new aqua-lung mistral

[wilbkr1]

@Double Diver

How is the testing going on the Mod for the Mistral 2? Have you noticed a true difference?

The MK3 is unavailable right now. I'm going to start this project with the phoenix in the plan.

First part of business is to locate a good DA. Any suggestions other than e-bay?

 

[Double Diver]

Choosing a reg to rebuild depends a little on what your final goal is. If you plan to add a Phoenix or MK3 then look for a DA Aquamaster. A Royal AM will also work but they tend to sell for a good bit more and considering the parts that you will replace in the conversion are the same ones that differentiate a DAAM from a RAM, why pay more if you are going to remove the parts anyway. Same goes for round label regs (later models) vs square label models (earlier models) the only difference is a slight design change in the outer shell (aka- can), internally they are identical. On the other hand, if you intend to keep it original, then the extra cost of a RAM may be worth it. Similar models of Voits are also good choices but they are harder to find and usually sell for a lot more due to them being more collectable, again, same internals with slightly different outer cans.
How the regs perform underwater has a lot to do with can and hose design, the place where the new Mistral fails or at least that is what I have heard from those who have dove both…Granted this is second hand info but from folks I know that should know. I really need to dive one, that is going on my to do list this summer. Before making a decision, why not get Karl to let you test drive a restored DH reg so you can compare for yourself.

@Double Diver

How is the testing going on the Mod for the Mistral 2? Have you noticed a true difference?

The MK3 is unavailable right now. I'm going to start this project with the phoenix in the plan.

First part of business is to locate a good DA. Any suggestions other than e-bay?

I have tried it in the pool and definitely seems to work there I'm hopping to get out late next week and give it a real test.
Call Brian at vintage double hose that's who you will get the Phoenix from anyway and he has enough stuff to build up a DA from parts.

 

[herman]

Yes you would if needed.
So Herman if you get to So, Fl you can try my new Mistral or as I like to call it the Mistral 2.
And I'll trade you a test of my MB3 for your Phoenix. We will weigh our selves down and sit on the bottom at 60' and do a proper evaluation of these 3. By then I will have my mod to the Mistral 2 complete and we can through in a test of the Std Mistral 2 as well. A genuine 4 reg shootout!
And how do you do that abbreviated quote thing?

I would love to, I really want to try a MK3.... Meet me in the Keys maybe, who knows maybe we can get a mini vintage meet going. It would be fall before I can work it in.........how about this, a vintage lobster hunt, now that would be a test of the regs. Standing on my head looking in cracks and chasing the little buggers will put any reg to the test.

The clipped quote is easy, just do a quote as normal and then delete what you don't want from between the

marks. I put the dots as an indicator that I cut out some unrelated text.

 

[herman]

Try Craigslist if you have one locally. On occasion I find them there and for the most part they are cheaper than on ebay. I missed a tank, backpack and a DA the other week for $30....I later got a call from a guy wanting to know about old regs, one of the local dive shops sent him to me as the local expert....turns out he was the one who bought it. The thing I still do not understand is he has no intention of using or displaying it.....it was a dive reg and cheap so he bought it but has no idea what he will do with it..

 

[SwimJim]

Hey Herman, if you can make to Portage in August, I'll bring my MK3 along and you can try it there. It's a fine set up. I do like the hose routing and it's a little lower profile then the Phoenix. Performance wise, Royal Aqua master = Phoenix = MK3. They are all the same animal. I also own the Phoenix of course and if I go bust and have to sell off my collection, you have to pry my cold dead fingers off my Phoenix, MK3, Unserialized Mistral and Faux 50 fathom. I really like my Nemrod Snark III Silver too. Then theres my........................ ha

Jim

Jim

 

[herman]

Jim, you have too many toys. A guy at the LDS has one he has offered to let me try, I need to take him up on it but if I make Portage I will def give it a try. I want a Snark, those are pretty.

Missed you at SD this year. You need to start saving your pennies for SD-8. I am going to try to make it the best one yet (I got "elected" to organize it). I hope to make Portage but do not know at this point.

 

[SwimJim]

Jim, you have too many toys. A guy at the LDS has one he has offered to let me try, I need to take him up on it but if I make Portage I will def give it a try. I want a Snark, those are pretty.

Missed you at SD this year. You need to start saving your pennies for SD-8. I am going to try to make it the best one yet (I got "elected" to organize it). I hope to make Portage but do not know at this point.

