The Seahorse Dive Club Rules 2018/19– Revision4

Who Are We?

The Seahorse Dive Club is constituted as an independent, not-for-profit, SCUBA Diving Club, accepting and acknowledging certificates of competence from all international SCUBA diver training agencies.

Our Mission Statement

The club exists to encourage SCUBA Diving in the UK and abroad, and to give newly qualified divers the opportunity to gain experience with the support of more experienced divers. Our mission is to assist newly trained divers to gain experience in a wide range of diving scenarios, and to encourage their training and skill level achievements. We seek to bring UK Diving to divers of all levels of training who have been trained abroad. The Club is open to all without discrimination, other than the requirement to be a certified SCUBA Diver.

Our Club Year

The club is managed by a committee, elected at the Annual General Meeting each year. The club year runs from 1st April to 31st March, with a committee meeting every month. Thecommittee meetings are open to all members.

The Club runs dive trips at various times throughout the year. We dive all year round in the UK and abroad.

Our website:

Club Membership2018/2019

There is only one category of membership: Full (Members under the age of 18 are termed ‘Younger Members’ below.)

The membership fee applicable to membership is determined by the committee, according to planned costs,membership surveys, and is shown on the Membership Application form.

  • The Fee for membership is to be confirmed at the Annual General Meeting (usually held in mid-March).
  • Membership fees shall be paid annually by the first full committee meeting in April, following the March AGM.(Committee and Social evenings are held on the 2nd Wednesday of each month.)
  • For details of renewal fees, new members joining later in the year etc. see the Membership Application.
  • Only Full Members shall have voting rights at an EGM or AGM andmay put forward proposals for discussion.
  • The Committee shall maintain an up-to-date register of all members.

Club Membership – Safeguarding Aspects

  • The club conforms to the requirements for safeguarding of young people and vulnerable adults.

Club Finance

  • The Treasurer may hold a Petty Cash float for the day-to-day running of the Club, and is required to show invoices for all expenditures. The Treasurer mustseek approval of the Committee for any expenditure in excess of £300.
  • The Treasurer is authorised to release information in response to an enquiry by a FullMember regarding the balances of all club accounts.
  • The Treasurer is to notify theCommittee of such enquiries at the next Committee meeting.

Pool Session Etiquette

  • PoolsideMeetings are held on Wednesday evenings, in association with J C Scuba, at the Ridgeway Centre from 8pm to 9.30pm. This enables meeting with J C Scuba students with a view to recruiting new members.
  • All members may use the pool free of charge on two occasions within each membership year, for snorkelling, andSCUBA diving as they wish. (The Club will cover the fees.) After the second pool entry, a charge of £5 will be levied by J C Scuba.All sessions must be pre-booked with J C Scuba.
  • No unqualified person, unless under the instruction and in the direct supervision of a currently licensed Instructor,Assistant Instructor, or Divemaster can be permitted to breath compressed gases during ANY club arranged poolsession. (Or indeed any occasion involving submersion.)

Open WaterDiving Code of Practice

  • No Club Member diving under the auspices of the Seahorse Dive Club, no matter howqualified, may dive alone.
  • Two suitably qualified divers shall be the minimum composition ofany Dive Club dive party.
  • Club Divers shall always be personally responsible for ensuring that they are suitably trainedand qualified for any dives undertaken as part of a Club activity.
  • All persons wishing to dive with the Club will be required to produce Certification and LogBook evidence of diving qualification and experience to the dive leader prior to a diveexpedition. (Dive leaders/organisers are to publish the minimum requirements when advertising their proposed venture.)
  • Seahorse Dive Club Members are to ensure that they are physically fit for diving, or suspendtheir diving activity until fit again. If a diver has any doubt, the diver must seek medicaladvice before recommencing diving activities.
  • Seahorse Dive Club Members are to ensure that the equipment they use is fit for purpose, and maintained appropriately, or suspend their diving activity until the equipment is fit for purpose again.
  • All Members diving under the auspices of the Club shall first complete a set of forms, provided bythe Committee, or downloaded from the website, certifying their diving qualification (inspection will be required), their medical fitness and indemnifying the Club from any claimsarising from diving activities. Only signed paper copies are acceptable.
  • Parents of members under the age of 18 shall complete the forms as appropriate on behalf of their children.
  • The Committee shall maintain records of all membership forms for 7 years.
  • Younger Members, regardless of their qualifications and level of training shall always berequired to “Buddy” with, and dive under the direct control of a suitably trained Adult member of the Club.
  • Leaders of properly authorised Dive Club expeditions shall take all reasonable steps toensure that divers on their expedition fully understand and follow the codes of practice andsafe diving standards promulgated by a properly constituted and formally recognised divingorganisation (e.g. PADI, BSAC, NAUI, SSI etc.), and are suitably trained and experienced for the expedition.
  • Leaders shall ensure that all divers on the expedition receive a formal “dive briefing” andhave sufficient information to prepare full and safe dive plans.
  • Leaders shall ensure the safety of divers on their expedition, however, individual divers shallultimately be held fully responsible for their own safety and, as far as reasonably possible, forthe safety of their nominated “Buddy”.
  • Leaders shall always ensure that full details of the intended dive are left with a responsibleperson who can raise the alarm in the event of divers failing to return by the agreed time.
  • Club members are to carry their Club Membership identity card at all times whilst taking partin any Club organised activity.
  • Club members are to wear their Club Membership identity disc at all times whilst engaged ina Club organised diving expedition. Discs may be attached to BCDs, or SCUBA sets.
  • The Skipper of a boat, the Dive Leader and responsible Instructor, as appropriate, are required to assume fullresponsibility for safety and safe diving practices of all divers in training whilst engaged ina diving expedition at the same time as members of the Seahorse Diving Club.

Boat Operations and Etiquette

Seahorse Dive Club accepts no responsibility for the following:

  • Personal injury of a diver
  • Death of a diver
  • Loss of or damage to personal diving equipment and property.

NOTE

  • All divers are to abide by the PADI Standards for Safe Diving Practices or Codes of Practiceand Safe Diving Standards promulgated by a properly constituted and formally recogniseddiving organisation. (E.g. BSAC, NAUI, SSI etc.).
  • The responsibility for ensuring adequate personal preparation for a dive rests with theindividual diver and NOT the boat skipper/dive leader.
  • The dive leader or boat skipper reserves the right to cancel/refuse participation in a dive if he/she has any doubtsabout a diver’s health, training level, ability, or fitness to dive on the day.
  • Divers shall be individually responsible for the safe storage and handling of their equipment.
  • Divers are required to assist in the transportation, launching, retrieval, and running of theany boat being used by the club, at the discretion of the skipper.
  • Dive plans, including entry and exit procedures, are to be established and agreed with the skipper/diveleader, and are to be followed unless conditions become unsafe to do so.
  • Divers are to familiarise themselves with the location and operation of safety equipment,including oxygen and radio/emergency systems, whether on shore, or on a vessel.
  • Divers who are not in the water are to be prepared to assist other divers with entry and exitprocedures.
  • All Club members are advised to wear a buoyancy aid at all times whilst travellingto and from a dive site via a Rigid Inflatable Boat.

SDC Rules: Issue 4: March 2018

Amended by: Mike H Scott