Most consequential 2 years in Diving History

[jadairiii]

I am a strong believer that 1974 to 1976 were the most consequential 2 years in sport diving history.

We entered 1974 with basically upgraded buoyancy vests (power inflators were optional), optional SPG’s and virtually no one using octopuses. Only one company in the world was producing a back buoyancy device (Watergill At-Pac) and most dive companies were still offering double hose regulators.

Exit 1976, every major training agency is requiring and teaching SPG’s, they are now teaching the use of octopus regulators. Every major scuba manufacturer are selling back BC’s, octopus regulators and all BC’s are coming with power inflators. Not to mention, many scuba manufacturers are selling some kind of “space age” rigs, SP scuba system, Dacor Nautilus, Technisub RAID, and the original At-pac with shell, etc. Not only that, but regulator technology was booming, by 1976 Scubapro introduced the Pilot, and every manufacturer was producing much higher performing regulators.

All in all, I don’t believe any time after 1976 produces so many milestones in such a short period of time.

 

[Nemrod]

Scubapro 1974:



Note the single second stage, also the J valve and pull rod and that the Mark V is turret up .

The store I worked for had these and I wanted one. The store owner would not allow me to use it during classes as he considered it dangerous. The persistent belief that back inflate and wings are dangerous continues to this day.

I converted to an SPG in 1972, did not go to "octopus" safe seconds until around 1982. That was after my one and only OOA event . I did dispense with the J valve and pull rod with the inclusion of the SPG to my kit.

Notice the Hogarthian-esgue configuration of this (bloated 63# lift) Sportsways kit (1976?). Single piece webbing, SPG on a loop for the waist strap at hip level, strap on (primary) second stage:



Notice also that both the Scubapro and the Sportways "wings" used a forward mounted (to diver) central elbow.

 

[jadairiii]

Scubapro 1974:



Note the single second stage, also the J valve and pull rod and that the Mark V is turret up .

The store I worked for had these and I wanted one. The store owner would not allow me to use it during classes as he considered it dangerous. The persistent belief that back inflate and wings are dangerous continues to this day.

I converted to an SPG in 1972, did not go to "octopus" safe seconds until around 1982. That was after my one and only OOA event . I did dispense with the J valve and pull rod with the inclusion of the SPG to my kit.

Notice the Hogarthian-esgue configuration of this (bloated 63# lift) Sportsways kit (1976?). Single piece webbing, SPG on a loop for the waist strap at hip level, strap on (primary) second stage:



Notice also that both the Scubapro and the Sportways "wings" used a forward mounted (to diver) central elbow.

You're correct the SP shows up in the 1974 Catalog, but what was interesting Skin Diver didn't review it until 1975, and review a slightly different model. At-Pac was launched in 1970, and Skin Diver reviewed it first in 1972 and again in 1974.

Cool thing about the BCP, which I owned one in 1976, was that the lift was just below 40 lbs, but the Sportsways, 63 lbs! At-Pac was about 60 lbs also.

Another interesting fact, in 1972 the At-Pac was identical to the later BCP, single bag construction, taped seam (of a different color) and it had a Scuba Pro OPV on the right side and the backpack/balance box looked to be able to accommodate a Scubapro single backpack band (or the standard double bands). But by 1974, it had an inner bladder with an outer shell, it had lost the OPV on the bladder and the backpack/balance box no longer could accommodate the Scubapro band.

 

[Nemrod]

Concurrent with the evolution of the scuba equipment making diving more accessible to non-watermen, many of these new divers were not interested in local diving and were willing to travel to dive, thus the growth of the dive travel industry. The 1974 is a good demarcation as I think that is when AL dropped double hose regulators and afterwards was it only Nemrod that continued with the dh regulator? And Skin Diver magazine went from a how to magazine full of stories of local diving and interesting equipment reviews that went into details then evolved into a dive travel magazine with dumbed down 4th grade level content. Yes, a lot of things changed between 1974 and 1976 and by 1984 give or take the evolution was complete.

Prior to 1974 most divers were local, DH regulators were common, SPGs and BCs either did not exist or were expensive, J valves were the reserve, the standard Navy tables were the bible with 60 fpm ascent and safety stops were not widely practiced or even taught, buddy breathing was how air was shared.

