Basic gear from the mid-twentieth-century Federal Republic of Germany

[David Wilson]

Here, as promised, is a review of the Barakuda range of snorkel-masks. Between 1955 and 1981, the firm not only manufactured nine different models, but also imported several others from France and Italy. No fewer than seven Barakuda snorkel-masks appeared in the 1973 catalogue:

By way of contrast, the 1981 Barakuda catalogues only featured two such models. We'll focus today on the three snorkel-masks making their début above in 1973: Snorky, Spezia and Vulcano.

Snorky snorkel-mask

German: "SNORKY, orange. Schnorchelmaske für Kinder. Mit Kunststoffscheibe, ohne Sprengrahmen. Best.-Nr 1 817 00. DM 6.95."
Rough translation: "SNORKY. Orange. Children’s snorkel-mask. Comes with plastic lens. Snap-on rim not fitted. Order No. 1 817 00. DM 6.95."

Use of the colour orange for underwater swimming equipment spread in Europe during the 1970s as public health and safety bodies recognised the importance of snorkellers' visibility to other water users. The German Snorkel Standard DIN 7878 of 1980 required breathing tubes to be topped with a fluorescent band to alert others to the presence of snorkellers. Mindful that the intended user was a child, the oval plastic lens was both a safety feature and a cheaper alternative to tempered glass. As for the valve fitted to the upper end of the single side-mounted snorkel, it appears to be the same lever/hinged device topping the 303/803 snorkel between 1962 and 1967:

Luigi Ferraro's original "gamma-valve" snorkel-mask design was US-patented in 1957:

The Snorky survived until 1981, when two versions of this snorkel-mask were offered, one fitted with a snap-on rim and one without:

 

[David Wilson]

Second Barakuda snorkel-mask of the day is the Spezia.

German: "SPEZIA, orange. Schnorchelmaske für Erwachsene. Mit Kunststoffscheibe, ohne Sprengrahmen. Best.-Nr 1 818 00. DM 6.95."
Rough translation: "SPEZIA, orange. Snorkel-mask for adults. Plastic lens, No snap-on rim. Order No. 1 818 00. DM 6.95."

So the Spezia seems to be the adult counterpart of the children's Snorky. Both are fitted with a single snorkel topped with a lever valve. Neither has a snap-on rim around the lens. Where the two models differ is in size and lens shape: oval for the Snorky, rectangular for the Spezia. Like the Snorky, the Spezia last appeared in the 1981 Barakuda catalogue:

 

[David Wilson]

Third and last Barakuda snorkel-mask today is the Vulcano.

German: "VULCANO, grün, blau. Universalmaske für Kinder und Jugendliche aus erstklassiger Kautschuk-Mischung, mit Kunststoffscheibe. Best.-Nr. 1 806 00."
Rough translation: "VULCANO. Green, blue. Universal mask for children and young people. First-class rubber compound. Plastic lens. Order No. 1 806 00."

So a model designed for youngsters, from children to adolescents. As for the colours available, green was a commoner option during the 1950s, while blue is a classic hue for snorkel-masks such as Cressi's. The Italian manufacturer chose light blue for its Medusa and Ostrica snorkel-masks because of its camouflage effect in the water. The Vulcano caption stresses the quality of the snorkel-mask's rubber skirt, while retaining plastic as the lens material. The valve atop the side-mounted snorkel appears to be of the ball-in-a-cage variety, as fitted to the Barakuda 304 and 306 J-shaped snorkels:

In a few days' time, we'll take a closer look at several more models in the Barakuda snorkel-mask range.

 

[David Wilson]

On to a few more Barakuda snorkel-masks. We'll begin with the "Junior" model, which appears on the 1973 catalogue snorkel-mask page above. The model made its début in 1961.

German: "„JUNIOR“. Kinderschnorcheltauchmaske für Nasenatmung. Maskenkörper aus Kunststoff mit seitlichem Schnorchelstutzen. Gut funktionierendes Hebelventil. Breites Rippen-Kopfband mit Patentschnalle. Preis: kompl. mit BUZ-Scheibe DM 7,85.
English: "“JUNIOR”. Children’s snorkelling mask for nose breathing. Plastic mask body with side-mounted snorkel tube. Well-functioning lever valve. Wide ribbed headband with patented buckle. Price: complete with BUZ-lens: DM 7.85."

