Airleron
Contributor
Ed, I think my book is original...and I won't tell you how much I paid for it (it wasn't outrageous, though). But it's in mint condition. And I love hard bound books.
Lisa
Dacor Nautilus
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Ed, I think my book is original...and I won't tell you how much I paid for it (it wasn't outrageous, though). But it's in mint condition. And I love hard bound books.
Lisa
Mike Lev
Contributor
It looks like the 1960 edition to me.The 2nd edition was in 1963.I have seen them go from $10 to over $50.One of the best books to have for info on old regs.
elmer fudd
Contributor
Mine's the same 1960 edition. The book itself is like new, but the dust cover has a few nicks on it. It cost me $40 on Amazon.
Ed Palma
Contributor
I've seen the hardbound versions go for from $40 to $200!
I got my soft-bound one for $6 at al libris.
Best $6 ever!
I still want to know what Van Nostrand was thinking though when they republished and placed a photo of the CVS on the cover
I got my soft-bound one for $6 at al libris.
Best $6 ever!
I still want to know what Van Nostrand was thinking though when they republished and placed a photo of the CVS on the cover
They got a free photo from Dacor. It is part of advertising for Dacor.I've seen the hardbound versions go for from $40 to $200!
I got my soft-bound one for $6 at al libris.
Best $6 ever!
I still want to know what Van Nostrand was thinking though when they republished and placed a photo of the CVS on the cover
SeaRat
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I like to read but don't like to post to these types of threads, but some of the comments demand claification or a comment or two...maybe more?.
I know Fred very well. When he moved from the midwest to California he was already a mini hero; he had made a 320 foot dive on air under the direction of Dr. Edgar End, so he was accepted as a full member of the Orange County, SoCaL tribe.
My home at that time was in Anaheim, a neighbor was Bob Ruetherford (see Legends of diving, Sea Sabres Signaling System, Scuba Diving and Recreation Center in Northwest Ohio - Portage Quarry) a mile south was the home of Tommy Thompson (US Divers PR) and still a mile south was Fred Roberts in Garden Grove. So we all socialized and dove together.
Fred had a position with an LA engineering firm for a while-- I recall he had trouble mastering a snorkel, so during his travels he would breathe from a snorkel -- I don't recall why I remember that, since we all had our difficulties...
Willard Voit, also a OC resident, decided to expand Voit Rubber Co into a major dive manufacture, he purchased the Spearfisherman co from Ken Norris, made an agreement with US divers to produce rubber products and use their hard goods, reguators etc..with modification-European cans etc. He also closed his LA facility and constructed a very large building on Harbor about a mile south of US Divers who were located on Delphi, later had a name change to Warner Avenue. Voit was on a move...and moving close to Fred
Fred obtained a position with Voit as an engineer. His mission was to think "outside the box" and immediately began designing new, exciting radical products based on sales and consumer input. Almost very one was a failure...recall the whip reserve? a kink or drop tank on it and it was useless, the universal double manifold, great idea but not accepted by the diving public, the blue fibre glass contour back pack? lay a unit on it and it would crack, later US Divers made the same pack from injected moulded plastic. But to Voits and Freds credit recall the MR 12 singe hose or the Titan double hose? Fantastic modular rugged units.
I built a large home in rural Garden Grove south of Westmister Blvd, Fred & family lived directly north of Westminister Blvd. So we were closer and dove together more often. Saturday mornings at Corona del Mar, for photography. Fred was producing a series of marine life slide for diving instruction, which I have a mint unopend set. Often off to Calalina at Voits expense to test equipment...I recall so clearly when we took samples of wet suit neoprene to depth, checking the thickness of the samples with a micrometer every ten feet for compression all the way to 100 feet. Crazy exciting times...
