Where's Everybody From ?

[Terry]

Hopefully this post will generate some input from the rest of you out there. My name is Terry Stevens, and I'm from Benzonia, Michigan. I learned to dive back in the early 1960's so I have quite an interest in the equipment we used back then. I presently have a U.S. Divers AquaMaster DA, Nemrod Snark III, and a Voit Navy two hose regs that I very much enjoy using. I also have todays modern equipment; but ya just can't beat that good ole stuff that so many of us learned to dive on. I've gotten to know a number of vintage equipment enthusiasts, and hopefully I'll get to know more of you. So let's hear from the rest of you on this great message board and website that Dan has provided for us to enjoy. Safe Diving To You!

Terry

[Dale]

Hi Terry

I'm from northern California, learned to dive in early '70's. I'm very much into the modern gear, but hold a special place in my heart for the good old stuff. Slowly building my collection. I have a 1960 DA Aquamaster, old Dacor single hose, set of Dacor fins and mask I bought from Dan( they are just like the ones I learned in), old Scubapro horsecollar BC, Scubapro bendomatic computer. I'm always on the hunt for more!

Dale Swift

[Dennis in Tampa]

Hey, Terry.

I've been a diver since I was 18 in 1979 and live in Tampa. All the top of the line gear that I lusted after but couldn't afford at the time, is now called "vintage" and sold for a song. I love my Scubapro sonic MK-VII's with the heavy chrome, upgraded, balanced adjustables, Pilots, and AIR-1's. My chrome Conshelf -XII is an object of beauty. But, I grew up watching the Calypso divers and the double-hoses are ALWAYS what have grabbed my full attention. I have had my Voit 50-Fathom and DA Aqua-Master for 12 years, (purchased for $3.50 and $5.00, respectively) and have dove with them, but they are only recently restored. I just recently acquired a pristine Dacor Double Diaphragm R-4. The Dacor is so sexy that it is indecent. I think that Sam Davison (founder of Dacor) must have put some of his soul into this regulator, because it's still there. Dennis.

[Bruce Thomassen]

Hi Terry,
I just found this message board, I live near Puget Sound and I have an Aquamaster DA that I keep meaning to restore to diving status. I dove with a guy over the weekend who was diving his 2 stage reg and that has me interested in it again. The lack of a pressure gauge has me nervous though (and my Al80s aren't set up for a manifold or Y valve)

I learned to dive in Community College in 1988, but didn't dive for a couple years after that (even though I had a drysuit and computer) then I got re-certified when I was working on a NOAA ship and have been diving more or less regularly for the past 10 years or so...
I use a Viking drysuit, Scubapro Mk10/G250 reg, Jetfins (NOT the split ones!) and a Monitor 2+ dive computer (think Aladin Pro in a Monitor housing) that I download to a palm pilot with a homemade downloader.
Bruce

P.S. Have some Hungry Tummy Pizza, chased down with Cherry Hut Pie for me!

[Dan Di Stefano]

Hey Terry,

My name is Dan Di Stefano from Springfield Ma, and I am probely the youngest Vintage enthusiest out of all of you guys turning 21 this summer. I have been certified for the past three years, but have been cleaning our pool with my fathers equipment since i was little with his supervision and instruction of course. My father was certified in 1962 and was a pretty advid diver up until the last couple years here in New England. His equipment includes the Decor dart-1 regulator, steel 72 cu Dacor tank with j-valve, Dacor mask, black slipon fins and experience. He recently took a refresher coarse and now uses new equipment. My father has the complete collection of Jaques Coustue books and i grew up gazing at the pictures of two hose regulators and all the gear associated with them.Therefore I grew up idalizing this older style of diving along with Coustue. Enough chit chat, My collection of vintage equipment has been collected over the past two years and consistes of two regulators- The Aqua-Lung "Da" Aquamaster from about 1968-69 and a 1971-72 Royal aquamaster(which needs to be rechromed and rebuilt), Voit steel double 50's, and a set of scubaPro jets with oceanic spring straps. You older divers are big insperation to me thanks. Haven't dove with the double regs yet ,but hope to get them fixed-up by the end of the summer....can't wait!

[Danny D]

Oppss I made a typing mistake my Aqua-Lung "Da" Aquamaster is from 1958-59 and not 1968-69 sorry.