After or by 1984 travel diving was an industry, single hose regulators were dominant if not the only type, everyone had a SPG and BCs with power inflators were generally required equipment, J valves were long gone, safety stops were taught and the octopus secondary was how air was shared. And deco computers were on the horizon. Of course Nitrox was still labeled as "voodoo" gas.

By the late 90s the Florida tech and cave diving community had developed team methods, standardized Hogarthian rigging, wings and back plates began creeping into recreational open water diving and computers and Nitrox make diving trips with multiple multi-level dives per day commonplace and relatively safe.

 

[jadairiii]

The 1974 is a good demarcation as I think that is when AL dropped double hose regulators and afterwards was it only Nemrod that continued with the dh regulator?

You could still buy a Dacor DH (C3N) in 1976, but would agree, Nemrod was the last to sell DH regs. I believe you could still buy a Nemrod DH into the mid 80's?

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

I remember when the back mounted At-Pac came on scene in the cave diving world circa 1975. We saw it as blasphemy and a good way to die in a cave. Of course, I was using a US Divers BCII horse collar with the neck duct taped down. I had a power inflator on my BCII , my buddy did not.

Somewhere I have a photo of me in that BCII.

 

[jadairiii]

I remember when the back mounted At-Pac came on scene in the cave diving world circa 1975. We saw it as blasphemy and a good way to die in a cave.

Early in my Tech Diving I still used a At-Pac with doubles, and as much as I loved my At-Pac, it sucked for doubles. The backpack/balance box put the tanks pretty far off your back, so it wanted to roll you.

When I finally switched to a backplate, for singes diving I still used the At-Pac wing for quite a long time.

 

[NothingClever]

The persistent belief that back inflate and wings are dangerous continues to this day.

??

I don’t doubt you but I haven’t heard that. In fact, these days I see quite a few recreational DMs (who undoubtedly got certified through the big organizations) in BP/W rigs.

Please don’t interpret my question marks as contentious or argumentative. Just honestly curious about the perception that wings are dangerous.

 

[Nemrod]

??

I don’t doubt you but I haven’t heard that. In fact, these days I see quite a few recreational DMs (who undoubtedly got certified through the big organizations) in BP/W rigs.

Please don’t interpret my question marks as contentious or argumentative. Just honestly curious about the perception that wings are dangerous.

I am not going to address that here in depth and thread creep away from the OPs intent of discussion. There have been many threads here in scubaboard discussing the very subject. Maybe start yet another thread on the subject.

Ideas, concepts, beliefs evolve along with equipment. The only BC that I certainly have ever used that would reliably float a diver face up with clear airway was a horse collar. And I absolutely guarantee you that the red and blue Seatec wing below would mash the diver face forward if all 45 plus pounds of lift were employed. No BC I have ever seen had USCG tags on them.



Note that the Scubapro advertisement mentions using the rig to "surf" in on. Yeah, I tried that once. A 60 pounds piece of equipment moving at speed is not the same as a foam body board that might weigh 5 pounds. It did not works so well, it went down, I went up and fortunately in differing trajectories such that it did not knock me silly. Yes, ideas change, I do not think I recall either Halycon recommending the use of their wing as a surfboard, or Oxy or Hog or? But Scubapro did in 1974! Yeah, ideas change but sometimes individual people lag behind. I mean, like, there are possibly people in this very forum that still dive out of date, obsolete DH regulators and I have been told they were quite the danger to me and you know, and as one of those hard headed persons, I have to agree, they might be right. So I did some evolving on my own part .

Sometimes the knowledge lags the equipment.

If a chicken had teeth would it bite or peck?

James

 

[scubadada]

I dived my first two years after being certified by LA County with a J-valve, no SPG. capillary depth gauge, watch, and manual inflate vest (never used the CO2 cartridge).

I bought my first scuba gear in 1972, all Scubapro. A steel 72, MK5/109, SPG, BC vest with power inflator. I dived this for 10 years. I still have and occasionally dive the regulator, though it has been upgraded over the years.