As members of the original Underwater Photographic Society we had been car pooling to LA for the monthly meeting. The OC membership was growning so we formed the Orange County Underwater Photographic Society, The "OCUPS" which after all these good years is still going strong. We held our meeting in the conference room of US Divers, the only dive club with that distinction.. Remember Tommy Thompson was the US Divers PR and I was the offical US Divers UW Instructor as well as a consultant.
Concurrently Fred was writting his book "Basic SCUBA." It was certanly not a secret from the tribe and certainly not with out its detractors==Who needs or even would by a book on diving regulators ? When he published the book I did, which Fred also personally inscribed --that means addressed the book to me, wrote a short message and then signed and dated the book, then the second edition, same thing, then the soft cover,same thing. I placed all of them on my bookshelf and never touched them untill a few years ago when a question arose about a unique regulator. I think, but not certain, that I have a extra mint Basic SCUBA for sale if there is any interest
Fred obtained a position with a aerospace company and moved to south Orange county, but did not abandon the diving. He purchased a printing press installed it in his garage and began publishing a magazine titled "Underwater Photographer." Although it was well received locally and nationally it was too soon in the market place and disappered into magophile heaven. I have a bound set as well as a extra set of "Underwater Photographer" which I will sell "Some Day?" At the same time Fred also produced a Yellow covered 4-1/4 X 8-1/2 spiral bound "Photographers Logbook" which I also purchased a copy thinking I would use..That was 40 years or more ago and it is still mint not one page has been scribbled on and even the price sticker is on the back $ 2.00.
Fred sold his printing press and all his diving equipment, so as was the custom of the era when diving was not a sport as it is today but rather a quasi religion Fred had abandoned th flock was no longer a recognized member of the tribe, so we lost close contact.
Fred's new love was flying, which he embraced as he did recreational SCUBA..
We now live 350 miles distance but in a few weeks I will be in OC and I think I will visit an old buddy
I know Fred very well. When he moved from the midwest to California he was already a mini hero; he had made a 320 foot dive on air under the direction of Dr. Edgar End, so he was accepted as a full member of the Orange County, SoCaL tribe.
My home at that time was in Anaheim, a neighbor was Bob Ruetherford (see Legends of diving, Sea Sabres Signaling System, Scuba Diving and Recreation Center in Northwest Ohio - Portage Quarry) a mile south was the home of Tommy Thompson (US Divers PR) and still a mile south was Fred Roberts in Garden Grove. So we all socialized and dove together.
Fred had a position with an LA engineering firm for a while-- I recall he had trouble mastering a snorkel, so during his travels he would breathe from a snorkel -- I don't recall why I remember that, since we all had our difficulties...
Willard Voit, also a OC resident, decided to expand Voit Rubber Co into a major dive manufacture, he purchased the Spearfisherman co from Ken Norris, made an agreement with US divers to produce rubber products and use their hard goods, reguators etc..with modification-European cans etc. He also closed his LA facility and constructed a very large building on Harbor about a mile south of US Divers who were located on Delphi, later had a name change to Warner Avenue. Voit was on a move...and moving close to Fred
Fred obtained a position with Voit as an engineer. His mission was to think "outside the box" and immediately began designing new, exciting radical products based on sales and consumer input. Almost very one was a failure...recall the whip reserve? a kink or drop tank on it and it was useless, the universal double manifold, great idea but not accepted by the diving public, the blue fibre glass contour back pack? lay a unit on it and it would crack, later US Divers made the same pack from injected moulded plastic. But to Voits and Freds credit recall the MR 12 singe hose or the Titan double hose? Fantastic modular rugged units.
I built a large home in rural Garden Grove south of Westmister Blvd, Fred & family lived directly north of Westminister Blvd. So we were closer and dove together more often. Saturday mornings at Corona del Mar, for photography. Fred was producing a series of marine life slide for diving instruction, which I have a mint unopend set. Often off to Calalina at Voits expense to test equipment...I recall so clearly when we took samples of wet suit neoprene to depth, checking the thickness of the samples with a micrometer every ten feet for compression all the way to 100 feet. Crazy exciting times...
