Vintage "tech" diving setup

[Luis H]

This is pretty interesting reading. I'm leaning towards a Sherwood dual outlet manifold with a Mk5 clone that I currently own as the backup to an Aquamaster. It'll be an interesting project I'll just be fiddling along with all summer getting it together. One thought I had was to use a bare harness with no horsecollar to keep the appearance of vintage, but use my drysuit for buoyancy. Does anyone do this?

Yes, it has being done many times. The Poseidon Unisuit actually predates many BC's. I don't have much experience with that particular dry suit since I grew up diving in the Caribbean. I do own one of them now.

A laminate type suit may actually work better since you don't have to compensate for the neoprene compression. My normal dry-suit is neoprene, but here in Maine most of our dives seldom go under 40 ft.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I used to dive the unisuit with no BC at all. I'm not sure if it was really wise, but it worked for me.

I still have one it is an XL or L and I do need to sell it... anybody?

Also have 2 double tank manifold, at least one has a j-valve reserve on it.

 

[Gilldiver]

"Vintage Tech"???? The Technical term was first used for diving by Mike Menduno around 1993 or so, maybe a year or so earlier. Back then we were all just "Wreck Divers."

Attached is my set of 72's with a OMS back plate, Abyss BC from about 2000, and a Abyss Explorer as a back up which was a Poseidon 1st stage with a Kirby Morgan Supperflow 2nd stage. and in the middle is a DA Aqua Master with the Phoenix Nozzle which lets me put on a SPG and a Dry suit inflator - Hell this is almost DIR!

As you can see the backup reg interferes with the Double hose a bit, NEMROD will be by shortly with a photo that shows how this manifold can be reversed so that the backup reg 1st stage is on the back of the tank post but on the divers left side.

 

[Gilldiver]

As for manifolds, here are only a few ways to get "Vintage."

 

[Gilldiver]

A few more

 

[Gilldiver]

Now for REAL VINTAGE you need TRIPPLES!

 

[Gilldiver]

Yes, TRIPPLES, like these.

I got most of these photos the old fashiond way, I stole them off of Ebay. But some are from my garage.

Pete

 

[StevenN]

This is a really interesting thread. I don't have anything to add to it but I am really enjoying all your posts.

 

[Thalassamania]

My first set of doubles were independents rotated so that they faced center and connected with a adapter that had a yoke at each end and a valve with an on/off wheel at the center. I can't remember who made it.

 

[Gilldiver]

My first set of doubles were independents rotated so that they faced center and connected with a adapter that had a yoke at each end and a valve with an on/off wheel at the center. I can't remember who made it.

There were too many made to name all the manufacturers, I just remember calling the "Cheater Bars" as you were cheating by not spending the money to buy a real manifold. 3 of the manifolds above are the cheater type. I realy love the one with the pig tail to absorbe any twisting or movement between the two tanks - this cheater bar was also known as the "Suicide Bar."