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Post by Mike Nelson on Oct 25, 2005 6:34:27 GMT -8
Hi...I'm just looking for input on the new Aqualung Mistral....Also, has anyone purchased the collectors edition?....Thanks..
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Post by Billy on Oct 25, 2005 8:42:13 GMT -8
nEW aQUALUNG mISTRAL? Does somebody want to get a rope?
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Post by Mike Nelson on Oct 25, 2005 8:43:13 GMT -8
Not too enthused eh?
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Post by Ron Hearn on Oct 25, 2005 9:00:54 GMT -8
Hi
I have one I just had to get one to add to my collection of double hose stuff. They breath well and look great, but the retail price just sucks. I beleave they sell for some crazy like $800 US. I picked my model up on Ebay for $465.
Ron
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Post by nemrod on Oct 25, 2005 9:58:35 GMT -8
"Mike Nelson", there have been several threads on the new Mistral on this site I think, scubaboard Sea Hunt Era and on Vintage double Hose.
My limited use of one in a pool was dissappointing, the hoses are to large and to buoyant, the regulator does not breath very easy either, not nearly as well as an original Royal AquaMaster. If you want to dive double hose don't waste your time with a new Mistral, get the real thing. It will not nessarily be cheaper, excellent condition Royal AquaMasters run as much as 500 dollars and a rebuild wih new hoeses and bits anywhere from 80 to 200 dollars. The original Mistral is also a fine unit and easily performs as well as the new Mistral. The DA AquaMaster can often be picked up--nice ones for around 200 but still in need of some reworking. I just happen to have a nice DA and banjo and SPG and LP hookah adapter etc for sale as a group--not cheap---because it is a goer out of the box.
Also, welcome to vintage diving, hang out and keep us posted on your progress, don't bother with that half hearted parts box attempt at a double hose.
James
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Post by Mike Nelson on Oct 25, 2005 11:28:34 GMT -8
James....Thanks for the reply...I've got 3 vintage regs, a Mistral, a Royal Aqua Master and a DA Aqua Master all in pretty good shape, although never serviced. I chose Mike Nelson for the obvious...and I plan on being a regulator..I mean a regular around here......Thanks...Keith
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Post by nemrod on Oct 25, 2005 23:59:36 GMT -8
Keith, aka, Mike Nelson, lol, again welcome, glad to have you around. Sounds like your a serious vintage diver and we need more of those around. And your in luck, both Dan and Bryan have all the parts you need and if you don't want to service them yourself then they can help you there to. There are a bunch of real old time divers here and very knowledgeable people to bounce ideas off of and also a few wacky sorts who are great fun to get to know.
I suppose if you found a good price on the new Mistral it might be a great curiosity piece and a useful item but we Royal divers might turn our noses up at it so you will have to take that in good jest.
James
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Post by billy on Oct 26, 2005 8:20:05 GMT -8
Look at that photo.......didn't realize Mike Nelson had such a big nose........kinda like old Cousteau's except it ain't squished into the glass......  |
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Post by Mike Nelson on Oct 26, 2005 8:32:31 GMT -8
It will change, as soon as I can find one I'm happy with.....Thanks for enlightening me Billy.....
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Post by Billy on Oct 26, 2005 8:54:33 GMT -8
Why? It's a good clear photo of Loyd Bridges....don't change it..........makes me wonder if this is why they invented these silly masks with the nose pockets.....so no one can see the beauty of ones schnozz..........ahmmm I degress.......welcome aboard Keith............
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Post by Ron Hearn on Oct 26, 2005 10:13:46 GMT -8
What determines if a regulator is a good breather, the Poseidon's I've teck dived with for years suck at the surface but increase in performance the deeper you go, does this make it a bad breather not not at all. I guess some divers are just more sensitive to the intake than others. I can breath little at depth due to my comfort zone and I find my new Mistral is just fine and as usual, there will always be comparisons to judge it by.
Ron
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Post by SeaRat on Oct 26, 2005 13:43:52 GMT -8
I'm going to weigh in on this too.
First, I have only breathed through the new Mistral at the LDS, but it showed very good characteristics. It's venturi is better than the Royal Aquamaster, as it will continue until backpressure stops it (same as my Trieste II and Sportsways Hydro-Twin, but the Royal Aquamaster will not do this).
Second, the new Mistral has a re-designed, more efficient air flow in the mouthpiece. This should increase its performance at depth too.
Third, the new Mistral has more volume in the LP hose, and therefore the second stage will have a larger "reservoir" of air to draw from during high demand. There will be less noticable pressure drop in the intermediate stage because of this.
Fourth, and most intriguing, is the potential for front-mounting the second stage of the new Mistral. This would completely eliminate the water pressure differential between the regulator's second stage position (usually on the tank for a double hose) and the center of the diver's lungs. So if you look at overall breathing resistance, a chest-mounted regulator would out-perform a similar regulator that was back-mounted. Single hose regulators, when the diver is in the horizontal position, have a similar advantage, but it changes dramatically if the diver goes vertical and looks up.
John
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Post by william bonney on Oct 26, 2005 14:04:58 GMT -8
Searat is correct, a chest mounted reg will out preform any back mounted unit and any hubcap hanging off the mouth......simply put, the chest mounted unit will be in deeper water than the lungs.......I was over breathing the USD gulf I was using in the flowergardens last year after chasing after a good size turtle for photos and had to stand on my head, putting the 2nd stage into deeper water than my lungs to get the air I was gasping for... puzzled my son until he figured it out later why I was pointing my fins at the surface.....
The new mistral has a lot of modern advantages to it, among other things, the mouth piece as again SeaRat noted.
Still, it departs from the norm of what a double hose ought to look like.........and from what others say, it ain't that great a breather and the hoses are too big and clumsy........
I think the time is coming soon for a modern 21st century double hose that will have all the advantages of modern design and the advantages of what a double hose has always promised and delivered. Just have to wait and see.........................
"hello bob, it's me, billy!"
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Post by duckbill on Oct 26, 2005 23:39:34 GMT -8
Does the modern Mistral with those elephant trunk hoses have any type of a purge feature? The only reason I ask is because I'm wondering how much more sea water would need to be drunk in the event of a flooded regulator with those big hoses and all.  |
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Post by billy on Oct 27, 2005 5:47:39 GMT -8
Gag, choke, hey duckbill! You're on to something, bet old Bob Croft with his four liter lungs could clear them hoses with ease...........anyone remember Bob Croft?
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