As members of the original Underwater Photographic Society we had been car pooling to LA for the monthly meeting. The OC membership was growning so we formed the Orange County Underwater Photographic Society, The "OCUPS" which after all these good years is still going strong. We held our meeting in the conference room of US Divers, the only dive club with that distinction.. Remember Tommy Thompson was the US Divers PR and I was the offical US Divers UW Instructor as well as a consultant.
Concurrently Fred was writting his book "Basic SCUBA." It was certanly not a secret from the tribe and certainly not with out its detractors==Who needs or even would by a book on diving regulators ? When he published the book I did, which Fred also personally inscribed --that means addressed the book to me, wrote a short message and then signed and dated the book, then the second edition, same thing, then the soft cover,same thing. I placed all of them on my bookshelf and never touched them untill a few years ago when a question arose about a unique regulator. I think, but not certain, that I have a extra mint Basic SCUBA for sale if there is any interest
Fred obtained a position with a aerospace company and moved to south Orange county, but did not abandon the diving. He purchased a printing press installed it in his garage and began publishing a magazine titled "Underwater Photographer." Although it was well received locally and nationally it was too soon in the market place and disappered into magophile heaven. I have a bound set as well as a extra set of "Underwater Photographer" which I will sell "Some Day?" At the same time Fred also produced a Yellow covered 4-1/4 X 8-1/2 spiral bound "Photographers Logbook" which I also purchased a copy thinking I would use..That was 40 years or more ago and it is still mint not one page has been scribbled on and even the price sticker is on the back $ 2.00.
Fred sold his printing press and all his diving equipment, so as was the custom of the era when diving was not a sport as it is today but rather a quasi religion Fred had abandoned th flock was no longer a recognized member of the tribe, so we lost close contact.
Fred's new love was flying, which he embraced as he did recreational SCUBA..
We now live 350 miles distance but in a few weeks I will be in OC and I think I will visit an old buddy
Mike Lev
Contributor
Hello Sam thanks for all the great info.You know who this is?]
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MIKE? NEW ENGLAND? NEVER HEARD OF YOU! JUST KIDDING!
GLAD TO SEE YOU ARE BACK IN SERVICE... BUT NEW ENGLAND? ARE YOU NEAR TOM SKI......?
HOW ARE YOU AND FAMILY?
sam
GLAD TO SEE YOU ARE BACK IN SERVICE... BUT NEW ENGLAND? ARE YOU NEAR TOM SKI......?
HOW ARE YOU AND FAMILY?
sam
Mike Lev
Contributor
:cool2:Hello Sam,I have been to Tom's house twice.He lives about 2 1/2 hrs north of me in NH.He's a great guy.On the cover of that magazine is Fred Roberts from 1955.
Dr. Miller,
We don't know each other, but I wanted you to know that I really appreciate this above post, more than just the "Like" icon that I clicked. I am very happy to know that Fred Roberts is still around--I did not know that until now. Please express our (as a group of vintage divers) appreciation for his efforts in diving equipment design and especially for his book, Basic Scuba. My second edition copy is in taters now, the hard cover is barely surviving and I will have to get another copy soon it's seen so much wear. I have taken your post, copied it into a Word document, and printed it off so that I can put this information into the book so that it is not lost. Thank you!
John (SeaRat) Ratliff
We don't know each other, but I wanted you to know that I really appreciate this above post, more than just the "Like" icon that I clicked. I am very happy to know that Fred Roberts is still around--I did not know that until now. Please express our (as a group of vintage divers) appreciation for his efforts in diving equipment design and especially for his book, Basic Scuba. My second edition copy is in taters now, the hard cover is barely surviving and I will have to get another copy soon it's seen so much wear. I have taken your post, copied it into a Word document, and printed it off so that I can put this information into the book so that it is not lost. Thank you!
John (SeaRat) Ratliff
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