Navy SEAL Open Circuit gear

[mwheeler63]

Does anyone know what type of equipment the SEAL Teams use in BUD/S and/or open circuit diving around the sub? Below is a link to the best picture I could find on Google of the setup. I know it's a dual tank and two hoses come from it that enter into both the right and the left side of the mouthpiece. Any ideas? Thanks!

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ab/BUDS_2nd_phase.jpg

 

[oldschoolto]

Those are just old school aqua-masters.... They use Conshelf 14's and CCR....

I'm not a seal or claim to be one.. But, I do know a seal or two...

Jim...

 

[mwheeler63]

Thanks Jim... I know a decent amount about their Dragers, but the open circuit is something I don't know much about. A friend is training for BUD/S and I'm doing a dive certification with him. We have been looking all over to find out what they use but couldn't find anything. Thanks so much for the help!

 

[mwheeler63]

Jim do you know a link where those can be purchased or is that basically an eBay item to try and find?

 

[oldschoolto]

They have not been made in years and year... I have one, And you can find them on ebay... The web site www.vintagedoublehose.com is a good place to start.. Bryan is a nice guy... He makes a newer double hose regulator that I hear is a very nice breather.. And that Aqua-Master is what I started diving on back in 1972...

Jim...

 

[211ratsbud]

I have a handfull of aqua-masters,need hoses and grandpa to approve their dissolution from our showcase. Relatively unlikely but if all else fails I can always ask.

 

[Kevrumbo]

At 10:00 mark in the video below, they currently look like they're using the single hose Conshelf XIV (along with optional octopus, LP inflator hose, and console at 1:14:00):

http://www.aqualung.com/militaryandprofessional/us-en/PDF/2014_Military_Guide.pdf

 

[jfe]

And you can find them on ebay... The web site www.vintagedoublehose.com is a good place to start..Jim...

I love the re-enactments when you open the site, beautifully done!

 

[herman]

The one in the photo is either a DA Aquamaster or a Royal Aquamaster, no way to tell without seeing the label since they look almost identical externally. After the DAs and RAMs were not longer serviceable, I heard they used Nemrod Snarks and finally years they used a different Aqualung regulator called a Mentor. Mentors were never sold to the public and are pretty much impossible to get. The get the definitive answer, you might try contacting the Seal Museum, they know the answer....now if they will tell you is another story.

Getting a working DA or RAM is pretty easy, you just have to find one (ebay in the 100-120 range) and have it rebuilt, another $200-300 depending on extras you might want. Vintage Double Hose has all the parts and information you will need to rebuild one and a lot of times members have rebuild ones for sale.

As for the re-enactments, they were a lot of fun, I was lucky enough to be one of the divers.

 

[mmadiver]

Hi mwheeler,

As stated they are old school aqua masters. They are used by the Navy to get guys used to breathing from a double hose apparatus in anticipation of moving onto the drager. The double hose regs are not used operationally.