YankDownUnder
Pro Diver
Broxton 'green label' Aqua Lung and 1954 USD Rene triple 44s.
Posts: 162
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Post by YankDownUnder on Mar 16, 2005 19:24:11 GMT -8
Greetings from Australia.
I went into Ocean Divers, a dive shop in Melbourne and asked about the Mistral II. A quick phone call and I was told I'll have it in a week. I am first and foremost a double hose diver, vintage or otherwise. My first dive was with a British Sea Lion in 1961. That same year I bought a Heinke MkIII and shunned the single hose regulators as long as I could. I think Mike Nelson had a lot to do with it.
In Australia double hose regulators were called twin hose demand valves. They were rare, as three years before Aqua Lung began American production, the Australian's were making the Porpoise single hose (circa 1951). In 1954, another Australian company, AirDive, began making the SeaBee single hose regulator. AirDive is still making a more modern version, for commercial use.
Siebe Gorman hookah double hose were used on the Australian east coast, as a chest mounted demand valve with a reduction valve on an inverted tank behind the diver. The Aussies had a great way of diving. They inverted twin tanks and decanted when one tank got low. They always had as much air left as they had just used. The demand valve had very long hoses to allow for this. Pressure gauges were rare and really not needed. There was no chance of running out of air by failing to check your gauge. (That cost the life of a lady doctor in Fish Lake, Utah recently)
The SeaBee had a pin gauge which was a pin sliding up a sectioned bar. You could just feel the gauge, no need to look. It allowed the use of single tanks, but they were still used inverted for a long time.
I have been diving my Nemrod Snark III and Aqua Master since returning to my mispent youth in Australia. The Sea Lion, Heinke and Siebe Gorman will be coming out of the dive locker soon. However, I am glad to see Aqua Lung make a double hose again. It may be ugly, but I'm not much to look at these days anyway.
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YankDownUnder
Pro Diver
Broxton 'green label' Aqua Lung and 1954 USD Rene triple 44s.
Posts: 162
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Post by YankDownUnder on Mar 21, 2005 19:57:03 GMT -8
I have a new Mistral. There are two models, the standard and the commemerative. They are available in DIN or International Yoke and are EAN40 compatible. They are not a replica of a vintage regulator or a reprise production. They are called a 'Mistral' and not a Mistral II, as many of us thought. The 'II' does not appear in the manual, on the regulator, on the mouth piece or on the carry case. It is very much a modern regulator and perhaps does not belong on this site. However, with Dan's indulgence, and as so many have written about it, I'll add my two cents worth.
It comes in a great case. It is black and brightly labeled. If these had been made for original double hose regulators, more would have survived in good condition.
The reduction valve has a 7 digit serial number, so it's nothing new. It has a second stage demand valve, which is attached to the first stage and swings or swivels. They are joined by a LP hose. Two LP hoses are provided. The short LP hose is for normal use and the second and longer, for use on Y valves where the short hose might interfere with other regulators. The reduction valve has one HP and 5 LP ports, one of which is already in use.
The demand valve is black plastic and held together with four large hex bolts. It is very sturdy. Breathing appears to be just fine.
The hoses are not like any vintage regulator I have ever seen. I have 4 modern rebreathers and the new Mistral hoses are much the same...massive. The mouth piece cannot be turned off like a rebreather DSV, but it is constructed the same way. The hoses are held on by very large zip ties, but the mouth piece can be unscrewed just as with any modern rebreather, for washing. There are gas flow arrows to assist in proper reassembly and the position of the removeable mouth piece is adjustable.
I have always loved the original USD Mistral. It was simple and had a beauty with which I was accustomed. The beauty in the new Mistral is in it's fuction. I am first and foremost a double hose diver. I have often wished I could dive a double hose regulator and have the advantages of modern regulators. This is it. I would have liked it to look like a vintage regulator, but that would be a fraud.. I suppose.
