Hawaiian Pack Project

[DaleC]

Here's a link to one of my DIY projects. Websites a work in progress:

Hawaiian Pack Project - manfish.ca    The adventure of Grassroots Canadian Diving

 

[Hawkwood]

Cool!

 

[Ed Palma]

Gotta love that brass-and-leather look Dale!

 

[Hawkwood]

Gotta love that brass-and-leather look Dale!

Kind of a "Steam punk" look.

 

[DaleC]

Leather.. the new diving material! I wouldn't recommend it for functionality but it can hold up in fresh water if treated on a regular basis with beeswax. I tried it in saltwater too but that would soon become destructive.

 

[bygolly]

Nice one Dale. I saw a few of those things in Hawaii in the early 80's. But they had a decidedly Red Green influence....substitute duct tape for leather.

 

[Sam Miller III]

From another board...DIY Hawaiian Pack

Very good Dale! Lots of work and thought went into the project and it shows

I was introduced to the Hawaiian Pack some time in the 1950s 1960s..It was Bev Morgan who brought one back from the islands and shared with the tribe

There was surplus of aluminum sheeting left over from WW11..The natives generally dove out of small boats and needed a way to store the tank & reg while suiting up and also getting out of water and climbing into the boat. The solution was a pack with "arms" hand over the gunnels.

They were as yours is, all home made.

The shoulder straps were made from a piece of aluminum about 1&1/4 wide and 3/16 to 1/4 thick..which were cut to various lengths. The straps were formed (Pounded !) over a EMPTY SCUBA tank to form the shoulder bends.

The straps were riveted or screwed to a piece of 3/16 to 1/4 thick X 8 inches X 12 inch aluminum,some times longer, so the weight belt could be used to hold the pack in place,and on occasion shorter which required the use of a waist strap.

The tank strap was also formed from a piece of aluminum about 1&1/4 wide and 3/16 to 1/4 thick..which were formed (Pounded !) over a EMPTY SCUBA for the proper fit. It also riveted or screwed to the back plate.

The tank strap had one 5/16 or 3/8s hole drilled at an angle which allowed a large eye bolt to be passed through. The side out side the tank strap had a wing nut the eye bolt was passed through and a second eye bolt was on the other side. By tightening the eye bolt the tank could be secured to the back pack. In California we seemed to have a surplus of huge SS hose clamps which were used rather than the eye bolt/wing nut method

Generally the shoulder straps were either left plain or covered with old hoses from a 2 hose regulator.

The units never caught on in California due to surf diving and space considerations on a boat.

I think it was Mar-vel who introduced a commercial pack to the general public but only lasted about a year..

Dale....You did VERY well!

SDM

 

[DaleC]

Thanks Dr Sam

 

[CT-Rich]

I dress as a steampunk for Conventions that I take my kids to. They would see this rig and think i was the coolest guy in the world. the steampunk captain Nemo look is awesome.

 

[DaleC]

Well you learn something new everyday. I just spent some time googling steampunk. Now my mind is percolating.