Finally..... double hose....

[ams511]

All the round labels have the long yoke (if still in original configuration) but it was introduced earlier on the shiny chrome square label regs.

I put together a spread sheet with time lines for various USD double hose reg models and features indicating when things like label addresses and the long yoke showed up and/or were discontinued, but it's hiding on one of the retired computer hard drives. I'll have to find it again.

I bought from eBay a shiny chrome Warner Avenue DA Aquamaster. It seems to have a short yoke, compared to the photos I have seen showing a long yoke. It is in excellent shape for being close to 50 years old. It breaths well to on the inhalation, the exhalation is hard which I attribute an old valve or duck bill. I haven't had time to disassemble it yet. Maybe when I have grand kids. LOL.

 

[herman]

Odds are the duck bill and mouthpiece valves are hard, those don't hold up well.
The yokes are fairly easy to tell apart. The long yoke has parallel sides with a rounded top, the short yoke has parallel sides that angle in at 45 deg about 2/3s the way up the sides. The long yokes also tend to be more refined, no obvious casting marks as opposed to the short yoke that usually has a casting line up each side.

 

[DCBC]

Congratulations Jim! This is the same set-up I started with in 1971 with the Navy (but with the standard double manifold). Happy Diving!

 

[oldschoolto]

Ok, got the aqua-master today and put the doubles & pony bottle together.... I'm gonna have a "FUN" time playing this summer... As long as I don't have to walk too far with that setup on....

Twin steel 72's with cheater bar and aqua master with the pony for scubapro 109 octo and lp line....the pony bottle is just zip tied on till I get some stainless steel hose clamps

Jim....

 

[spectrum]

I have never been a fan of back mounted pony cylinders but that is wicked cool!

Pete

 

[oldschoolto]

I always liked that they stand up really nice.... It makes get in and out of it a lot easier... I'm working on a wing bc for it...

Jim...

 

[herman]

It does look cool but will it not be overly negative?
Sorry for being picky but the blown plastic back packs like that one do not work well with DH regs. They place the tanks and reg an extra 1 or more inches off your back and make the cracking pressure of the DH rinse. I know an inch does not sound like much but when a DH reg placement is very important. Also, you need to keep the cans low, between your shoulder blades. That type of BP tends to place the tanks much higher, the proper place for a modern reg but way too high for a DH. The combination of the raised tanks and high position are going to be as issue with a DH reg, it will breath great above water and be hard underwater. At a minimum you will need a crotch strap and the shoulder straps secured at the waist to help the preformace of the BP. The shoulder straps on the BP will need to be secured to prevent them from moving and the crotch strap to prevent the tanks from riding up.
If you are not following the VDH thread on keeping doubles in place, it would be worth checking out. Also, note the photo, the cans are low and close, just where they need to be but as he dives, they ride up. Vintage Double Hose • View topic - Need advice on keeping my tanks in place

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Herman is correct. While the cam pack and reg technology all come from the same era, they are not really compatible as DH regs were on the way out while the plastic cam pack was intended for single hose reg use.

If performance and practicality is more important than vintage correctness, then Luis's double hose plate is a great option:



http://images-cdn.ecwid.com/images/740082/25583001.jpg

Vintage Double Hose • View topic - New From VDH (Universal back plate with vintage spirit)

An alternative is a non STA equipped version of the Freedom plate, although they can be hard to find.

Or, if vintage accuracy is important, you can get one of Allan Klauda's repro vintage webbing harnesses and bands from Vintage double hose. There's also a travel version.

Shop Online

 

[spectrum]

+1 for the VDH plate! I got mine going recently and it was a paradigm shift.

Pete

 

[DaleC]

Very nice. I have seen a lot of images of vintage NE wreck divers configured that way. Off to the Andria Doria with you! Just test dive it in a controlled setting first so you can see how the weight affects you.

I found the ABS backpack is thick and has a curve that holds the reg a little too far off the back, even with a lot of futzing. I've dove my twin 72's that way for a while but could never really get the tanks sucked down onto my back.

This was as low as I could seat the BP and still get the reg off the tank. This put the cans in the right spot between my shoulder blades but too high off them. Mounting the BP lower on the tanks just brought the cans up around my neck when actually worn in the water.




Here are twin 40's using a flat Al BP similar to Luis's design. The cans are where they should be and pressed up against my back.