Question Vintage gear and Modern Dive Boats?

[Malcolm57]

Hello, Guys

I have a little question to ask, since I have (ahem) gotten a bit fluffy in recent years, and am looking at getting some of my own equipment again, reason is I have been borrowing/renting and it suck. I'm curious if a dive boat operator will have a problem if I show up in vintage gear?

I loved using my old stuff and would like to buy some new "old" stuff but don't want to waste the money if I'll be turned away by the operator.

Any thoughts or experiences??

Thanks

 

[rhwestfall]

Please define "vintage gear" and "old stuff".....

 

[herman]

Guess it depends on what you are calling vintage. If you are talking about a 80's Mk-5 or Conshelf, that is really not vintage and no different than modern gear...it really is modern gear just a few years old. Now if you are talking about double hose regs then you may have some issues but a number of us, myself included dive DH regs on a regular basis. So far as long as you act like you know what you are doing and competent we have not had any issues .

 

[stretchthepenn]

"Vintage" is relative. I'll hazard the guess that if you show up with a Dacor reg and BCD, and a US Divers tank, you'll get some veeeerrrrry concerned looks.

 

[FF / EMT]

Please define "vintage gear" and "old stuff".....

 

[rhwestfall]

I was asking the OP what his "vintage" equipment was.....

 

[Tracy]

It entirely depends on your definition of vintage. I dive a double hose fairly often. Most boats I have encountered including my own will require a power inflator and a pressure gauge. Outside of that, if it is safe, dive it.

 

[PBcatfish]

If you have particular dive operators that you plan to use, I would contact them & ask what their standards are. It's been my experience that policies vary.

 

[rhwestfall]

The OP has yet to define what he believes to be "vintage" gear in this discussion, which leaves all of us grasping at ideas that may or may not be relevant...

 

[scrane]

When you jump on "Joe's Diving, Inc." dive boat you'll need to have a regulator with a safe second, pressure gauge, BC inflator and a BC. If your regulator is a Double Hose you'll have to expect a conversation covering the basic operation of the regulator and how it really isn't that different from a single hose as far as Joe should be concerned. If it is a single hose Joe probably won't know how old it is and if he does he'll know it doesn't matter.
If you show up equipped like Lloyd Bridges you'll either have to be a really good talker or be prepared to turn around and go back home.
But in the end, right or wrong, it's up to Joe to decide how much perceived risk he's willing to take on.
Just like anything else, knowledge and confidence opens a lot of doors. I have not yet been turned away with my modernized DH setup. I know that this is strictly speaking not "vintage". But it is probably as close as Joe is willing to get.