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Post by diverdon on Apr 14, 2014 18:10:49 GMT -8
On the list my man! I got enough 72s around here to marry a couple. Just need the valve and bands. Not sure what kind of harness to use though. My OMS is set up for my double 100s All in good time friend, all in good time!
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Post by herman on Apr 15, 2014 4:10:58 GMT -8
My time was limited but I did notice that it was quieter than the single hose I grabbed afterward. It wanted to freeflow at the surface and so I doubt I'll change the levers any but I will try it again Wednesday. I wondered about the air not being as dry. How's that? I must say I'm hooked but the instructor kinda laughed it off when I got out acting like a kid with a new toy. One of the students asked if many people dive that way and he told him truthfully, no. Its too bad. At least he didn't tell me to get rid of it. But once the class started I had to put my toy away. Man I wish there were more like minded individuals around here. I hear talk about solo diving with these. Is it because people can't find anyone to dive with them and their "dangerous" gear? Don A couple of suggestions for you that may help. If you have heard this before I apoligize for being redundant. A DH will freeflow at the surface if you get the cans below the water and below the mouthpiece. That is the nature of the beast and can not be avoided. The tendency to do so can not be designed out of them so it is something a DH diver has to learn to manage. This is esp true of regs that have a good venturi in them, which the Mistral does. There are a couple of ways to reduce the freeflowing. The first is to simply keep the mouthpiece lower than the cans, hold it down/underwater when at the surface. It works but is a PITA if you want to use your hands. The best option is to plug the mouthpiece with something. A carved wooden plug works or there are rubber plugs sold for this purpose. Do not try adjusting the levers to "fix" the problem, you might make it better but at the expence of performance underwater where it counts. Simply understanding the reason it freeflows and being aware of the regs position will go a long way as well. Next is back pack selection and reg placement. With few exceptions, modern BCs simply do not play well with DH regs. Reg placement and position relative to the body are critical to DH function. Using one with a modern BC will not kill you but it will make even the best DH breath poorly. The cans need to be held as close as possible to the body, touching your back is ideal and placed much lower than most modern divers like, the cans need to be between your shoulder blades. It you are using an AL 80- it should feel way too low. The best option for a BP is one of the single layer plastic or metal BPs from the day. The Voit Snugpac and USD Kam-EZ are common examples. The more common blown plastic BP (about an inch thick as opposed to roughly 1/4 for the proper ones) are not good alternatives since they tend to hold the tank and reg up off your back. I know an inch does not sound like much but it is when dealing with scuba regulators. Even most modern BP/wing configurations (esp those with stays) do not work well with a DH.
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Post by diverdon on Apr 15, 2014 4:37:23 GMT -8
Thank you for clarifying my suspicions Herman. I believed the reg to be in good working order and I have read where the reg will automatically free flow when the mouthpiece is raised. At the surface I was able to hook it under my jaw facing downward to stop the freeflow. I do own a couple BPs, but I did not bring any yesterday as the snowstorm was making me late as it was. I ended up using my SP BCD just to experience the DH reg and I remembered a thread on here where Searat explained the difference in an inch or two by dividing Atmospheric pressure by distance and then related it to the distance of a DH reg to the center of the lungs and that made sense to me. Even a couple tenths of PSI difference adds to breathing resistance, so I'll definitely rig both backpacks and see which I like best. I am currently bidding on a Voit Snugpac on Fleebay so hopefully I'll have one of those as well. But currently I have a flat Healthways, a contoured hard plastic US Divers (I think) and a hollow plastic US Divers which I doubt will be good for a DH. I may need to acquire some new 2" webbing but I'll try the 50~60 year old stuff on the BPs first.
Having fun!
