I think the shop in Monterey is called Backscatter, Backscatter : Underwater Camera, Underwater Video Housing, Underwater Photography, Waterproof Camera
Dacor Nautilus
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Jim,
I did have the Nikonos II serviced, and it is back in working shape. It's back in service, after having the top knob, which controls the shutter release, break off. Now I see that my other Nikonos II is also having problems with the rewind lever. I'll check to see whether I can get that fixed too.
SeaRat
OP
AfterDark
Contributor
Nice pics John! When I first read your post I was at work, they block a lot of content especially pics. Makes me want to see if I can get my Nautilus in working order again!
Ed Palma
Contributor
Okay, I'm going to drag this thread up from the dead because I searched everywhere and couldn't find a history of the CVS...
The reason I'm asking is because my 1963 (2nd ed) copy of Fred Robert's Basic Scuba has a photo of a diver using a CVS as well as 2 other divers using single-hose regs as well as horse-collar BCDs.
I've just always found the cover to be asynchronous to the era. (and in fact, the CVS doesn't even seem to be covered in the book)
The reason I'm asking is because my 1963 (2nd ed) copy of Fred Robert's Basic Scuba has a photo of a diver using a CVS as well as 2 other divers using single-hose regs as well as horse-collar BCDs.
I've just always found the cover to be asynchronous to the era. (and in fact, the CVS doesn't even seem to be covered in the book)
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If I recall the Nautilus was more than just a hard shell housing like the others, I think it could withstand negative pressure compression thus maintain constant buoyancy.
Ed Palma
Contributor
There's the thing... The ad looks like a 70s ad. The tank looks like an al80. Most of what I've read about the CVS dates to around the 70s, but I'm just wondering what it's doing on my 1963 book... Did Van Nostrand (the publisher) reprint the 2nd ed (no indication on the inside), or does the CVS date back to around the early 60s as well?
Great observation.
The tank is an AL 80 and they were not around until the mid 70's (not from Dacor). US Divers introduced the AL 72 in 1971 as the first AL tank in the US. The AL 80 came later and I am fairly sure that it was again US Divers who introduced it first.
Yes, the Nautilus was mid 70's also.
The book must be a reprint.
The tank is an AL 80 and they were not around until the mid 70's (not from Dacor). US Divers introduced the AL 72 in 1971 as the first AL tank in the US. The AL 80 came later and I am fairly sure that it was again US Divers who introduced it first.
Yes, the Nautilus was mid 70's also.
The book must be a reprint.
Ed Palma
Contributor
Found an answer on VDH, but I still need to verify 
There was apparently a reprinting of the book in 1977
And I thought I had a 48 yr old book.
There was apparently a reprinting of the book in 1977
And I thought I had a 48 yr old book.
Mike Lev
Contributor
Yes the early ones were hard cover.The paper back is 77.
Thanks for resurrecting the thread. My 1977 and 1978 Dacor catalogs feature the Nautilus, and I have an undated Nautilus Constant Volume System Instructor Manual. I have two Nautilus CVSs, one complete and one missing the regulator. The regulator is pretty critical, since it controls the pressure inside the shell as the diver dives deeper. The one without the regulator I "fixed" prior to getting the complete Nautilus CVS by affixing a single hose second stage to the inflator hose instead of the mouthpiece, and sealing the non-return shut with Shoe Goo. It would then act the same way the complete set acted, pressurizing the shell to ambient pressure as the diver descended after doing the equalization at 30-35 feet. It would also automatically vent upon ascent, thus maintaining the constant volume. I used my AL 80s until I decommissioned them, and am now using a steel 72 with the Nautilus CVS. It has to be done without a tank boot to allow for dropping of the weights.
The unit is very comfortable, and pretty nice in the water. It's a but much to walk with very far, but then again so is a 25 pound weight belt and scuba. It keeps my whole front clear of anything, which is also nice (although with my own BC, I have a great front pocket to put things into). The Nautilus came with 4 specially-designed four-pound weights for the back pocket, and neutral buoyancy iller blocks were also available if less than the 4 four-pound weights were to be used. For instance, on the cover above, and in their ads, the diver is wearing a shorty wet suit; much less weight would be needed for that. For the bulk, it still handled pretty well in the water.
On the surface, you could expel all the water and be 50 or so pounds buoyant, on your back almost completely out of the water. That is really nice for going across really fast water in a river, for instance.
I have been using my Nautilus with a Dacor Pacer regulator, and that sits nicely on the unit. I now have a Dacor Olympic 400 regulator, and plan to use the two later this summer (when the rivers go down from their current very, very high levels--recond snow in March and April which is now running off).
SeaRat
The unit is very comfortable, and pretty nice in the water. It's a but much to walk with very far, but then again so is a 25 pound weight belt and scuba. It keeps my whole front clear of anything, which is also nice (although with my own BC, I have a great front pocket to put things into). The Nautilus came with 4 specially-designed four-pound weights for the back pocket, and neutral buoyancy iller blocks were also available if less than the 4 four-pound weights were to be used. For instance, on the cover above, and in their ads, the diver is wearing a shorty wet suit; much less weight would be needed for that. For the bulk, it still handled pretty well in the water.
On the surface, you could expel all the water and be 50 or so pounds buoyant, on your back almost completely out of the water. That is really nice for going across really fast water in a river, for instance.
I have been using my Nautilus with a Dacor Pacer regulator, and that sits nicely on the unit. I now have a Dacor Olympic 400 regulator, and plan to use the two later this summer (when the rivers go down from their current very, very high levels--recond snow in March and April which is now running off).
SeaRat
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