My own little bit of nostalgia

[fishoutawater]

I guess I was about ten or eleven when we went to Hawaii to meet our dad for his R&R from Vietnam. By that time I'd already become addicted to Sea Hunt, snorkelinh in the local ponds and springs in the Missouri Ozarks. At the time I had some cheap little blue colored fins and a matching leaky blue mask with a plastic lens. Well while we were shopping somewhere in Honolulu, I saw a genuine US Divers mask, and I fell in love with the thing. I had to have it. I reasoned that we were in HAWAII, SURROUNDED BY OCEAN. I needed a REAL diving mask. My mom's answer was, "There's sharks out there". My heart sank. But my dad saw the desperation in my eyes and lobbied for me, and ultimately bought me the mask.

Ayway, I got to snorkel in the ocean and see some critters in some little lagoon. Loved it! I used that mask for exploring the same creeks and ponds back home and again later to get certified at Ft Hood Texas. That mask was my prized possession.

Then we moved again, and somehow I lost my mask. I think some friend of my brother's swiped it. But by that time, I was going through puberty, and I wasn't thinking about water very much.

Well I saw one just like it on Ebay, and of course, I HAD to have it:

Just got it in the mail yesterday, and I took it apart and cleaned it up real good. All I need now is a decent black rubber strap, (this ones cracked at the bends). I plan on using it in Key Largo in a couple weeks.

 

[Slonda828]

That's awesome man, thanks for sharing!

 

[duckbill]

So, how many sharks did you see?

 

[SwimJim]

I had one just like that probably about the same time you were in Hawaii. It replaced a green Oval I had. I wish I had both of those now.

 

[Nemrod]

Nice mask, I had one also, used it for quite a few years. In fact, threw it away just a couple of years go, terminal dry rotaosis. You might ask Mr. Slonda about rubber rotaosis. Usually causes terminal rubber splitting wide open at just the worst moment.

Hey, dude, leave me hanging in the "Long Hose Thread" you wupped up, I see how you are, , lol.

Those were great masks. My favorite catalog cover, I don't have any idea why:

N

 

[fishoutawater]

Didn't mean to leave ya hangin there Nemrod! Just got to the point where ya just say FI. One of them nobody's right, nobody's wrong arguements, so let's argue anyway...
I think I may recall seeing that catalogue and thinking, GEEWHIZZ, look at what I'll be able to see with this mask!
This mask doesn't show any sign of "rubber rotaosis", except for the strap. I tried to save the strap by splicing in some inner tube rubber with some tire patch cement, but that ain't happening. Can't get a decent bond, even after roughing it up and cleaning with acetone. What's cool about the original strap (and why I tried to save it) is that it has both USDivers and Aqualung seals molded into it. Don't think I'll be able to find another one like that. The white part was all yellowed and it had a calcium coral reef growing under the metal band. Scrubbed it all up with some CLR and steel wool. Came out nice. I was a little worried about the acid in the CLR lingering on the rubber so I neutralized it in water and baking soda. Another thing is, the owner of this mask cut the purge valve nipples off so he could use the purge valve. I never did that with mine, so I'm going to fill that in with some black silicone. The glass on that thing is over 3/16" thick, and comparing it to my modern mask, a LOT heavier. But I can see better with the old one. I'm in love all over again.
Next thing ya know, I'll be buying an old J-valve and Aqualung reg and a plastic backpack.
OTOH, those old double hose regs are cool, although I've never dove with one. Who knows, a set of steel triples and I'll be ready to go wrassle those octopi in Puget sound.

 

[Nemrod]

That mask was up until this year my all time favorite. It has now been replaced in my "all time ranking" however by the Atomic Frameless. N

 

[DaleC]

Who knows, a set of steel triples and I'll be ready to go wrassle those octopi in Puget sound.

Come gettum while their hot!!! In this corner!!!

 

[captain]

Didn't mean to leave ya hangin there Nemrod! Just got to the point where ya just say FI. One of them nobody's right, nobody's wrong arguements, so let's argue anyway...
I think I may recall seeing that catalogue and thinking, GEEWHIZZ, look at what I'll be able to see with this mask!
This mask doesn't show any sign of "rubber rotaosis", except for the strap. I tried to save the strap by splicing in some inner tube rubber with some tire patch cement, but that ain't happening. Can't get a decent bond, even after roughing it up and cleaning with acetone. What's cool about the original strap (and why I tried to save it) is that it has both USDivers and Aqualung seals molded into it. Don't think I'll be able to find another one like that. The white part was all yellowed and it had a calcium coral reef growing under the metal band. Scrubbed it all up with some CLR and steel wool. Came out nice. I was a little worried about the acid in the CLR lingering on the rubber so I neutralized it in water and baking soda. Another thing is, the owner of this mask cut the purge valve nipples off so he could use the purge valve. I never did that with mine, so I'm going to fill that in with some black silicone. The glass on that thing is over 3/16" thick, and comparing it to my modern mask, a LOT heavier. But I can see better with the old one. I'm in love all over again.
Next thing ya know, I'll be buying an old J-valve and Aqualung reg and a plastic backpack.
OTOH, those old double hose regs are cool, although I've never dove with one. Who knows, a set of steel triples and I'll be ready to go wrassle those octopi in Puget sound.

Being the DIR Nazi are calling you a troll and putting you on their ignore list in the basic scuba section just stay here in the vintage section, but it is fun to pull their chain every now and then and step back and watch the fun.

 

[fishoutawater]

Wow Dale! I've always wanted to meet up with one of those bad boys. Lucky you! I haven't even met a little one yet. OTOH, I've probably swam right over them and totally missed them.

So Slonda, what happened with the rubber rotoasis? Diving related? Other...?