Don
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Post by herman on Apr 15, 2014 5:48:09 GMT -8
The old webbing is usually in good shape as long as it has not been in the sun or otherwise abused. The biggest issue I see is the snaps on the left shoulder that many of them have. You can remove them and replace them with a weight belt buckle or SS/brass snap replacement kits are available fairly inexpensively at most hardware stores.. all you need to install them is a hammer and something solid to work on (vise or oak board are fine). I personally like the contoured ones like the Snugpac/Kan-EZ, they just feel good to me. Most of them will not work with AL-80s but there are a couple of ways to modify them. The easiest/best way is to scroung a tank band off the later blown plastic BP. The later ones had multiple slots so you can use either size tank. The other way is to add a couple of SS spacers and screws to the bands, its inexpensive, simple and you can easily remove them if you need to swap between sizes. My "modern" BC that I use when dive ops just insist on a bladder is a modified Zeagle ET. As is from the factory it does not work well but a number of us figured out a way to modify it and at the time we had a contact in the factory so we had it modifed by Zeagle. Don't know if that is still an option. At the time it was the best thing going for a new BC to use with DH regs. Since then, a new BP designed specifically with DH regs in mind is on the market, today that is the route I would take if I needed a BC for "modern DH use".
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Post by diverdon on Apr 15, 2014 5:56:24 GMT -8
Since then, a new BP designed specifically with DH regs in mind is on the market, today that is the route I would take if I needed a BC for "modern DH use". I didn't realize there was a new production BP on the market. My local DS closed a couple years ago and I stopped going there a couple years before that so I'm out of the loop I guess. What brand is it, and where is it offered? Thank you, Don
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Post by SeaRat on Apr 15, 2014 8:02:21 GMT -8
Don, I dive solo simply because without solo diving I would almost never dive! And yes, I was trained to do so in the USAF, where when we did a parascuba jump, we were essentially solo diving. Concerning the "dry air" in a single hose, I don't think so. It is rather the sensation of air movement in your mouth with the valving being very close that causes that sensation. But the double hose regulator is actually drier than a single hose, as the air does not pick up any moisture that is in the mouthpiece. I used that to advantage when I had to dive in a log pond of a sawmill for a friend who's employee had lost his dentures when hooking logs. I used my Snark III regulator, because it does breath drier (I could have used my other double hose regs, but this one was convenient). The water was rather dark and visibility zero on the bottom. And no, I didn't fined his dentures, but we gave it a good try. They probably messed up the bottom by trying to hook it with a stick earlier before I dived. I have an extra set of bands for steel 72s, if that would help you out. Concerning the prejudice against double hose regulators, it is because of ignorance of these mechanisms, and the fact that divers are now pushing the limits of sport diving by going deeper, longer and doing decompression diving. The Sherwood manifold is one way of coping by providing an octopus, but I had an octopus on my Trieste II regulator in the 1980s (see the photo below of me in Clear Lake). The Sportsways Hydro Twin allowed an octopus too, but they had to discontinue that regulator due to litigation with U.S. Divers Company. So that was available during the vintage diving days too. John
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Post by Michel on Apr 15, 2014 11:41:06 GMT -8
Just my 2 cents! Diving vintage is totally for the feeling and the liberty to relive the pioneering days of scuba. Every time I strap on my twin 72s with anyone of my vintage(perfectly restored) dh's (USD aqua-lungs) I feel perfectly safe and reliving the wonder of the 'Silent World' as though accompanied by Jacques, Frederique and Albert. I really don't much care for the overly complicated/business of modern diving and it's practitioners and their continuous rants about modern doodads,compluters neon glow in the dark tanks, 22 qualification badges and on and on again! Today there are more than ever diving accidents by the thousands by so called 'certified' divers etc. and supposedly 'safer' gear so learn to dive within your limits , know your gear and the hell with the self appointed regulators of the practice! I do not recognize their authority nor their organizations and will continue to enjoy my vintage diving passion along with the restorations I complete. Michel. Attachments:
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Post by diverdon on Apr 15, 2014 16:46:53 GMT -8
Nice display Michel! Got the family together for a little Christmas celebration Seriously though, nice collection! Don
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