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DrakeAndrews
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Did you know Healthways later became Scubapro??????
First Double Hose Dive In THIRTY YEARS!!!
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Well...kind of, but not exactly.
Scubapro was started as the professional branch of Healthways, but the two companies split right after Scubapro was formed. Due to financial troubles at Healthways they sold Scubapro to Dick Bonin and DeLaValle (I think, I can't really remember the other fellows name) in order to get some capital to save the company.
There was one catalog once printed with both companies equipment in it.
Healthways was still around for a little bit after Scubapro was established.
In 1977, the dive shop sold Scubapro and the discount store sold Healthways. The gear was different, and Healthways cost a fraction of Scubapro. The two brands were at opposite ends of the market, and did not compete. As a junior engineer, Healthways was for me. My Scuba Star regulator remains in working order. It cost $52.
I believe Healthways was called Scubamaster around 1979 or 80, then left the scene. That was about the time that discount stores stopped selling dive gear.
There was some sort of relationship between Scubapro and the NASDS agency. Maybe one of you know what it was. In training, the fin was never called a "fin", it was always your "jetfin".
I believe Healthways was called Scubamaster around 1979 or 80, then left the scene. That was about the time that discount stores stopped selling dive gear.
There was some sort of relationship between Scubapro and the NASDS agency. Maybe one of you know what it was. In training, the fin was never called a "fin", it was always your "jetfin".
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DrakeAndrews
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I remember my Scuba star cost 25.00 new in the box in 1972. I got my MK5 in 1977, inside they were both piston regulators. Yes, they were incestuous with NASDS in 77, the local dive shop became somewhat "Scubapro snobbish" after that and us YMCA/PADI types were SOL....That's my MK5 I'm wearing in the photo at left....
My Xlarge jetfins are so huge I only wear them over my Unisuit boots.....
I've also had the impression that Jetfins are based on the Beuchat design and every
maker of vented fins must pay royalties to them...
I seem to remember my Scuba Star had a decal on the second stage which said "Rentals" but when I peeled it off it said "Scuba Star" underneath...
My Xlarge jetfins are so huge I only wear them over my Unisuit boots.....
I've also had the impression that Jetfins are based on the Beuchat design and every
maker of vented fins must pay royalties to them...
I seem to remember my Scuba Star had a decal on the second stage which said "Rentals" but when I peeled it off it said "Scuba Star" underneath...
Hey, Drake. My new avatar shows the scuba star 28 years after I bought it. It retired in 2005 after my buddy got 3,500 psi tanks, and allowed me to borrow them.
Some posts indicate the Healthways regulator was not very good; the Navy didn't like it. I didn't know good from bad and took it down as deep as 145 feet. It has a unique sound, maybe because the exhaust valve is about the size of a nickel.
Oh yeah....do you have a working inflatable Unisuit?
Some posts indicate the Healthways regulator was not very good; the Navy didn't like it. I didn't know good from bad and took it down as deep as 145 feet. It has a unique sound, maybe because the exhaust valve is about the size of a nickel.
Oh yeah....do you have a working inflatable Unisuit?
My first regulator in 1971 (just before I got certified) was a Healthways. About six month later I started working at Divers Service Center (in Puerto Rico) were I had bought that regulator.
Within a year of me working at DSC we got the Scubapro line and I bought a Scubapro MK-5 (and sold the Healthways regulator). Later I also bought a Poseidon Cyklon 300.
I bought my round label Royal aqua Master almost new from a customer shortly after I stated working at DSC.
I still own my original Scubapro Mk-5, the Poseidon Cyklon 300 (although I am not sure which one it is), and my round label Royal Aqua Master. I wish I never sold the Healthways even if I would dive it much, it was not a good performer.
On a related story: I also sold (around 1973) my very first galvanized steel 72 that I bought with the Healthways regulator. In the late 70’s I am helping out in a different dive shop and a customer comes in wanting to sell a tank. I ask him what brand name valve and he tried to pronounced something that didn’t make any sense. Well, it was my very first tank that the owner of DSC engraved my name on the valve and it was now hard to read. The guy had painted the tank an ugly color and I didn’t buy, but now I wish I would have. I could have easily stripped the paint and had my first tank back, but at the time it didn't seem important.
Oh well, at least I have most of my other early gear.
Added:
I think I had a Healthways SCUBAIR II, but I can't remember and I haven't been able to find a picture.
