Question Any idea of year I’m thinking mid 70s. AMF took over Voit I believe look simple to duckfeet?

[Pacediver]

Info?

 

[axxel57]

Mark IX fins seem to have made their début in the 1971 Voit Swimaster catalogue. Their last appearance may have been the 1977 version; I have no access to the 1978 catalogue and I can't see the fins in the 1979 catalogue. See for yourself in the VDH manual and catalog collection.

As for the beginning of the association between Voit and AMF (American Machine and Foundry), the 1958 catalogue (VR214L) in the VDH collection has "AMF" next to "Voit" in the heading, while the 1959 version makes no reference to AMF. The 1960 catalogue has the "AMF" logo. More digging may be required in company history sites to establish exact dating of the takeover. According to Jonathan Walford's blog, "In 1957, the company (Voit) was sold to AMF and in 1963 operations were moved to Santa Ana, California", but there is no independent source for this information. A 1987 LA Times article about Voit mentions "the company’s move from Los Angeles to Santa Ana, its 1957 sale to AMF Inc. of White Plains, N.Y." So 1957 seems to be the odds-on favourite at present.

I knew that I still have a pair of MK X fins, found them now again. Seems they were first in '74 in the Swimmaster Catalogue.
I like the design, but I cannot start to collect also fins and stuff, my garage is full with regs.
David, is that model by any chance missing in your collection ( if you are collector)?
I'd gladly send them to you as a little thank you to your incredible contributions here on the board.

 

[David Wilson]

I knew that I still have a pair of MK X fins, found them now again. Seems they were first in '74 in the Swimmaster Catalogue.
I like the design, but I cannot start to collect also fins and stuff, my garage is full with regs.
David, is that model by any chance missing in your collection ( if you are collector)?
I'd gladly send them to you as a little thank you to your incredible contributions here on the board.

That's a really kind thought, axxel, and I'm touched by your warm words, but my own small home is already teeming with vintage gear! I'm keeping any remaining space at present for very rare and under-researched European items of equipment as that is the current focus of my investigations of historical diving gear development. I will gladly include your fin pictures in my digital image collection, however.

 

[CraigAClark]

In 1977 I was visiting some friends in Wheeling, West Virginia. They needed a few things to make dinner so we stopped at an A&P grocery store. I went in with them and there they were, Voit "duckfeet" with a fixed heel strap. Solid rubber with no adjustment. Must have been 30 pairs. I kick myself for not buying some. In 1979 I was on a salvage job off the coast of Titusville, FL. Two of the divers were ex Seals and speaking with them, I found that "duckfeet" were pretty popular among them.