Basic gear from mid-twentieth-century Spain: Nemrod

[lowwall]

Clearing that would be a chore.

Was there a large camp of snorkelers who preferred to stay on the surface at all times? So they would accept poor clearing ability in return for less chance of minor amounts of water entering in the first place?

 

[David Wilson]

Second Nemrod snorkel of the day is the PS/2129 Antillas sin boya, named after the Antilles (above), an archipelago bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the south and west, the Gulf of Mexico to the northwest, and the Atlantic Ocean to the north and east. Here is the snorkel in 1960:

So a conventional J-shaped snorkel with a lugged mouthpiece at the lower end and the inverted U-bend at the top.

1961

Spanish: "PS/2129. — ANTILLAS SIN BOYA. — Tubo con doble curva de material plástico unido a boquilla de caucho que se adapta perfectamente a la boca del nadador. Es el respirador que ha conseguido mayor número de adeptos en menos espacio de tiempo".
Rough translation: "PS/2129. — ANTILLAS WITHOUT FLOAT (VALVE). — Tube with double bend of plastic material attached to a rubber mouthpiece that adapts perfectly to the swimmer's mouth. It is the snorkel that has achieved the greatest number of followers in the shortest amount of time".

So a popular model in this early era.

Some time midweek we shall move on to the Nemrod PS/2150 Ifach curvado con boya and PS/2151 Antillas con boya, the valved counterparts of the models we have reviewed today. Until then, keep safe and stay well.

 

[David Wilson]

Clearing that would be a chore.

Was there a large camp of snorkelers who preferred to stay on the surface at all times? So they would accept poor clearing ability in return for less chance of minor amounts of water entering in the first place?

I'm thinking more of spearfishermen, who might have spent most of their time watching the sea bed while lying prone on the surface on the lookout for their quarry.

 

[Popgun Pete]

I'm thinking more of spearfishermen, who might have spent most of their time watching the sea bed while lying prone on the surface on the lookout for their quarry.

Valves and hooked tops add to drag, my spearfishing buddies and myself either chopped the valve tops off or where applicable heated the tube and straightened it out before deciding on whether to shorten it. Valves are really for surface swimmers who might occasionally duck under to retrieve something from the bottom. Having the caught snorkel being levered off your face and lifting your mask is not something you want, especially if your hands are full dragging something up in the water column.

 

[David Wilson]

Thanks for the likes, Angelo and Luis, and for the posts, Iowwall and Pete.

Now for the Nemrod PS/2150 Ifach curvado con boya and PS/2151 Antillas con boya breathing tubes. Here is the former in 1961:

Spanish: "PS/2150. — IFACH CURVADO CON BOYA. — De iguales características que el modelo anterior, provisto de una boya al final de la curvatura superior para impedir la entrada de agua al sumergirse".
Rough translation: "PS/2150. — CURVED IFACH WITH FLOAT (VALVE). — With the same characteristics as the previous model, provided with a float (valve) at the end of the upper bend to prevent the entry of water when submerged".

So essentially the same as PS/2218 Ifach snorkel with the inverted U-bend at the top but with a ball in the cage shut-off valve attached to the open end. Over the years, Nemrod used a number of shut-off valve designs for the company's snorkels, as this image from Facebook's Nemrod Museum testifies:

As can be seen, most were ball valves.

 

[David Wilson]

Here is the PS/2151 Antillas con boya breathing tube from 1961:

Spanish: "PS/2151. — ANTILLAS CON BOYA. — De iguales características que el PS/2129, pero provisto de una boya al final de la curvatura superior para impedir la entrada de agua al sumergirse".
Rough translation: "PS/2151. — ANTILLAS WITH FLOAT (VALVE). — With the same characteristics as the PS/2129, but supplied with a float (valve) at the end of the upper bend to prevent the entry of water when submerged".

So the valved version of the PS/2129 that we reviewed at the weekend. The Antillas con boya lasted rather longer in production. This from 1962:

1964

Supposedly more comfortable than the conventional lugged mouthpiece, the oval biteplate on the snorkel mouthpiece is a bit clearer on the above image.

1966

The last appearance of the model.

So much for today's snorkels. Next time, at the weekend, we shall take a closer look at the Nemrod
Menorca and the PS/2155 Menorca de luxe breathing tubes. Until then, keep safe and stay well.

 

[David Wilson]

Thanks for the likes, Luis and Iowwall.

Today we look at the Menorca and the Menorca de luxe snorkels. Both are named after one of the Balearic Islands (view above) located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. Its name derives from its size, contrasting it with nearby Majorca. Here is the Menorca snorkel in 1961:

The model seems to have been exported first to the USA, where it was marketed by the Seamless Rubber Company. Here again in 1963:

So an all-rubber breathing tube, which helped with safety and comfort.

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One more undated image:

 

[David Wilson]

As for the de-luxe version of the Menorca snorkel in 1963, coded PS/2155:

So another export model at first for the American market. A flexible-hose snorkel with a drain valve located in the middle of the hose at the point where the bend was lowest in the water. The varrel is again made of rubber, though a stiffer compound than the hose.

1964

To finish off, some undated imagery:

Note that the drain valve comes factory-sealed and has to be activated by cutting. This provides the user with an element of choice.

I shall return some time midweek to take a look at the Nemrod Canarias and Oporto snorkels. Until then, keep safe and stay well.

 

[Popgun Pete]

Note the snorkels have moulded tubes with a decoration on them creating a lozenge pattern with their elongated shapes.

 

[David Wilson]

Thanks for the likes, Angelo and Luis, and for the post, Pete.

Today's Nemrod snorkels are the Canarias and Oporto. The Canarias is named after the Canary Islands (above), a Spanish autonomous community and archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean. They are the southernmost of the autonomous communities of Spain. As for the PS/2171 Canarias breathing tube, here it is in 1964.

So a model comprising a combined lugged mouthpiece and U-bend at the lower end of a straight barrel with a cap valve at the upper end to deflect water when swimming on or near the surface in choppy seas.

Some more Canarias imagery:

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