Anyone in the Southeast dive vintage gear?

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Rxtuner(fc3s)

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Hi,

Just wanted to sort of say hello and introduce myself. I am new to Scuba and have gotten my certification. I have roughly 10 dives under my belt including my open water dives. But my first "ocean" dives were in Curacao.

I live in the upstate of South Carolina and just wanted to ask folks of the vintage ways of gear if anyone wanted to meet up and dive w/ a newbie? I ask b/c I just bought a new Buddy Pacific ABLJ bcd from AP Valves and it's the style of bcd I want. I just don't want to go out with a whole pack and be the odd man out right off the bat. Figured some of you guys would be more welcoming to a "not so popular" bcd of choice these days. I've always been interested in double hose and would like to learn more but don't really wanna try it for a while.

Anywho. I haven't dove in a while but would like to meet up and take it easy and dive some if any of you meet up around here and dive. Thanks for looking.

-Allen G.
 
Hi Allen,

There are several of us in the Raleigh area and I have a buddy in Columbia that dives DH all the time. You are always welcome to come to Rolesville quarry and dive with us. I have plenty of spare DH regs to loan if you would like to try one.. I know it's a long drive but a couple of us plan to be at Rawling VA this coming weekend, camping and diving on Sat and Sun.
As for the HC BC, most vintage divers don't use a BC at all but there is no reason you can't. You will need a back plate to go with it.
 
When I use a BC for vintage diving, I use a horse collar.
 
Hi,

Anyone in the Southeast dive vintage gear?

-Allen G.

Yeah;
I'm in NW GA and pretty much all I dive is vintage, technique included.

we're probably a distance from eachother, but not too awful far... so given that... so, if you or anyone anyone else is interested... let me know.
 
I have a bit of vintage gear and dive it occasionally. I live East of Birminghan, Al. I even have a few old helmets. Anyone with similar interest give me a shout.

Ben D
 
Hi,

Just wanted to sort of say hello and introduce myself. I am new to Scuba and have gotten my certification. I have roughly 10 dives under my belt including my open water dives. But my first "ocean" dives were in Curacao.

I live in the upstate of South Carolina and just wanted to ask folks of the vintage ways of gear if anyone wanted to meet up and dive w/ a newbie? I ask b/c I just bought a new Buddy Pacific ABLJ bcd from AP Valves and it's the style of bcd I want. I just don't want to go out with a whole pack and be the odd man out right off the bat. Figured some of you guys would be more welcoming to a "not so popular" bcd of choice these days. I've always been interested in double hose and would like to learn more but don't really wanna try it for a while.

Anywho. I haven't dove in a while but would like to meet up and take it easy and dive some if any of you meet up around here and dive. Thanks for looking.

-Allen G.

Is the Buddy Pacific a horsecollar BC? I think I have heard of them. It is becoming a little bit difficult to find serviceable horsecollar BCs these days so if you find one that fits and is functional certainly grab it. Of the more recent horsecollar BCs the Sea Tec was probably the best or at least there are a number of us who use them and find them to be a very useful piece of equipment. Sea Tec is no longer being made (?) but enjoyed a long production run with various colors and slight design changes over the years. I have both of these, the horsecollar and the wing. Both have been excellent:

68239994_o.jpg


Another shot of the popular Sea Tec, this time in blue:

76320076_o.jpg


A black version of course is the coolest and especially if you sew a USD patch on the pocket:

P8060086.jpg


Some more:

72982140_o.jpg


Also, and could be wrong, the term BCD, Buoyancy Compensation Device is a Padification of the abbreviation BC for Buoyancy Compensator. Just saying BC or Buoyancy Compensator may be more vintage correct. No big dealio :wink:.

69801278_o.jpg


seatec.jpg


Good luck with your adventure.

N
 
I first met Harry on a desolate beach in Baja..we formed a friendship that lasted 50 years.
I was undercontract as a test diver/evalator to Sea Tec from its inception to when Harry sold the company, so I dove and evaluated almost every product they produced...and they were bullet proof and have stood the test of time.