Saving my pennies and getting a passport. Theres a guy in my dive club who loves Bonaire and has some interest in Vintage. He hasn't tried a double hose yet, but when I mentioned a Sand Dog in Bonaire he perked right up. He told me to give him the dates as soon as they become available. He'll come with a bunch of divers. It looks like the Deep Six dive group may come to the next Sand Dog in force! Hope you can make Portage!

Jim

 

[simonbeans]

Just remember that the Sand Dogs are pre-NAVED and yet are involved with NAVED members. The conditions at Sand Dog VII were tough and thus we mostly didn't object as to the addition of modern gear to some degree. The only items used were inflators to horse collars, a couple of Air IIs, a few modern BCs, some modern masks, and a couple of modern fins. I believe all but one of the double hoses was a Phoenix. A couple of the women dove modern mostly. However, I will be going to Bonaire next week and check out conditions. I expect much more hospitable seas and easier diving. Therefore, we will want everyone to be more vintage at Sand Dog VIII. I really would hate to see any modern single hose regulators used by NAVED members. Recall that NAVED was formed via Vintage Double Hose.com

 

[Nemrod]

When SD first began it was held in north central Florida in the always calm, clear, shallow spings like Alexander and Ginnie. As SD has evolved into the Bahamas last year and this year the Gold Coast and next year it sounds like Bonaire the diving has become more demanding and exposed to the elements, rough seas, currents etc. Thus the reason the Sand Doggers have been ditching vintage equipment in favor of more utilitarian equipment with the only remaining vestige of "vintage" being the double hose regs. I expect that trend to continue as long as we take on the ocean blue, Bonaire deep wall dives, boat trips to the "wild" side of Bonaire etc.

On the Spiegal my harness was tied too tight behind the horsecollar, then it slipped off my shoulders and since I have A) arthritis in my hands and B) was carrying a near 4,000 dollars camera rig I hated to drop, I nearly passed out because I could not breath and I could not loosen the strap trapped behind the horsecollar, it was about to get serious for a minute--really--I am not kidding. I somehow made it back to the boat, got out and the DM had to loosen the sternum strap. That let me breath and I was able to dive after a moment of regaining my composure, all the while the remainder of the day, both shoulder straps were off my shoulders and my tank was loose.

I enjoyed the old SD format where we could mostly drive our vehicles and haul tons of cool old gear to play with and share in a benign environment but in the ocean, paying lot's of money to get someplace to dive, I am afraid the only vintage gear I will get to Bonaire will be a DH t-shirt with a picture of a DH regulator and my DOXA watch. I am just saying, serious diving begets serious equipment and the limited baggage allowance post 911 and shoe bomber and undie bomber makes heavy vintage gear or multiple sets of gear difficult to transport.

Just thinking out loud, not meaning to upset anyone.

N

 

[herman]

Nemrod, there is no reason at all not to take vintage gear to Bonaire. On my last trip I dove with just a backplate and my Phoenix. Not because I had to, I had a full modern setup with me but because I wanted too, the modern gear never came out of the suitcase. I do use a modern mask but I can't justify spending $250 worth of lens in an old mask and I need it to see. Of all the places I have been with SD, Bonaire will be the most vintage friendly- if you recall the springs required a BC...although we tend to "forget" them. The last few years I have dove a Nemrod backplate fitted with a camband to accomidate the al-80 (the only non vintage item we will be forced to use). It's not that difficult to carry 2 sets of gear- minus fins- if you must, I have done it for the last 3 years- 5 trips with 6 coming soon, with little trouble and weight limit to spare. I have recently designed a mod for the old backplates to accept 80's that I will dive on the next trip and if it works well, I will make then for anyone who wants to dive the old plates. Alans travel harnesses are also perfectly acceptable, no reason you can't pack one of those with a BC. I see no reason not the dive a Faux (or real) Fathom 50 and a banjoe if you like, no dive police to stop you.
As for the conditions on Bonaire, unless you insist on diving the Windjammer or the windward side, the conditions are barely rougher than the springs we have dove in the past. I don't consider 80 to 100 ft on a vintage reg in smooth seas much of a challange, if you can dive the Grove and the drift dives we did last week, Bonaire is nothing, besides 95% of my Bonaire dives go past 40 ft, that is where the pretty stuff is anyway. I will agree the cost is higher but for those flying, the cost differential is not that great. The boat diving is what is running up the cost as much as anything, another nonissue on Bonaire. We can head back to the springs in 2012.