Do you dive without......

[scubafanatic]

Red Stripe!
It's Beer!
Yay Beer!
Helping white men dance since 1963!

OK now seriously,
I do not know of any vintage style commando divers here in SoFla, but I am sure they are here.
I started diving back in the old horse collar days back in '77.
I do not miss those days
I am a "buddy diver" and kind of a gadget guy to a point.
I prefer to continue the evolution.
I have no issue with folks that like it old skool. Ultra lean just is not my style for 4+ hour shore dives with a camera, speargun, bug gear, and a 10 pound bag of lobsters without claws.
Chug
Likes modern conveniences.

....what kinda kills me are the vintage crowd members that wouldn't dream of flying their family on a vintage aircraft, wouldn't dream of driving their kids to school in a vintage (no safety/crash protection) car, wouldn't dream of watching a vintage TV, being operated on in a vintage hospital, etc., but when scuba in mentioned all the technological progress of the last few decades, 'modern' stuff is suddenly 'evil' ? Also, while vintage might be suitable for kiddie dives (lake/pool), for 'real' blue water 'big dog' diving, I want 'modern' toys, and many dive ops will INSIST you have gear quality/performance/features that don't predate Fred Flintstone! Don't get me wrong, I like the twinhoses/oval masks too...and own quite a few of both, but can't actually imagine myself diving 'vintage' outside of a well-controlled (tame) environment.

 

[captain]

....what kinda kills me are the vintage crowd members that wouldn't dream of flying their family on a vintage aircraft, wouldn't dream of driving their kids to school in a vintage (no safety/crash protection) car, wouldn't dream of watching a vintage TV, being operated on in a vintage hospital, etc., but when scuba in mentioned all the technological progress of the last few decades, 'modern' stuff is suddenly 'evil' ? Also, while vintage might be suitable for kiddie dives (lake/pool), for 'real' blue water 'big dog' diving, I want 'modern' toys, and many dive ops will INSIST you have gear quality/performance/features that don't predate Fred Flintstone! Don't get me wrong, I like the twinhoses/oval masks too...and own quite a few of both, but can't actually imagine myself diving 'vintage' outside of a well-controlled (tame) environment.

The only significant technological progress in diving in the last three decades has been the computer. Modern stuff ain't evil just unnecessary in most recreational diving.

 

[scubafanatic]

The only significant technological progress in diving in the last three decades has been the computer. Modern stuff ain't evil just unnecessary in most recreational diving.

I'm guessin' there isn't much point in either of us tryin' to convince the other who's definition of 'necessary' is correct, is there ?

 

[gypsyjim]

....what kinda kills me are the vintage crowd members that wouldn't dream of flying their family on a vintage aircraft, wouldn't dream of driving their kids to school in a vintage (no safety/crash protection) car, wouldn't dream of watching a vintage TV, being operated on in a vintage hospital, etc., but when scuba in mentioned all the technological progress of the last few decades, 'modern' stuff is suddenly 'evil' ? Also, while vintage might be suitable for kiddie dives (lake/pool), for 'real' blue water 'big dog' diving, I want 'modern' toys, and many dive ops will INSIST you have gear quality/performance/features that don't predate Fred Flintstone! Don't get me wrong, I like the twinhoses/oval masks too...and own quite a few of both, but can't actually imagine myself diving 'vintage' outside of a well-controlled (tame) environment.

While I am not a vintage gear proponent, I would say it's a lot more HOW you dive, than what gear you dive with, that makes for safe diving.

The dives done by early folks, like Jacques Cousteau were in anything but well-controlled (tame) environments, and much of their gear would make of friend's vintage look modern high tech, in comparison.

If you know your gear, your limits, and have developed the skills in diving with your gear, I can see nothing inherently unsafe about using a properly serviced vintage gear package. Again, it is how you dive that makes you either safe, or an unsafe diver. I have seen way too many "modern" divers, with every bell and whistle imaginable, who were unsafe to dive with, or even near.