My first regulator was a Heinke MkIII and I would not give it up for anything. I will continue to dive my vintage collection on vintage dives and use this Mistral to replace the single hose regulator that I also use.
Steve
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Post by JES on Mar 22, 2005 13:23:27 GMT -8
YankDownUnder, Thanks for the info on your new Mistral. I enjoyed reading the detailed description of your reg and the history on some of the older single hose Australian regulators. Enjoy your new double hose regulator and stay in touch. Regards, JES
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YankDownUnder
Pro Diver
Broxton 'green label' Aqua Lung and 1954 USD Rene triple 44s.
Posts: 162
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Post by YankDownUnder on Apr 1, 2005 0:38:27 GMT -8
Errata Sheet:
1. The Mistral has 4 LP ports, with one already in use, not 5, as I wrote earlier. The first stage appears to be a modified Titan reduction valve, CE stamped and EAN40 ready.
2. The longer hose is intended to prevent freeze up in extremely low temperatures, as well as assist, when using unusual tank valves, where the shorter hose does not work.
My first dive with the Mistral:
My son and I went to the Flinders Pier at the entrance to Western Port Bay. It is about 1 mile from the Bass Strait which divides Tasmania from mainland Australia. (Great White country, but that's another story.) The water was only 25 feet deep, cool and clear. There were small fish, big rays and leafy sea dragons (over sized sea horses) everywhere. My son is 18 and was visiting from school in New Zealand. He dived my late model Royal Aqua Master, with new a banjo fitting for his gauge attachment and a 1961 J-valve steel 72, on a USD pack back. (He usually uses his own Nemrod Snark III, but the pressure gauge was leaking.)
I dived the new Mistral using, all modern stuff; Black Diamond BCD, SUUNTO transmitter computer and the usual unashamed goodies.
Exhalation effort is non-existant. Its' like exhaling into a back mounted rebreather. It is just sooooo easy. Inhalation effort is like a good Royal Aqua Master, but with less noise. The hoses were not comfortable, because they had not been adjusted correctly on the surface. I turned the hose on each side and it was perfect, in a minute of adjustment..... underwater!
My vintage dives will be with my various vintage regulators, my rebreather dives will be when needed and all other open circuit dives will be with my new friend, the new Aqua Lung Mistral.
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Post by John Lundy on Apr 12, 2005 15:34:28 GMT -8
Hi YankDownUnder, I just picked up my new Mistral today at the LDS. As soon as I got home I hooked to my twin 50s. The hose connecting the two stages makes it a bit difficult to use with doubles - it won't fit straight. The longer hose might take care of that problem. It breathes very nicely and I can't wait to see how it is underwater. Hopefully later this week. The HP port is larger than the male connector on my SPG, so I have to get an adapter. We are planning a dive trip to Hawaii, and it will be nice to be able to use a double hose regulator. I still love my Royal Aqua Master though, and will never part with it. They got five Mistrals in at the LDS today. Three were spoken for - me and two of the staff at the store. So there are two up for grabs.
John
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YankDownUnder
Pro Diver
Broxton 'green label' Aqua Lung and 1954 USD Rene triple 44s.
Posts: 162
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Post by YankDownUnder on Apr 12, 2005 16:43:20 GMT -8
John,
Things to be aware of with the Mistral.
I took a dry suit class and in the pool the instructor asked me to take off the rig and sit on it. It was weight integrated. The rig went down, I went up and I was inhaling. The distace between my lungs and the demand valve was about a meter and I was rammed with air. Stupid me for listening to the instructor and not thinking for myself. Keep you BCD on!
Moral of the story....dive masters and instructors know nothing of double hose, old or new. If they don't understand it, it will hurt their pride.(.....there be demons beyond the edges of the deep) Most of my regulators are older than they are, and so are some of my shoes.
I use a Vytek by SUUNTO and there is room for the transmitter on the Mistral, so I didn't notice a gauge problem. That and a dual inflator/octypus cuts down on hoses.
