DA Mistral Project

[Chez7222]

So I pick respond to this Craigslist ad for an Aqualung rig from a seller in Middleburg FL. He was selling a rig his mother bought for him when he was a kid and was clearing his garage at the behest of his wife. I got over to his house after work a few months ago and was surprised to find a whole rig with restoration potential; i took it home for $70. Thanks to the availability of parts at VDH and the help from my best bud from my Marine Corps days Robert Kincaid out in Cali, I was able to get this rig looking and breathing as well as it probably did back in the day.

http://i1288.photobucket.com/albums...71BB50BC-558-00000043FD10F4EC_zpsb5b55d9b.jpg

http://i1288.photobucket.com/albums...10C991CC-558-00000043FEA9FD14_zpscfaeb442.jpg

http://i1288.photobucket.com/albums...E9323C64-558-00000043FDBBEAF6_zps6484fdde.jpg

http://i1288.photobucket.com/albums...2A7E7EC2-558-00000043B13438B7_zps81a314ac.jpg

http://i1288.photobucket.com/albums...F5AD64F3-558-00000043A846FB28_zps3afde144.jpg

I took the tank to my LDS and after removing the valve he was surprised to find the interior white coating cherry. The tank was full at purchase and the seller said it was last filled in 1991. The tank hydro'd fine and the J-valve was serviced now I'm wondering if I should paint the tank?

Chez7222

 

[Nemrod]

Nice looking but you do realize the regulator is on the tank upside down? The hoses go up, not down.

N

 

[Chez7222]

Yeah I store them on the tank that way, less stress on the hoses

 

[John C. Ratliff]

Very nice restoration. Have you dived it yet? You are going to like getting it into the water. Here is a graph that the U.S. Navy Experimental Diving Unit put together in about 1958 when they approved the Mistral for use in the U.S. Navy as an alternative to the DA Aquamaster.

Here, for comparison, is the DA Aquamaster's curve. Note, the exhalation resistance is completely dependent on the duckbill being used, and would be the same for both regulators. Also, the two graphs use opposite axis, so you'll have to read which one is inhalation on both. The closer to the center, or zero, the better the breathing, as this measures inhalation resistance in centimeters of water pressure.

SeaRat

 

[Paladin]

Congrats! Nice rig. Remember to keep the top of the can below the level of your shoulder, down between your shoulder blades. If the reg is too high on your back, it will breathe hard.

 

[Nemrod]

Yeah I store them on the tank that way, less stress on the hoses

Well, you would be surprised that people do indeed try to dive them upside down.

Recently acquired a very nice USA made Cave reflector telescope from the 50s. The owner told me, he was an old man now, but had owned it ever since new. He told me he had tried to use it once but never could see anything. Being as he was old now and would not be able to use it and being as I wanted to buy it for nearly nothing since it was "broken" I did not have the heart to tell him that the telescope was not broken, he had simply been pointing the wrong end to the heavens. A common issue with reflector type telescopes, seems lot's of them are broken.

N

 

[Chez7222]

@ John - I haven't been able to go diving, rescheduling due to work. I've been trying to get to Blue Grotto to test it out. I was looking at the graphs and during the restoration process I went with a duck bill eliminator... do you in your opinion think this is a factor.

@ Paladin - thanks brother, I have two Aquamasters that I use with a custom harness made from an Air Force parachute rig. My bud made me one for Christmas and we dove it at Ginnie Springs FL 27 DEC 12 (btw last time I dove >:^[ ...)

http://i1288.photobucket.com/albums...0C59E3A5-558-000000445072BB91_zps3e2e5a5e.jpg

http://i1288.photobucket.com/albums...64989BBE-558-00000044346895A7_zps067303a2.jpg
in this pic maybe you can see the milspec clasp assembly in the front if you zoom in; works like a champ.
I have to take a better picture of it; it's really is a good design done in the ALSE shop.

Chris S.

---------- Post added February 21st, 2013 at 09:26 PM ----------

@ Nemrod ... Hilarious, you are kind for not telling him, being a native New Yorker I probably would not have been able to resist.

 

[Paladin]

I was at Ginnie with my sons the week after Christmas. It was our first time there and we liked it a lot.

 

[Chez7222]

I really love that place, there was a German couple getting married in the Ballroom, my bud Robbo and I were in there with the whole group. They flew in from Europe with a large party, all German very little English, it was pretty incredible. They hired some photographers who were digging the vintage gear. I had a real cheapie camera, this was the only good shot of the day, which is my favorite.

http://i1288.photobucket.com/albums...DEAD6D4B-558-00000043FF8D2098_zpsa1cdb17e.jpg

 

[Paladin]

I want to go back to Ginnie in the fall. My wife is getting ready to get certified this summer and wants to dive Ginnie with me and our boys. Perhaps we could get together then.