And just in case y'all have not noticed, and a plug for my friends at VDH, the Luis designed singles plate sold in the vdh store is very similar and uses the same type of webbing attachment being as it is vintage inspired (by the Viking and similar plates of yore) but completely compatible with modern single tank wings and single and double hose regulators.
N
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Nimrod,
It is important as you certainly realize to preserved history correctly...re the back plate
Quote from Solandia (JR God of VDH)
Man, with the VDH plate in black cerakote, a harness rigged Luis style, and a nice wing this is an extra slick setup.[/quote]
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My response--which was never printed
Your comments exciting and are appreciated, but need clarification
The VDH plate is a modern almost an copy of a 1950s Seacraft back plate which was manufactured on the east coast. It was one of the first plates to be commercially produced and become popular in the then very small diving community. It was offered in three models the single, the double and the triple unit. The VDH was designed for the single unit.
I used the double units which when joined with the US Diver "women's tanks" produced in the late 1950s were christened the "Orange County twin 44s." (the tanks were originally 40s but with 10% over fill became 44s) FYI see legends of diving / Sea sabre signaling system (*Bill I suspect that you remember them...all I used for probably 30 or more years -and I still have 4 set (8 tanks) Just can't let them go)
I guess I should get out one of the twin units for VHS to copy for those who like you use double tanks...Maybe- some day(*this will never happen!)
It is interesting that your post mentions he "harness rigged Luis style." This is an exact copy, right down to the 2 inch webbing and the crossing of the webbing at the neck line of the original of Seacraft produced over a half century ago (what is old is new!)
For your and others information about Seacraft and the origin of the VDH plate I would like to direct your attention to
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http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/vintage-equipment-diving/395396-backplates-history-3.html ~~
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FYI
*** Don't attempt to locate Seacraft they ceased operations many years ago ( *I suspect there are vey few catalogs available fifty years later)
The then huge ubiquitous New England Divers purchased the diving accessory portion. Including the back plate
The jewelry line which included Dive flag was purchased by a boat dock operator and remained dormant until 1988 when he ligated against the diving world as the sole proprietor of the dive flag, which resulted in 18 months court room drama -I was the divers flag expert consultant to the defendants SCUBA Pro and Universal divers but that is a story for another time...
SDM