[dman]

Live in North NJ - been diving for 25 years. Member of
Historical Dive Society (HDS). Belong to "reenactment"
group - Northeast Diving Equipment Group - restore
and dive old scuba/hardhat gear. Have 3 double hose
regs - Dacor, New England Divers (Healthways),
Nemrod Snark III

[Frans Carlson]

A group of SCUBA divers from Minnesota and Wisconsin that collect and dive with vintage diving equipment, have formed a vintage dive club. The name of our club is the Inland Divers Vintage Dive Club. We dive with old two hose and single hose regulators from the 1950's and 1960's, and a vintage Miller-Dunn helmet. If anyone is interested in our club please call the club president, Frans Carlson at 763-536-8327, or email me at [e-mail].

[Scott]

Hey, Terry..

I'm from Erie, Pennsylvania and have been blowing bubbles since 1980. Got hooked on vintage equipment from the get-go, thanks to Dan Carey, an old gent from Conneaut, OH who I was fortunate enough to befriend in his twilight years. Old Dan was mossback diver from the 1950s and '60s and still had his original gear along with a collection of Skin Diver Magazines from 1957 - 1970. Those were simply a blast to read (and still are). That was twenty years ago and I've been hooked on the vintage gear ever since. In my "straight" diving life (for want of a better term), I'm a Great Lakes wreck diver with a fondness for Scubapro and Halcyon gear. My kind of diving involves a pile of gear and mucho task loading. On the other side of the coin, diving the vintage gear is like, I dunno, going sport diving for a change. Its a nice alternative to dry suits, stage bottles, and twin 95s. Today I own approximately 24 restored and working two-hose regs of different mfr's, along with a collection of other classic diving gear that I keep in serviceable condition for each summer's vintage dives on the shallow wrecks off Erie. Hoping to see a rally/dive for the vintage scuba aficionados sometime in the future where everybody can meet, swap stories, and dive our antiques! I'd be happy to help out in putting one together. Dive safe - make sure your reserve rod is up, and check to see that your safety vest's Co2 cartridge is good!

[Captain]

I live in the New Orleans, La. area. It has been a hot bed of diving and spearfishing since the early 50's because of the oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico.

I began diving as a teenager in the mid 50's with a Voit regulator and tank. I still use the tank. It has an original date of 4/57.

I have a U.S. Divers DA Aqua Master in usable condition and several other peices of 50's and 60's equipment.

I sold the Voit regulator to a co-worker years ago and I am trying to track him down and buy it back if he still has it.

Until I found this site I didn't know there was interest in diving with the old gear.

Tom

[frank]

Northern California, Humboldt County. I learned to scuba dive in 1964 in Southern California with a set of double 72's and a very used DA Aqua Master. A few years ago I decided to put together a set like the one I had when I was a kid. With the help of e-bay I found everything and had it rebuilt. It is just as much fun now as it was 40 years ago. I take my vintage gear along with the modern stuff when I go on boat dives these days. I've found that the Peace boat out of Ventura is especially cool about it, they don't freak out when they see you preparing to jump overboard without a BC and pressure gage.

[Deleted]

Hi Terry, I live in Melbourne Australia and learnt to dive in 1978. When I went to the dive shop I wanting to buy a twin hose reg, imagine my disappointment when I had to buy one of those single hose jobs. Having cut my teeth on Sea Hunt the passion never waned. I am now the proud owner of three twin hose regs, two US Divers and a Healthways. I am putting together a vintage rig and hope to foster interest in setting up a vintage dive group. Having to bid on ebay for two of my regs, the Aussie Dollar only buys 65 U.S. cents however it is money well spent.

Warren JACKMAN

[Randy]

Hello! My name is Randy Gray and I live in the country near Tyler, Texas. I learned to dive and continued to dive in high school with a Voit Navy Two Stage reg from about 1960 to 1963. The short side of the story: my equipment wore out about that time and I have only recently begun diving again, but not with the two hose reg. It has survived in parts and will be restored as parts become available, such as the green hoses and mouthpieces from Stuart. I now own a couple of what are considered vintage single hose rigs (not to me) and a new single hose setup, but I remember using the two hose reg and I like it much better. I am glad Danhas set up this board, I had no idea there was so much interest in vintage gear, from son many vintage folks!

Randy

[ScoobieDoo]

Oneida, NY. I became OW certified 16 mos ago and just recently Enriched Air certified. I have always been 'allured' by the dbl hose regs since a child playing with GI Joe diving outfits, and pics of Navy SEALS.

I dive OMS gear, Apek's regs (have owned Halcyon gear) but want a Aqua Master soon.

I dive Lake Ontario area and am a former EMT, current Cardiac Tech and RN student full time.