1)
@BigRed96
Welcome to the strange exotic world of the vintage divers and vintage dive equipment
2) All advice that has been presented is very valid.. It is a blue print to follow in your quest for a regulator and beginning vintage diving.-- especially
@Scuba Lawyer who has many many years of experience and is very knowledgeable.
3) It is noted that you are 40 years old-- born in 1980-- the last US Divers 2 hose regulator was marketed in 1972
4) So far all apparently have a romance with Vintage Double Hose (VDH) which is a cottage industry out of an apartment room in Florida. It is a good source for pats and its web site is packed with informnation
.
5) You might want to examine the 2 hose regulators prepared by Jerry Struble in your home state of Ohio. Jerry, whom Ii have known for 30 years is a forward looking very competent long term diver / engineer who is offering a double hose regulator as well as his design of a modern Hope Page ( Rory Page would never dream that his design is still valid )
6) The VDH prince "Ron", the poster child as a modern late modern tube sucking bubble blower was demanding a special double hose training class for all new to vintage diving .Taught of course by grossly inexperienced Ron at a cost of $500.00 . Some how ,some way, it was eliminated in favor of a hold harmless document . It is on ly a matter of time before the document it put to a test by a distraught widow or parents--
\In lieu of "professional training it is strongly urges that you begin your double hose diving very cautiously and in shallow water or preferably in a pool practice ALL double hose dive emergency scenarios prior to entering open water diving
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FYI
A case I was involved as an "Expert diving witness" which demonstrated knowing your equipment and checking your equipment prior to diving
Mark VII SCUBA Pro
1974 Catalog Page17
Last catalog which Mark IV appeared
( 46 years ago ! (Time flies )
SCUBA Pro Mk VI -- Automatic Self Locking Yoke
Life time one owner guarantee of all parts
$118.25
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Page 23
Pneumatic Pressure Gauge
Pt # 133 Tank Pressure gauge.....$20,00
Pt # 133-2 filler attachment …. ,,,.$18.00
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For a period of over 15 years I was a credentialed well known Professional Diving Consultant aka expert diving witness
on retainer to "Impact General" on all legal maters related to diving equipment and accidents and often testified in a court of law. as required.
One interesting Impact General case involved in was:
Fienberg vs SCUBA Pro, US Divers, Aquatic Center etal (1982= 38 years ago}
All involved defendants were personal friends
I called Dick Bonin at SCUBA Pro-== He understood & had ample insurance coverage
I met with John Cronin US Divers== Not happy but do what you are contracted to do
Met with my best friend at the Aquatic Center (AC) Ron Merker who was very up set as only Ron could be
(Ron was Dr. Bills basic instructor but " He didn't learn anything from Ron" )
The tragedy involved Dr, Fienberg a social friend of Cronin.
Cronin had sold Fienberg a PFV "out the back door" from US Divers
A Mark VI purchased used but purported to have been overhaled from the AC
The victim went diving at the then new Catalina dive park with his daughter -- all was well until the end of the dive.
The scenario as I presented was was like this:
He began his assent - became entangled in kelp-- struggled
He yanked on his PFV CO2 inflator -- didn't fire -didn't inflate
His Mark VI disengaged from the tank
He lost his life in a few feet of water entangled in kelp'
His body was recovered by life guards
The equipment was lab & field tested by the late Dr Glen Egstrom of UCLA--
(Also personal friends of Bonin, Cronin & Merker)
Dr Egstrom testing disclosed
1) The CO2 had been factory installed with the mechanism in the fired position
2) The SCUBA PRO SPG reading was inaccurate by 200 + PSI
3) The Mark VI disengaged with excessive breathing demands and low pressure
3) The Mark VI had not been overhauled - and was in need of over haul
The court ruled in favor of the plaintiff heirs in the amount of $250,000.00
Not what I and others expected with the loss of a Doctors life due to faulty equipment.
(Scuba Lawyer - There is also "the rest of the story.." We can discuss over a cool one in the dark of night )
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The moot points
Practice and re practice double hose diving techniques in confined water
Check and double check vintage equipment-- replace if worn
Remember the newest equipment is at a minimum eight years older than you
You are reported 40 years old the newest double hose is 48 years old
Dive safe -- Have fun !
'
SDM 111 .