dive, my reel jammed and I had to let go of my line and reel. Fortunately, the conditions were not bad apart from the swell. If there had been a current or waves, we could have been hard to spot. As it happens we caught up with my SMB at the surface and there was no problem. Having heard in the news recently of a whole group of divers lost on the surface for eleven hours, one wonders why they had not had visible SMBs or flags. I feel that we should continue to teach the use of SMBs at Ocean Diver level and that all divers should carry either an SMB or flag and know how to use it. One of our own divers was once lost at the surface for over half an hour and it was traumatic not only for him but for those looking for him as well. It is my proposal that we should teach the underwater deployment of delayed SMBs, the deployment of an SMB at the surface and the use of flags.

Having so said, the weekend went very well and I’m sure we are all looking forward to our next sea trip. Many thanks to Richard Farrier for organising it and to him and Lee Copley for their excellent dive marshalling

Kate Falkingham, Diving Officer

● Ocean Diver Training

Following this report, it was agreed that Kate would speak to Steve about ensuring that Ocean Diver Training would include SMB deployment, etc.

5.

Training Officers Report

● Review

Steve Hill will review all existing training records and will consider options to develop a more integrated system with Membership Secretary.

● Sports Diver Training

7 Trainees have now passed their Sports Diver Theory training

6.

Treasurer's Report

● July

£450.40 deficit mainly due to the deposit payment on the room booking for the 50th Celebration dinner

● Financial Year to date

£271.21 deficit - again, due to the above.

7.

Equipment Officer's Report

● Nothing to report

8.

Welfare Officer Report

● Nothing to report