New Vintage Scuba YouTube Channel

[Akimbo]

Here’s the latest video. Definitely worth a watch if you want to learn more about vintage scuba buoyancy compensators. I’m sure a lot of you divers on the forum here started with this BCD.

My first buoyancy compensator was the Bouée Fenzy. It was designed as a Mae West that could be inflated at depth and had an OVP, but we added a power inflator on the hose around 1971. I think the power inflator was cannibalized from the early semi-dry suits of the day, but can't remember for sure.

My non-diving dad made me wear this stupid thing when I started my Scuba class. Useless.

 

[jadairiii]

My first buoyancy compensator was the Bouée Fenzy.

I've seen a bunch of Fenzy's that look like the material they were made from was Hypalon, or something close to Hypalon? Was that the case with the earlier ones?

 

[John C. Ratliff]

Here's a segment from me.


Enjoy,

John

 

[AhoyFed]

1976, mine too! dang that thing had some lift. Never so happy to sell it a year later when I bought my Scuba Pro BCP.

I think it said somewhere on the BC it had 52 or 58 pounds of lift. That’s enough for double tanks!
AhoyFed

 

[AhoyFed]

Yikes, now I know that I'm REALLY old. Is @AhoyFed old enough to shave?

You have a great narrating voice mate.

You wouldn’t believe the number of times I get ID’d at the liquor store and when I go to buy lottery tickets!

Thank you!

AhoyFed!

 

[AhoyFed]

My first buoyancy compensator was the Bouée Fenzy. It was designed as a Mae West that could be inflated at depth and had an OVP, but we added a power inflator on the hose around 1971. I think the power inflator was cannibalized from the early semi-dry suits of the day, but can't remember for sure.

View attachment 651361​

My non-diving dad made me wear this stupid thing when I started my Scuba class. Useless.

View attachment 651362​

That thing looks like a big orange tire! Can’t imagine how awkward it must have been to wear and inflate.

Which doublehose regulator did you use when you started? Don’t show PADI that photo, you don’t have an octopus or power inflator!!

AhoyFed

 

[Akimbo]

That thing looks like a big orange tire! Can’t imagine how awkward it must have been to wear and inflate.

It wasn't bad when deflated. You tended to notice the HP inflator cylinder but it wasn't bad at all. It helped get my arse out of some dicey situations more than once. Here is a photo of the newer Fenzy next to mine that another diver was using:

I went from that Fenzy to a wing purchased as spare parts for a Watergill Ad-Pac.

 

[Akimbo]

Which doublehose regulator did you use when you started? Don’t show PADI that photo, you don’t have an octopus or power inflator!!

That is a Voit V66 Navy, the same as the US Divers Aqua-Master. US Divers made the regulator and Voit molded the rubber parts in a cross-marketing deal.

 

[AhoyFed]

It wasn't bad when deflated. You tended to notice the HP inflator cylinder but it wasn't bad at all. It helped get my arse out of some dicey situations more than once. Here is a photo of the newer Fenzy next to mine that another diver was using:

View attachment 651434

I went from that Fenzy to a wing purchased as spare parts for a Watergill Ad-Pac.

View attachment 651435

They look fairly streamlined when deflated. Were there any pouches on the Fenzy Vest? I liked that feature on the big yellow USD best since it can fit just about anything, even a small spare mask.

Thanks for sharing the photos Akimbo. I’m a huge fan of black and white, I still shoot and develop and make enlargements from 35mm B/W film. Yes, I’m old enough to remember the film days my first camera was a Kodak disposable. I’m not sure if it even had a flash.

While we’re on the topic of vintage photography, recently I acquired an Ikelite MD housing as well as two canon F1 cameras from a local diver. He gave it to me with the hopes I’d be able to resurrect it and use it in the future. Challenge accepted!

AhoyFed

 

[AhoyFed]

That is a Voit V66 Navy, the same as the US Divers Aqua-Master. US Divers made the regulator and Voit molded the rubber parts in a cross-marketing deal.

Now that’s a sweet regulator. Do you still have it? I’d have to sell a kidney to pay for one of those Voits, each year the price keeps rising.

AhoyFed