Within a year of me working at DSC we got the Scubapro line and I bought a Scubapro MK-5 (and sold the Healthways regulator). Later I also bought a Poseidon Cyklon 300.
I bought my round label Royal aqua Master almost new from a customer shortly after I stated working at DSC.
I still own my original Scubapro Mk-5, the Poseidon Cyklon 300 (although I am not sure which one it is), and my round label Royal Aqua Master. I wish I never sold the Healthways even if I would dive it much, it was not a good performer.
On a related story: I also sold (around 1973) my very first galvanized steel 72 that I bought with the Healthways regulator. In the late 70’s I am helping out in a different dive shop and a customer comes in wanting to sell a tank. I ask him what brand name valve and he tried to pronounced something that didn’t make any sense. Well, it was my very first tank that the owner of DSC engraved my name on the valve and it was now hard to read. The guy had painted the tank an ugly color and I didn’t buy, but now I wish I would have. I could have easily stripped the paint and had my first tank back, but at the time it didn't seem important.
Oh well, at least I have most of my other early gear.
Added:
I think I had a Healthways SCUBAIR II, but I can't remember and I haven't been able to find a picture.
I started out with a Healthways Scuba regulator in 1959. It was the first double hose, and I liked the smoothness of the breathing. But I switched about three years later to a Healthways Scuba Star, and dove it for about two years. Here's a photo of me back then in Puget Sound diving the Scuba Star regulator:
The Scuba Star was not a good performing regulator, at least in the beginning. It was a tilt valve second stage, and did not pass much air. I got another one about two years ago, just to have one, and put it in the pool. I must say that my youth and enthusiasm for diving probably mitigated some pretty poor design for the Scuab Star when I was young, as I only dove it once in the pool, and that was enough. But with only five moving parts, the regulator itself was almost indestructable (except for the LP diaphragm getting harder).
If you'll look at the Champion Arbalete speargun in the photo, you'll see it has a weighted head. I thought that would be enough for even the biggest fish, but on this dive I spotted a cabazon between some pilings. It was a large cabazon too. I aimed between its eyes, and pulled the trigger. The spear bounced off the fish's head! And, of course, it did not stick around for a second shot.
On another dive during this period, this time in Hood Canal between two old piers, I took that gun and finally found a target, a kelp greenling. This time, I was a better hunter, and shot it in the spin from above, just behind the head. It died immediately. We were in about 35 feet of water at the end of the pier and on the bottom. I was taking the fish off the spear. As I was taking the fish off the spear, I looked around and saw a fishing weight bobbing beside me, with a line leading to the surface, and a leader of about 3 feet with a hook on it. There was a storm above, so I was sure that no bubbles would give away our location. I looked at my dead fish, and the hook at the end of the line, and decided to do it. I took the hook, and imbedded it deeply into the jaw of the fish I had just killed. I then pulled hard on the line, and watched as the dead fish spiraled toward the surface and beyond. My buddy and I then swam to the second pier, and surfaced under it in about ten feet of water. As we were swimming in, I saw an older gentleman walking off the pier, fishing pole in one hand, and the hand of what must have been his grandson in the other. The grandson had the fish. I've always wondered what the old man said to his grandson about that dead fish that they caught.
My third regulator was an AMF Voit single hose, called the V-11 Viking 40, which came out in 1962. It was a great breathing regulator for the intake, and exhausted through the diaphragm. The USD equivalent was the first Calypso regulator. I used that regulator for about eight years, until I was in the US Air Force, and we went to USD Conshelf and MR-12s.
I now have two more USD original Calypso regulators, and it is becoming a favorite of mine. I've used one that I set up DIR wise, with a long hose, and a second generation Calypso second stage as a safe second. The second generation Calypso actually performs worse than the original Calypso, probably because the exhalation valve is the same size, but the air must bounce off the diaphragm and then down to the valve, necessitating a larger valve (which came out later); this second generation is also a wet breather, whereas the original Calypso is dry. Both regulators work as well as new after minor reconditioning (I put a silicone exhaust valve in the Original Calypso's diaphragm, which makes the exhalation even easier--it came from a Scubapro Shotgun snorkel). This regulator is now 45 years old, and a great-performing regulator.
John
The Scuba Star was not a good performing regulator, at least in the beginning. It was a tilt valve second stage, and did not pass much air. I got another one about two years ago, just to have one, and put it in the pool. I must say that my youth and enthusiasm for diving probably mitigated some pretty poor design for the Scuab Star when I was young, as I only dove it once in the pool, and that was enough. But with only five moving parts, the regulator itself was almost indestructable (except for the LP diaphragm getting harder).
