Triple 72's

[John C. Ratliff]

Pete,

It looks like you switched regulators during the session. You used the Mistral, but which was the other one (black hoses)?

SeaRat

 

[Gilldiver]

I ran around with my PRAM, RAM, and a Mistral. The RAM has black hoses and the PRAM and Mistral have yellow.

 

[Bob3]

... They mounted the tanks in a triangle formation ...

Central Skindivers had a set like that in their catalog back in the '60s, and when I commented on them during a phone call they mentioned that they could do 90s (?) like that too, but were sorta giggling when they said it.

I tore most of my double 72s down to singles back in the '70s when I got to diving single hose regs.

At least Gilldiver's hefty enough to handle the things!

 

[elmer fudd]

Central Skindivers had a set like that in their catalog back in the '60s, and when I commented on them during a phone call they mentioned that they could do 90s (?) like that too, but were sorta giggling when they said it.

I tore most of my double 72s down to singles back in the '70s when I got to diving single hose regs.

At least Gilldiver's hefty enough to handle the things!

I kind of like the idea of tripling up some Heiser 190's just for S***'s and giggles. Considering that the tanks alone would weigh 307 lbs. full and would be 187 lbs. negative, there obviously would be no rational purpose for doing so, but it sure would make a good Youtube video. I'm envisioning a wing made from a Sevylor raft.

 

[Gilldiver]

Here is how US Divers made up triple 72's in 1967-1969.

I like my rig much better.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Here is how US Divers made up triple 72's in 1967-1969.

I like my rig much better.

Man that thing looks like it would be unstable as hell.
Talk about turtle city!
That looks like a lot of weight way far out there.

 

[duckbill]

Man that thing looks like it would be unstable as hell.
Talk about turtle city!
That looks like a lot of weight way far out there.

Ah, that's nuthin'. What about John's quad setup for extreme decompression diving?
(4th picture down)
Vintage Scuba Diving Community Forum - PJ tanks

 

[John C. Ratliff]

Pete, I was going through my older photos, and came across an research program I participated in by the University of Oregon in 1971. It was then that I remembered that I have dived triple 72s before. Here are my dive log entries, written in June of 1971:

Dives #12 through #27 were at Clear Lake in connection with a diving physiology experiment being conducted by two U of O students, Alex McNeill and Joe Russel. I was a subject for dives 12 through 18. Dives 19 through 24 I acted as assistant diver, safety man and photographer. Dives 25, 26, & 27 were breathhold dives in which my heart rate was monitored. In the other dives O2 consumption, CO2 exhalation, and heart rate or electrocardiogram were monitored at work and at rest

Here are the photos from those dives that I got back.

In this photo, I'm in my descent, probably on one of the deeper dives to 73 feet (other dives were to 3 feet and 37 feet to simulate one atmosphere and two atmospheres pressure).

At the assigned depth, I stopped and adjusted gear. I would descend using the right cylinder, then switch to the middle cylinder for the research. The left cylinder actually had a vacuum, and sampled my exhalations. Also seen here are the instrumentation for heart rate/EKG.

When I or the other subjects had the right regulator in our mouth, then we would swim a horizontal fixed line for a specific number of minutes. This was the exercise part of the dive, and what the researchers would be looking at from a work physiology point of view.

We worked off a barge in the lake, and getting into and out of the water was fairly difficult. I did not remember, nor note in my log, much problem with the rig in the water though. Bottom times were between 5 minutes and 28 minutes (the first deep dive at 73 feet). The second series were 5-7 minutes each at 3 feet, 37 feet and 73 feet.

Note the weights that I am hand-carrying for the descent, and the fact that I'm not wearing any weight belt for the rest of the dive. I hooked the weights on a line which were recovered after the dive. Because I was at 73 feet, the wet suit had no buoyancy at that depth in fresh water.

And yes, that is a USD Blue Champion Deluxe oval mask I'm wearing for those dives, list price in the 1970 US Divers catalog is $5.95.

The champion all-purpose mask used by divers throughout the world. Exceptionally clear view through the shatter proof tempered glass lens; comfortable feather edge and durable rubber skirt. The world's best-selling mask.
USD 1970 Catalog, page 20

By the way, this is a very good reason to keep a good, detailed dive log. You can pick things out and write about them 39 years later.

SeaRat

 

[elmer fudd]

The more stuff you post, the more you appear to be a real life Mike Nelson. I'm impressed. I don't think MN ever parachuted into a dive site though.

 

[Bob3]

... I don't think MN ever parachuted into a dive site though.

By the time Mike started parachuting to work, he had changed his name to "Vic Powers".
Here's a sweet old flick: Daring Game (1968) - IMDb

It's a real nostalgic flick; they were using some of the same gear that I had. (old "Crossbow" pig-rig.)