Dive the way that suits you, it's a big ocean out there and there is room for all of us.

 

[Nemrod]

....what kinda kills me are the vintage crowd members that wouldn't dream of flying their family on a vintage aircraft, wouldn't dream of driving their kids to school in a vintage (no safety/crash protection) car, wouldn't dream of watching a vintage TV, being operated on in a vintage hospital, etc., but when scuba in mentioned all the technological progress of the last few decades, 'modern' stuff is suddenly 'evil' ? Also, while vintage might be suitable for kiddie dives (lake/pool), for 'real' blue water 'big dog' diving, I want 'modern' toys, and many dive ops will INSIST you have gear quality/performance/features that don't predate Fred Flintstone! Don't get me wrong, I like the twinhoses/oval masks too...and own quite a few of both, but can't actually imagine myself diving 'vintage' outside of a well-controlled (tame) environment.

I see plenty of people driving vintage cars, like a 66 Camaro or Mustang and giving their children Jeeps and other similar vehicles.

I fly vintage and home built aircraft, built my own airplane and flew it to the EAA in Wisconsin. Have restored several for a handsome profit.

TV, I have a little bitty TV because there is nothing on TV I need to see, emergency use only.

My USD Royal Aqua Master has the same parts in the first stages as my new AL Titan LX and for the most part breath better, especially beyond 100 feet.

Necessary depends on many things, divers were once water people, people who lived on and in the water, fishing, boating, working, whatever and were good swimmers, divers now, mostly cannot swim, they need a life jacket, it is necessary for them, for Captain and I it is not.

People who are obese/out of shape divers, which is about 75% of divers, need many aids to offset the fact that they are essentially disabled, that don't apply to me, and people largely today feel that safety is a right they were born with and again, that thinking simply does not apply to many of us from previous generations.

Necessary, necessary for what, 100% safety? A crutch? Depends on the dive, the place, the time what might be necessary and what some of us can do with quite well is a lot less than others.

N

 

[Splitlip]

You OK? Been a while since I got seriously hurt on the bike, but every day, on every ride there is that potential. I have even had young lady TRY to run me down, to teach me a lesson, because her husband had been killed on a bike. :shocked2:
That was a month before my head on with a car in my lane, back in 95'. Took me a while to return to riding a lot after that rough year.

K, hijack over. Sorry folks.

Oh man.

I just reread my post. I got hurt an my bicycle. LOL Actually I waived off on diving today because of it. I met my buddies at the dock for lunch. They all thought I wrecked my "bike". No I meant my "bike".

I'm blaming the case of the stupids on my meds. My study opens into my garage, so I was multitasking last night (mini keg in the garage fridge).

I have not "wrecked" since 1975. Although I hung up my spurs from 1992 (daughter was born) until 2009 (daughter accepted by FSU. payed).

Hijack over.

 

[DrunkenParrot]

Keep the pics coming!!!

 

[Splitlip]

about it for now.

I have a box of 35mm slides I took w/ my Nikonos somewhere.

I'll see what I have.

This pic is the Grandfather of my Godson, Christopher. Grandpa is Chuck. Custom home builder who employed me during a summer break.

 

[Wayward Son]

despite all the pics me & my dad took back then, there aren't any of me diving.

I didn't even know what a BC was until 1978. Never heard of one. I started out with a steel 72 & J valve, US Divers Aquarius single hose reg / SPG (considered optional then, but increasingly common), plastic back pack, mask fins snorkel & a CO2 powered safety vest.

I out grew clothes so fast I never had a wet suit or even boots. I wore shorts, T shirt & tennis shoes with my mini-rocket fins. Once the water got cold, diving was over until next summer when it warmed up enough. No one had extra 2nd stages. They were in the catalogs, but no one had one. I did have a depth gauge.

I must say I like it better now when I can dive year round.

 

[Wayward Son]

oh, and a big knife. I had a big honkin' knife. t was a USD knife. Still have it stashed away. Never liked it though, as it wouldn't take an edge. My current knife is small, but at least it's sharp.