The manual suggests that the Mistral diver should add an octypus and not rely on a dual BCD octypus/inflator as other divers won't know how to buddy breathe with a double hose and may not think of the BCD inflator. I think it would be cheaper to show your buddy the dual inflator, if you have one.
There will be a commemerative limited edition Mistral for those with lots of spare cash.
I bought the Mistral with the International Yoke as I had a DIN conversion with my Aqua Lung Legend. They are not interchangable, so if you want to use DIN, get a DIN and add a generic yoke adapter, it won't work the other way.
The Mistral is the answer to the dive boat operators, but I still dive vintage whenever I can.
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Post by John Lundy on Apr 12, 2005 17:39:45 GMT -8
YankDownUnder, I have a Sherwood Shadow Plus inflator/Octo combo that I really like. I think if your buddy knows where it is and how it works, it should be fine. I've never used a dry suit and since I don't dive in really cold water (as I get older, creature comforts take on more import), my wetsuit is just fine. As has been mentioned before on this thread, the new double hose may force the certifying agencies to include something about them in the training so tour outfits might allow even some vintage rigs in the future. One can hope anyway.
John
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Post by SeaRat on Apr 12, 2005 21:10:32 GMT -8
Yankdownunder, and others using the new Mistral,
There are a couple of ways of handling the situation you mentioned whereby the instructor asked you to take the unit off, and sit on it.
--The first, if you have an octopus on the Mistral, take the double hose mouthpiece out of your mouth, and hold it down with one hand while you grab the octopus. Establish your breathing, then slide out of the rig (either over your head or to one side), put it on the pool bottom with the mouthpiece under the valve, and sit on it breathing from your octopus.
--If you have a long hose on the reg, and separate the second stage from the first stage, use it as a chest-mount system (with a different harness system than the tank/BC). It's on a longer hose, and it could be long enough to sit on the system. It is only when the first and second stage are together and it is being used in the traditional way that you have the problem described above.
I am quite impressed if the hoses stretch to a meter out from the regulator. If that is so, then it can be mounted quite low on the back for very, very good breathing characteristics.
John
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Post by sea.explorer on Apr 13, 2005 9:20:02 GMT -8
Here is a photo of the Mistral side by side with a Royal AM. -Ryan
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Post by John Lundy on Apr 13, 2005 18:37:53 GMT -8
Ryan, Even though I have a new Mistral I still prefer the looks of my Royal Aqua Master.
John
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Post by SeahuntJerry on Apr 15, 2005 16:48:56 GMT -8
Hi ,after waiting four weeks my New Mistral arrived . Glad to have it,Frans Carlson saw it for real also!!!! Jerry
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Post by VintageDiverMN on Apr 16, 2005 6:15:15 GMT -8
Yes, I saw #2's new Mistral, I wasn't impressed, it looked like a single hose with rebreather hoses clamped on it. I wanted to take it apart to see how it works, but #2 wouldn't let me, he was afraid I would scrach it with my vice-grips. I guess I will just stick with my old dependable vintage Mistral. I think we should have a barbecue at Wazee and invite the Kemps Cow for lunch.
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Post by wornout chuck on Apr 16, 2005 8:33:45 GMT -8
So thats the new mistral 2. Some things, like a royal aquamaster, and a 1963 chevrolet, you just CANT improve on. They did it right the first time. Anything else is a mechanism of futility.
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Post by Ed66 on Apr 29, 2005 18:47:02 GMT -8
Does anyone know were I can get one for a good price??? I know diveinn is around $700 after shipping but maybe someone has another source. Thanks Ed
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Post by 1969ivan1 on May 15, 2005 20:35:16 GMT -8
So besides the one or two, has anyone else bought one of these new mistrals? ? What is the feeling? Are they worth it or just a lame fad? Let us hear from all u others out there that bought this 600 dollar reg from USD.........I want to buy one but need to hear from u guys to get me to take the plunge......
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