Old Style Dacor BC - What is it?

[gagman]

I just obtained a used BC from a friend of a friend for Free. It is a Dacor model 6542 and appears to be in excellent condition. However, it is unlike any BC I have seen or tried. (I am a new OWC diver with <10 dives..)
The BC consists of a plastic mounting plate with a tank strap and a 2" web harness that threads through the plate. There is also a yellow nylon jacket w/ bladder that attaches to the strap/plate with various loops/velcro. The bladder inflates front and back. There is also a separate fill valve for a CO2 cylinder.
Does anyone have any info on the age/characteristics of this BC?
I am planning on taking to my LDS to check out and try in the pool.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

It sounds a lot like the BC's we had in our dive club in the early 80's. Double bladder BC were popular then (a urethane bladder inside a nylon shell) but sufferred froma high rate of bladder leaks if you were not very careful to get the sand rinsed out from between the bladder and the outer cover.

Some of the early designs had a trendency to squeeze you on the surface when fully inflated but I do recall the Dacor BC's we had doing that as they pretty much inflated outward.

Redundant inflators using small 12 to 25 gram Co2 cartiges were also common and were designed for emergency inflation on the surface. This was not a bad idea in an era where not everyone used an SPG yet and instead relied on a J valve. It allowed you a means to easily and quickly inflate on the surface if your tank was empty. They were also a potential liability if inadvertantly activated at depth, particularly the larger 25 gram cartridge and most systems ended up plugged.

 

[waterwraith]

This BC sound interesting can you post a picture of it. Though it does sound like the BC's of the eighties that my instructor still uses.

 

[ew1usnr]

gagman once bubbled...
IHowever, it is unlike any BC I have seen or tried. (I am a new OWC diver with <10 dives..)

I'm not laughing at you, but at how something that was once so common is now so completely out of fashion. I think that you just have a jacket-style BC. AquaMaster is right. They were the common BC in the 1980's. Attached is a picture of a Waterlung BC that is probably similar in age and style to what you have.

 

[gagman]

The BC is at the LDS getting checked out but I did find the same one on e-bay (3642610647). Judging by how much (little) it's posted for, its probably a piece of crap. At least the LDS didn't laugh when I brought it in.

 

[ew1usnr]

gagman once bubbled...
Judging by how much (little) it's posted for, its probably a piece of crap.

Just because something is more expensive does not mean it is better. That BC looks good to me.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Yes, that is like the Dacor BC's we had in our club. The other half of our club's BC's were US Divers that were very similar. Sherwood also marketed one that was, as far as I could tell, identical to the Dacor BC except for color and pocket design.

Your BC is a little older in terms of style but will dive ok a long as it is in good shape. Keep the sand rinsed out of it and it should hole up well too.

Our local dive shop recently obtained some brand new old stock Sherwood BC's from that era from a old LDS owner. They were truly mint condition and I wish I had bought one just for nostalgia purposes.