Diving Technology: Then, Now and in the Future

[ajduplessis]

No. You don't. If you are technical diving you are engaged in an inherently dangerous activity, just like mountain climbing, skydiving or motorcycle racing. There's a good reason why life insurers don't like to cover these activities.

If you think you really are in your element down there, then just show me a video of you breathing underwater without any gear. We use tanks full of air and rebreathers precisely because we ARE out of our element underwater.

So is eating, you can choke and die; crossing the street can lead to danger/injury/death. That does not make walking or eating a dangerous activity. Everything in life has risk associated with it, but like I say "Nothing if foolproof/safe for the truly talented fool!!!" Human error an a lack of planning, like everything else in life can turn it into dangerous activity.

My insurer have no problem with cave diving or 300ft + dives with no increase in installment or special clauses.

If any form of diving is such a dangerous activity (you rightly acknowledged that we can't breath water,) then you are a fool to participate in such dangerous activity. Like I said previously, get the experience, knowledge and training because it's clearly lacking.

Most technical fatalities result because of human error, health issues and poor planning.

PS: Please don't dive, you can't breath water and its an extremely dangerous sport.

 

[DCBC]

I am surprised. Are you sure you used them correctly?!?

In 1965 the fins that were available were "swim fins;" flexible low volume fins designed for swimmers. I did however acquire a pair of Jet Fins when they were first produced in 1970.

---------- Post added July 31st, 2013 at 09:02 AM ----------

"... SPGs were not yet available.."

SPGs (Submersible Pressure Gauges) were introduced to the diving world and used by Commander Le Prieur in 1926- 87 years ago. Suggest that you master French and read his 1956 book "Premier de Plongee." (First to Dive)

The American SPG appeared in 1954 produced by a long defunct company called Mar Mac, According to my Kalifornia Kalculator that is 59 years ago. An SPG has been on the American market since that date and was produced by many companies through out the years, many whom are no longer with us.

Don't you enjoy the fuzzy faced divers who loudly proclaim they were diving before the invention of the SPG?

Thanks for your comments Sam. It does bring-up the point that something can be invented and produced, but just not be available to the diver. In my case, in 1965 (from my perspective) SPGs just didn't exist until a couple of years afterwards. I think I purchased my first SPG in 1968 (Healthways). No doubt being in the center of it all, you had product availability that us up here in the Great White North just didn't have.

It's interesting about technology and how people become "early users" or not. A person has to know that the technology exists, has to see the value in purchasing it and has to actually use it. With early diving equipment (in my case at least) the biggest influence was the latter. A Dive Buddy using a piece of kit and liking it. Suddenly, I want one as well...

---------- Post added July 31st, 2013 at 09:22 AM ----------

...My insurer have no problem with cave diving or 300ft + dives with no increase in installment or special clauses. If any form of diving is such a dangerous activity ..then you are a fool to participate in such dangerous activity. Like I said previously, get the experience, knowledge and training because it's clearly lacking.

I think the point is that Cave Diving and Deep-Air have an additional degree of risk to them. You can be trained to do both and by doing so the risk is mitigated to some extent.

As this is off-topic I won't expand upon this too much; other than to say that each Diver must assess risk themselves and dive within their own personal capabilities. No one should criticize another's assessment of risk; we are each entitled to make our own decisions.

I get it, you don't dive DA; which is your prerogative. I do and this is my prerogative. Let us dispense with judging each other's decisions.

 

[Sam Miller III]

Jet Fins:

SCUBA Pro catalog
1965- page 17
Part Number 7050
Jet Fins
Black
$17.50
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Voit Catalog
Diving fins
1965-no page number
2F75 Giant UDT Duck feet-black
1F75 Giant UDT Duck feet-black
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
US Divers (Aqua Lung) catalog
1965- page 13
Part Number 6033,6034,6035,6036
Aqua Lung Professional
Black
$13.95 to $14.95'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sportsways catalog
1965- No page number
Part Numbers 1565, 1566, 1567,1568
Orca Fins
Black
$14.95 to 15.95
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Every major US manufacture produced very stiff, full foot pocket & open heal fins in 1965.

The often imitated and never duplicated Duck Feet fins were designed and manufactured by Art Brown as Swimaster beginning in the late 1950s. He sold to PMP who sold the rights to Willard Voit. They were the standard of the industry for about 10 great years.

I suspect a lot of the manufactures did not service Canada at that time, or only the larger cities like Toronto and those on the west coast of Canada, therefore you would not have been exposed to their products. Believe me when I say the fins were being produced, sold and used in the US.

It is very important to recall and preserve history but do it correctly

<<<<You can tell me the history of Sorell boots and I will inform you about fins
Seems fair?? >>>>>>

SDM

 

[DCBC]

I suspect a lot of the manufactures did not service Canada at that time, or only the larger cities like Toronto and those on the west coast of Canada, therefore you would not have been exposed to their products. Believe me when I say the fins were being produced, sold and used in the US.

It is very important to recall and preserve history but do it correctly

Absolutely. I had a similar conversation recently about the quality of diver training programs. Although I'm not certified as an Instructor with L.A. County (which you know well), I've come to understand that they likely offer the most comprehensive diving program available. Regardless of how excellent it is, unless it's available to the customer it can't be purchased (although historically available).

I never doubt what you say Sam; I was merely mentioning that diving history may be perceived to be different as perspective changes. Geographic location, availability of training and other factors help create the reality we perceive. I don't have any doubt that my recollections of "the way things were" would be much different if I started my diving career in your area; the very heart of it all. Wishing you well.

Kind regards,

Wayne

 

[Flguy76]

Jet Fins:

SCUBA Pro catalog
1965- page 17
Part Number 7050
Jet Fins
Black
$17.50
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Voit Catalog
Diving fins
1965-no page number
2F75 Giant UDT Duck feet-black
1F75 Giant UDT Duck feet-black
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
US Divers (Aqua Lung) catalog
1965- page 13
Part Number 6033,6034,6035,6036
Aqua Lung Professional
Black
$13.95 to $14.95'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sportsways catalog
1965- No page number
Part Numbers 1565, 1566, 1567,1568
Orca Fins
Black
$14.95 to 15.95
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Every major US manufacture produced very stiff, full foot pocket & open heal fins in 1965.

The often imitated and never duplicated Duck Feet fins were designed and manufactured by Art Brown as Swimaster beginning in the late 1950s. He sold to PMP who sold the rights to Willard Voit. They were the standard of the industry for about 10 great years.

I suspect a lot of the manufactures did not service Canada at that time, or only the larger cities like Toronto and those on the west coast of Canada, therefore you would not have been exposed to their products. Believe me when I say the fins were being produced, sold and used in the US.

It is very important to recall and preserve history but do it correctly

<<<<You can tell me the history of Sorell boots and I will inform you about fins
Seems fair?? >>>>>>

SDM

They are still being made, or are being remanufactured I should say. slightly different rubber compound from what I understand with no loss in thrust. I actually really like them, just takes a little time to acclimate the ankles to them.