Joining Stingray is simple.
There is no extra charge for the try out & you don't need any extra training..
If want to continue training later on and you are from another agency (e.g PADI or the SAA), then you'll have to buy the BSAC diving manual and student workbooks appropriate to your new diving grade, but you don't have to start over.
Often divers who join Stingray learned in warmer waters and have little experience of diving in the UK. If that's the case then we recommend our drysuit course, which will help you get ready for British diving. It's short (two lectures, two pool sessions and two dives) and the price includes sea fins and gloves if you don't have them already.
If you learned on holiday or at a dive school you'll notice a few differences. Stingray isn't a dive school, it's a club. You pay an annual fee to be part of the club, but once you are in the training is free (only costs like workbooks are passed on) and fees for equipment hire etc. are much more resonable than a shop. Our instructors and dive leaders are fully qualified, but they are volunteers.
Most training is done in the evenings over a period of weeks, with diving on weekends. Costs are lower and more spread out, with less pre-arranged packages (although we do this when it makes things easier, like for the drysuit course). We have a good social side to the club and everyone is expected to muck in and help run things. You'll see how it works once you join.
Some example equivalent grades from other organisations (if you aren't on this list, don't worry, it isn't comprehensive - ask us):
CMAS 1*, PADI OW, PADI AOW, PADI AOW+, NAUI Scuba Diver, SAA OWD: BSAC Ocean Diver
PADI Rescue Diver, NAUI SCUBA Resue Diver, SAA Club Diver, SSAC 3rd Class: BSAC Sport Diver
PADI/NAUI Divemaster, SAA Dive Leader, SSAC 2nd Class: BSAC Dive Leader
If you are an instructor with another agency, there are cross over arrangements for this as well, ask us about them if they might apply to you.