WaterLung

[Dennis]

"WaterLung Regulator Model X2-1200 - Family of X-Cellance! A Division of Pittman Rubber Co."

I have a new-in-the-box ebay-purchased WaterLung single hose regulator. Can anyone tell me the approximate age of this beauty? Offhand I would guess late 70's, maybe early 80's. When did WaterLung disappear?
It's a cheapie with a plastic 2nd stage case, but it breathes great. I've had it down to 120-feet and it surprised me with the ease of inhalation and volume of air delivery. It has a standard down-stream tilt lever 2nd, and I would guess a balanced flow-through piston 1st stage. What else do you need?

[Dennis]

Sam Lecocq was the founder and chief engineer of Sportsways. Sportsways was the first in so many product innovations and Sam Lecocq was the innovator. In 1958 Sportsways was the first manufacturer to introduce the single hose regulator to American divers. In 1959 they introduced the “Sea-Vue “ submersible pressure gauge. They offered the first octopus rig offered in the United States in 1971. The W-600, introduced in 1977, was the last Sportsways-Waterlung regulator that the "original" group built. After the death of the company’s principle investor in the late 1970’s, Sam purchased all the inventory and continued to produce the products for several years until most of the parts were consumed. Not wanting to become a manufacturer, he sold the name and all the assets to Australian investors. They continued to produce the Sportsways line in Australia for an additional 14 years before the brand faded into the sunset and was no more.

[Dennis]

It was an oversight on my part to fail to properly credit the source of information for the previous post on the history of the Sportsways diving company. This information was provided to me in an e-mail from a gentleman who has made posts on this board using the initials "SDM". Thank you, SDM.

[SDM]

Dennis,

You are a gentleman of the first order. I appreciate your acknowledgement.

I will now identify your regulator in question.

The X2-1200 was the last of two regulators produced by Sportsways as a US company in 1984. The company's tooling, name etc was sold to an Australian company who continued to prodce the Sportsways line for a number of years

The remaining stock of Sportsways parts and supplies was sold to Sam Lecocq who by that time had a series of SoCal dive shops. In his Seal Beach (south of Long Beach) shop he continued to assemble the regulators and associated componets. He developed a market for them through the Seal Beach shop and the other shops he owned in addition to selected former Sportsways shops throughout the US and the world.

When the supplies were depleted Sam Lecocq sold his shops and left the retail diving industry to produce a hull scrubber for a commerical application.

The catalog description for the X2 #1200 is as follows:

"Waterlung does it again 20% more air than the industry standard. This fully balanced "proven design" first stage joins with Waterlung #932 second stage to provide the descriminaing diver with a reliable, easy breathing regulator.

The X2 features two high pressure ports and five low pressure ports. Covered by the Water Lung life time warranty.

Details of the 932 are on page3

+see inside back cover for full warranty

(bottom of page)
Introduced in the summer of 82.... the X2 has already been accepted by teh diving industry"

This is the sum total of the catalog description, save for two pictures on the same page.

The X 3 #1300 is a less expensive first stage joined to the 932 second stage.

I cannot verify it at this time but I believe that T.D. Preece of NSW in Australia purchased the Sportsways tooling and name.

It is interesting to note that "Bunns Diving Equipment" of Hong Kong was one of the largest Sportsways dealers, serving most of the far east. (for information on Bunns see my post on the Bunns regulator of about two months ago.

SDM

[Dennis]

Thanks for the info, SDM.

I went diving again with the X2-1200 just a few weeks ago. Every time I try it, it surprises me all over again at how well it breathes.

[dogfix]

Since we are on the subject of Sportsways...

I have a pair of Sportsways regulators, second stages only. Both are:

Waterlung
Sport-Diver
by Sportsways, Inc
Paraount, Calif.

All metal bodies.

Can you tell me anything about these?

[SDM]

First single hose regulator produced by Sportsways.
Introduced in 1958 as I recall.

It continued in production for a number of years as the economy model of the company.

Considered rather common because of long production run and number of units produced.

send me a picture so I may better ID it,

SDM,

30

[dogfix]

Here you will find a photo.


public.fotki.com/dogfix/dive/sportsways.html

Thanks!

[SDM]

Your Sportsways "Sport Diver" was produced prior to the introduction of the "Sport Diver 11" in 1968.

Your unit has a reasonably low serial number, which certainly isn't indictative of age or date of manufacture, but it would be safe to assume that it was produced and marketed after the originial Sport Diver of 1958-9, but prior to the introduction of the Sport Diver 11, in 1968.

The original Sport diver may be identified by it straight translucent exhaust T and red HP hoses.

Your unit probably could be identified as Sport Diver 1, but for some unknown reason wasn't.

The Sport Diver 11 was an entirely new regulator with cosmetic as well as performance changes and shows little resemblance to his origin.

Does this answer your question???

SDM

30

[dogfix]

The exhaust T on the regulator in the picture is actuall black rubber, curved, about 4 1/2" long with the word "Waterlung" in raised letter on the front. I just noticed a metal tag on the hose that is printed with: "Tested 1961 by Sportsways, Inc." That should help narrow down the time period!

Now if I can only figure out what to do with the strap, with the snap at on end and buckle at the other end, that is between the mouthpiece and the reg body.

[Bryan]

The strap goes around your neck. A simple type of retainer in case you drop it out of your mouth for whatever reason? Found on lots of single hose regulators.....Not real effective in my opinion!

[Ron Stem]

Sportsways/Waterlung ceased operation in
1986 or so. The last principal owners were
Richard and Evelyn Porter. From Mr. Porter's
reply to me in '86. They 'cobbed together'
a '84 catalogue for me to show what they
were offering in '86.

[Deleted]

I checked my 'Sport Diver' before coming to the
computer lab.

Both hoses are dated for '63.

The S/N on the 2nd stage plate is S-11737.

I checked my B Model earlier today also.
The hose tag IS NOT correct for this unit.
It's 2nd stage plate S/N is WL-001515, which
is 115 units newer than the unit prominently
shown in the Sportsways ad in the June '60
issue of SDM. Therefore, I can only conclude
that thus unit was assembled in the summer
of 1960...NOT the correct hose. In fact, the
threads for the 1st and 2nd stages were
most likely retapped for the newer hose to
be fitted to these components.

This is a call for the vintage diving community
to forward their S/N's and hose data to me
in order that I could make some sense out
of the production history for Sportways...and
please include the model designation.

When I get enough data, I'll publish it here
to share with everyone.

[dogfix]

Here are the serial numbers for my two Waterlung Sport-Divers:

S - 02640 (second stage)
S - 04059 (octopus)

Both hoses have identical tags. Both dated 1961.

What can I expect, performance wise, from these?

[Ron Stem]

Dennis,

The X-2 model regulator was from the 1980s.

Ron Stem
Tampa, FL