My new toy

[Nemrod]

Yes indeed, there it is, the new, all new, all new manufactured VDH Wesley Chapel Florida (USA) Argonaut Kraken twin hose regulator, serial number DD-6, sitting amongst some other cool new stuff. I wonder how it happened that the hoses match my fins and mask and snorkel .

No, it is not vintage, makes no pretense as such. It is a fully new, modern, high performance, lightweight twin hose regulator. Perfect for photogs and underwater adventurers. I just got back from Florida and had not gotten my new Kraken, it just came to me. I was doing some photography and my Phoenix RAM twin hose, the octopus on it was bubbling, so on the next dives I used my wonderful AL Titan XL (my fav single hose ever) and it is remarkable how much closer I can get to marine life with a double hose than with a single hose. The contrast is very apparent. I kept thinking, why do the fish run from me, what is different, then I had to remind myself, I am on a single hose and the bubbles are scaring them, not to mention how much noisier a single hose is with all of the bubbles exploding by my ears.

N

 

[Herb-alaska]

I missed the original order opportunity but I am now eagerly waiting for mine to come.

 

[USdiver1]

Nem,

You are now one of the select few who can scream "Release the Kraken!" without feeling like a fool, or being nominated for a Razzie award for worst actor in a feature film (The Clash of the Titans). I can't wait to see Roger's or Rob's Argonaut Krakens later on this summer. Might have to get me my own if the beastie is as good as all are reporting it to be.

 

[Aquavelvet]

That looks awesome! Love the color scheme. Are you using this with a single tank, or a retro twinset with center attachment on the manifold?


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[Nemrod]

Well, the Kraken has been officially released. To my knowledge, all who were in on the fundable program are about to or already have their Krakens. There were a few people (12), several years back who put up cash on a promise to fund prototypes and molds etc. and they came to be known as the "Dirty Dozen" somehow. These people either got a pre-pro or one of the first of the official release per their election (I think, no expert here, I am just along for the ride) thus mine being DD-06 which just happens to match the serial number on my pre-Gen 1 Phoenix RAM, JRW-006. Now how cool is that?

In any case, the Kraken is out there now terrorizing single hose divers everywhere, beware, it is no longer vintage to be double hose and all the kool kids are up with it.

N

---------- Post added July 4th, 2014 at 05:58 PM ----------

That looks awesome! Love the color scheme. Are you using this with a single tank, or a retro twinset with center attachment on the manifold?


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Nope, single tank rig, plate and Oxy wing, Hogarthian rig, just like all the modern techie divers do. There is nothing vintage here, no pretense of old school, no need to pretend to be Sea Hunt, this is a MODERN regulator in every sense just as if I went and bought a new SP G260. You realize, single hose regs have been around since the late 50s and nobody pretends they are vintage, the Kraken is not vintage, it is brand new and ready to rock and roll with the best of them, new or old.

Luis optimized the hose routing for single tank rigs. While there is no specific reason the Kraken cannot be used on vintage rigs or center outlet twinsets the intention of the designer, if I may say, was for the Kraken to be a drop in for modern single hose divers regardless of their configuration on typical single tank rigs.

N

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

A thing of beauty. Color me jealous Nem.

Best wishes.

 

[Luis H]

That looks awesome! Love the color scheme. Are you using this with a single tank, or a retro twinset with center attachment on the manifold?


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I have used one of my prototypes with single and double tanks, but it is optimized for single tanks since it is the most common.

I used it with double tanks under the ice a couple of years ago. You can see pictures in this link (that was the prototype before we had the new case):
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/vi...t-totally-new-vintage-style-dh-regulator.html

The advantage of my doubles is that it allows me to use two completely independent regulators (for redundancy). All my double (twin 50 or twin 72) have the old style Sherwood valve with a center outlet and an independent outlet on one side.

The small double (twin 50 and twin 45) are great to dive. They have great balance and they are very comfortable in the water, but out of the water they are heavier than my single 72. Most of my dives up here in Maine are shore dives, so I go for the lightest rig that I have to carry.

Twin tanks with center outlet do inherently place a DH in its ideal position, but the modern plate offered by VDH will accomplish the same position if it is rigged properly. I designed the plate based on a vintage style plate from the 50's, but I modified it extensively to use modern tank bands, buoyancy wing, etc. My recommended harness is also slightly different that the vintage version.

A single tank is just the most common and most practical for the majority of divers. I like to travel to the Caribbean and my plate/ with wing, and regulator works great with the typical rental AL 80.

---------- Post added July 5th, 2014 at 09:43 AM ----------

Nem,

I can't wait to see Roger's or Rob's Argonaut Krakens later on this summer. Might have to get me my own if the beastie is as good as all are reporting it to be.

Yes, you need one.

 

[DiverGuam]

Is there an info page for that reg?

 

[herman]

Here is a link to the sale page on VDH. Shop Online

There are a number of threads on VDH as well as on SB discussing the reg and showing a lot of it's development over the last couple of years.

 

[Luis H]

Is there an info page for that reg?

This link contains, in bullet form, most of the design features of the Argonaut Kraken. I am sorry that they are not neatly organized, but that thread has been the place that I have been using to collect some of that information. I just need to organize it when I have a chance.
Vintage Double Hose ? View topic - Kracken - so, what is "different"


The link Herman provided would be a starting point for the Kraken.