Hardhat diving; Mark V kit in Key Largo

[Akimbo]

Diving heavy gear in training was an interesting experience, but I am thankful that I never had to do any work in it. The US Navy Mark V hat was easily the worst heavy gear I ever tried. The Seibe Gorman Admiralty 6-bolt was so much better, a distant second the the Kirby Morgan hats but miles ahead of the much younger Mark V design.

Anyone interested in heavy gear might find A Brief History of Diving (before 1943) interesting.

 

[Glen Stone]

Construction workers wear Hard Hats
Divers wear helmets...

SDM

Haha, I dove commercially for years and we called them "hats".

 

[Akimbo]

Haha, I dove commercially for years and we called them "hats".

Agreed, this is a hard hat:

This is a hat:

These are old hats

 

[ofg-1]

Call Vortex Springs. There was a retired navy diver that would show up there and offer dives in his Mk V for a fee, but I have not been there in 4 or 5 years. Just remember, with heavy belt and shoes it weighs about 175 pounds.

We had a guy come through diving school that had lost his leg below the knee in an accident. He could climb the ladder fine with his Mk V, just looked weird. He would push up with his good leg, cram his bad one in a rung, and then move his good one up to the next step. He only had trouble when he got to the top.

 

[Sam Miller III]

An old post but applicable as a references to this thread

HELMETS OF THE DEEP,

Always advisable to periodically check e bay or one of the other used book sellers for the current listings and sales of a book. On occasion books will, for some unknown reason, escalate many times over their original sales price in just a few short years. A very good example "Helmets of the deep," the definitive world class book on diving helmets;

HELMETS OF THE DEEP,
by
Leon G.Lyons,
St Augustine, Florida
Published 1987
ISBN #962-7256-01-3
LCCC # 87-090931
Oversized, 307 pages
Illustrated with pictures
verbiage is English, French and German


There were only 1000 books printed. 900 Presentation editions, hard cover with a dust jacket, and 100 Special edition hard cover leather bound.

Original cost: 900 Presentation editions $300.00 plus S&H (about $15.00 to California)

Original cost: Special editions $500.00 plus S&H (about $15.00 to California)



Last sales of Helmets of the deep on E bay

April 30,2007
#99 of 900 Presentation edition
Inscription dated 11/3/89
$2052 (US dollar amount)
Listed and sold in Australia--one bid
$2052.00

Date sold unknown
#300 of 900 Presentation edition
Inscribed by Leon Lyons to BAX
Book and dust cover damaged --fair to poor condition
$1575 US-- one bid

May 27, 2007
#766 of 900 Presentation edition
Mint with dust cover
Bidding began at $849.00--11 bids
Final Price $1313.00

October 27, 2006,
#845 Presentation Edition -13 bids
$2,148.01

October 31,2006
#61 Leather bound edition- 10 bids
$3,127.01

November 2, 2006
#378 Presentation edition
Small tear in cover-10 bids
$2,955.39


Not a bad investment--original price for the presentation edition was $300.00.
At the time of this posting no leather bound editions have not been reported sold.
Yes I have a copy: #500 of 1000 and it is inscribed

Leon is the owner of the Leon Lyons "Museum of Diving" in St Augustine, Florida --If you live in that area or traveling to Florida to escape the cold make certain you visit the museum.
He is currently working on "Knives of the deep" and a revised edition of Helmets so the deep

DD
Sam Miller III, Nov 11, 2009 IP Report

( @Ducky diver )

 

[Akimbo]

Here's a book that is a lot more affordable, and provides perspective for the transition from the old and the new:
Hard Hat Divers Wear Dresses by Bob Kirby (the Kirby of Kirby Morgan)

Bob's heavy gear hat is generally acknowledged as the best design ever made.

 

[Sam Miller III]

I also have Bob's book -- also inscribed

Bob is local and a natural story teller

SDM

 

[drbill]

As lifeguard back in the 1960s, I used to wear a Mark V helmet with a hookah hose to vacuum the deep diving well of our public swimming pool. No suit required.

 

[Sam Miller III]

@drbill
As lifeguard back in the 1960s, I used to wear a Mark V helmet with a hookah hose to vacuum the deep diving well of our public swimming pool. No suit required.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You are one heck of a great diver !

Mark V no suit ! …. Now that is a first !

FYI.... it generally takes ten men and the mess cook to dress a diver into a Mark V..

You are the only person in history who dove a Mark V with out a suit !

Congratulations !

@Akimbo drbill should have joined the US navy and taught them diving

SDM

 

[abnfrog]

Sam I would highly doubt that you don't have EVERY significant book about diving in your library that is why we need you here !