I published the following tribute to Harry which was posted on SCUBA board, "Passings" on August 17,2009...Only one lonely comment was posted...may just be approprite to at this late date post additional tributes to this fine gentleman who produced such quality products which are still highly valued by the vintage community.

Harry Ruscigno-Seatec Founder

Harry Ruscigno (Dec 8,1933 to December 6,2008)

Harry Ruscigno (Ru sig ne-O) was the founder of Sea Tec/Inflatable systems,

He was a very active diver, a respected engineer who adapted his talents to the diving world over forty years ago.

Still a teen ager Harry was a founder and driving force in the pioneer diving club the San Jose Barbs in California. One of the oldest clubs in the world

After graduation from college he moved to San Diego area where he became active in competitive spear fishing competing in many local and regional spearfishing meets. He also served a term as president of the San Diego council of divers. During this time in San Diego he entered into the diving manufacturing business by producing small items for Bob Mitchell who had founded the original diving accessory company "Aqua Craft." Harry's first love was spearfishing so he also began producing custom made one of a kind Adict Spear guns.

A few years later he moved Orange California into a small building adjacent to Joe Lamonica (JBL) in where he established his company Sea Tec/Inflatable Systems. His very first product was the first American made large diameter oral inflator which revolutionized the design of primitive BCs. He then began developing a total inflation systems. He introduced the "dual bag inflation system" to the industry which became an industry standard and was adapted by most the major manufactures of that era.

Sea Tec's initial line was horse collars, later the BCs, & BIUs, were introduced. After much testing and experimentation he introduced the very popular rugged "Manta." Sea Tec moved to Corona enlarged their line to became a full line company marketing and producing fins masks, regulators and the very powerful and at that time the standard of the world the Sampson "World Record" spear gun

Harry eventually removed him self from the recreational diving manufacturing a number of years ago -- the recreational diving industry just would not support the type and quality inflation systems he wanted to produce, so he concentrated on the military and the law enforcement sector . Harry sold the SeaTec/Inflatable Systems several years ago but had been on a retainer as a consultant to the new owners of Sea Tec until his untimely death.

He served on the Board of directors of DEMA from 1978 to 1990 and was acclaimed as the first director Emeritus of DEMA.

I first met Harry on the beach in a deserted cove in Baja California, Mexican in the mid 1950s. I was shooting a highly modified extended Arablete, Harry was shooting a wood gun of his own design favored by the San Diego. Nether one of us won bragging rights that day but it did cemented a life long friendship.

We didn't come personally come in contact again until he established Sea Tec in Orange in the early 1970s.

We entered into a very interesting business/diving relationship. I would test dive and evaluate his prototype units and he would supply me with my choice of production units, which eventually was the never equaled Manta.

I recall so clearly one meeting when we were discussing a particular SeaTec model which I had made a number of suggestions for modifications. His response was that "The modifications were needed but it would not be accepted by the general public since there were a lot of people who dove but only abut 100 in the US who were divers."

I send my and my families' personal condolences, along with all of those past and present divers who have benefited so much from Harry's many contributions to his family; His wife Paula, his children Stephanie, Jeff, Valerie, Jack, Matt, Becky Toby and numerous grand and great grand children, too numerous to list and his many business associates and diving friends who also share in this great loss.


Dr. Samuel Miller,111

<<Nemie, some time in the future we should set down in the dark of the night over a cool one and we can tell many many stories about Harry and his great products sdm>>
 
Well, could happen, unlike you Sam, I never had the honor of meeting so many of these people (save for you! :)) but a cool one does sound good, lol. :)

I think Sea Tec was one of those companies that really did try to produce quality products that were functional and useful.

N
 
Nim,
In the beginning diving was a very very small community concentrated in SoCal...we all dove together, socialized and have remained friends all these good and great years. There has been a number who are in the big reef in the sky, but those of us who are still walking upright remain in contact and visit as often as possible

I forsee the vintage tribe will be the same, but even more so because of instant and continual contact via this and Bryan's VDH board...You and I the Captain,Luis and a few others go way back to the gensis and are a true band of brothers...

sdm
 
Thanks Sam for the post about Harry and as always for sharing your knowledge on Scuba history.
I am also honored by your comment.

Are you going to be able to make it to Portage? I hope so.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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