If you'll look at the Champion Arbalete speargun in the photo, you'll see it has a weighted head. I thought that would be enough for even the biggest fish, but on this dive I spotted a cabazon between some pilings. It was a large cabazon too. I aimed between its eyes, and pulled the trigger. The spear bounced off the fish's head! And, of course, it did not stick around for a second shot.
On another dive during this period, this time in Hood Canal between two old piers, I took that gun and finally found a target, a kelp greenling. This time, I was a better hunter, and shot it in the spin from above, just behind the head. It died immediately. We were in about 35 feet of water at the end of the pier and on the bottom. I was taking the fish off the spear. As I was taking the fish off the spear, I looked around and saw a fishing weight bobbing beside me, with a line leading to the surface, and a leader of about 3 feet with a hook on it. There was a storm above, so I was sure that no bubbles would give away our location. I looked at my dead fish, and the hook at the end of the line, and decided to do it. I took the hook, and imbedded it deeply into the jaw of the fish I had just killed. I then pulled hard on the line, and watched as the dead fish spiraled toward the surface and beyond. My buddy and I then swam to the second pier, and surfaced under it in about ten feet of water. As we were swimming in, I saw an older gentleman walking off the pier, fishing pole in one hand, and the hand of what must have been his grandson in the other. The grandson had the fish. I've always wondered what the old man said to his grandson about that dead fish that they caught.
My third regulator was an AMF Voit single hose, called the V-11 Viking 40, which came out in 1962. It was a great breathing regulator for the intake, and exhausted through the diaphragm. The USD equivalent was the first Calypso regulator. I used that regulator for about eight years, until I was in the US Air Force, and we went to USD Conshelf and MR-12s.
I now have two more USD original Calypso regulators, and it is becoming a favorite of mine. I've used one that I set up DIR wise, with a long hose, and a second generation Calypso second stage as a safe second. The second generation Calypso actually performs worse than the original Calypso, probably because the exhalation valve is the same size, but the air must bounce off the diaphragm and then down to the valve, necessitating a larger valve (which came out later); this second generation is also a wet breather, whereas the original Calypso is dry. Both regulators work as well as new after minor reconditioning (I put a silicone exhaust valve in the Original Calypso's diaphragm, which makes the exhalation even easier--it came from a Scubapro Shotgun snorkel). This regulator is now 45 years old, and a great-performing regulator.
John
Eris Lucan7*
Guest
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There was that sometimes is on those old Nemrod writen Nemrod,and somwhere else
Metzeler,i have a Metzeler O-glass and use her until today the last line off Nemrod
O-glassmasks where seld about 2004 with transprent silicon randering.I have buyed
no..
E.L.7*
Isn't it the original Calypso that still holds the depth record or at least did for many and many years?
My first reg was a Nemrod Snark (1966) followed by a Calypso J (1966) followed by a second hand Pico Mistral double hose (1968) followed by a Voit MR12 (1970) followed by a Tekna T2100 (1979, metal), I think that is the order. Now, Phoenix Royal Aqua Master double hose.
BC, none (1966), USD Mae West (1968), Nemrod oral inflate horsecollar (1969), Chlorax bleach bottles and rope (1970), Dacor dual bladder SeaChute horsecollar (1974ish), SeaPro wing 1978, SeaTec wing (1984). Proud to have never owned a poodle jacket--ever. Now, OxyCheq Mach V on Freedom Plate II, Hog rigged.
Single hose--gag--gag, next we will all be weaing jacket BCs.
N
My first reg was a Nemrod Snark (1966) followed by a Calypso J (1966) followed by a second hand Pico Mistral double hose (1968) followed by a Voit MR12 (1970) followed by a Tekna T2100 (1979, metal), I think that is the order. Now, Phoenix Royal Aqua Master double hose.
BC, none (1966), USD Mae West (1968), Nemrod oral inflate horsecollar (1969), Chlorax bleach bottles and rope (1970), Dacor dual bladder SeaChute horsecollar (1974ish), SeaPro wing 1978, SeaTec wing (1984). Proud to have never owned a poodle jacket--ever. Now, OxyCheq Mach V on Freedom Plate II, Hog rigged.
Single hose--gag--gag, next we will all be weaing jacket BCs.
N
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