And here is the relevant caption in the 1961 catalogue that Barakuda published in English:

As the name implies, therefore, the Barakuda Junior was a children's snorkel-mask, fitted with a single side-mounted tube, covering the eyes and the nose only and designed for optional nasal breathing. The presence of a spare parts list suggests that any purchaser could disassemble and reassemble this snorkel-mask with relative ease. The use of a plastic skirt was probably in the in the interests of economy.

A longer caption accompanied this snorkel-mask in 1962. It comes now with a ball valve and a lower price.

German: "JUNIOR, blau. Kinderschnorchelmaske für Nasenatmung. Maskenkörper aus Kunststoff mit seitlichem Schnorchelstutzen. Gut funktionierendes Ballventil. Breites Rippen-Kopfband mit Patentschnalle. Diese Maske erfreut sich bei Kindern und Jugendlichen größter Beliebtheit und hat nicht zuletzt ihres günstigen Preises wegen weite Verbreitung gefunden. Auf Grund der geschickten Formgebung dichtet die Maske selbst auf unterschiedlichsten Gesichtsformen. Nr. 106 BUZ-Scheibe DM 5,85."
Rough translation: "JUNIOR, blue. Children’s snorkel mask for nose breathing. Plastic mask body with side-mounted snorkel tube. Well-functioning ball valve. Wide ribbed head strap with patented buckle. This mask enjoys great popularity among children and adolescents and its use has spread not least because of its low price. Due to the smart design, the mask seals on a wide variety of face shapes. No. 106 BUZ lens: DM 5.85."

Apart from the change of valve type, the "Junior" retained the same features until its final curtain in 1973. The price crept up in the meantime, however, to DM 6.85 in 1964, DM 7.95 in 1969 and DM 8.95 in 1973:

German:
JUNIOR, blau. Kinderschnorchelmaske für Nasenatmung, aus Kunststoff mit Schnorchelstutzen, Ballventil, Rippen-Kopfband mit Patentschnalle, dichtet auf unterschiedlichsten Gesichtsformen.
* JUNIOR mit BUZ-Scheibe Best.-Nr. 1 801 00 DM 8,95
* Ersatzscheibe BUZ Best.-Nr. 1801 14 DM 1,55
* Sprengrahmen Best.-Nr. 1801 31 DM 1,35
* Nackenband Best.-Nr. 1801 09 DM 1,25
* Schnorchelstutzen mit Ventil Best.-Nr. 1801 85 DM 2,55
Rough translation:
JUNIOR, blue. Children's plastic snorkel mask for nose breathing, with snorkel tube, ball valve, ribbed head strap with patented buckle, seals on a wide variety of face shapes.
* JUNIOR with BUZ-lens. Order no. 1 801 00. DM 8.95.
* Spare BUZ lens. Order no. 1801 14. DM 1.55.
* Snap-on rim. Order no. 1801 31. DM 1.35.
* Neck strap. Order no. 1801 09. DM 1.25.
* Snorkel tube with valve. Order no. 1801 85. DM 2.55.

 

[David Wilson]

Second Barakuda snorkel-mask of the day is the Carena, which only appeared in 1969.

German: "Tauchmaske CARENA mit Schnorchel, blau. Kinderschnorchel-Maskenkörper aus Gummi mit seitlichem Schnorchel, mit verstellbarem Kopfband, guter, anpassungsfähiger Dichtsitz. Best.-Nr 1 809 00. DM 7,20."
Rough translation: "CARENA diving mask with snorkel, blue. Children’s snorkel-mask with rubber body, side-mounted snorkel, adjustable head strap. Good, adaptable, leaktight fit. Order No. 1 809 00. DM 7.20."

So another children's snorkel-mask, this time made from rubber instead of plastic. Note the split head strap and the lever valve.

 

[David Wilson]

Today's third and final snorkel-mask is the Madera, which like the Carena only appeared in 1969.

German: "Tauchmaske MADERA mit Schnorchel, blau. Schnorchelmaske für Jugendliche und Erwachsene aus Gummi, mit verstellbarem Kopfband, mit großem Blickfeld, hochwertig und preisgünstig. Best.-Nr 1 810 00. DM 8,94."
Rough translation: "MADERA diving mask with snorkel, blue. Rubber snorkel mask for teenagers and adults, with adjustable head strap, large field of vision. High quality and affordable. Order No. 1 810 00. DM 8.94."

This model appears to be a teenage and adult equivalent of the Carena, featuring a similar valve and split head strap.

I'll finish here for the moment, leaving the three remaining Barakuda snorkel-masks for review at the weekend.

 

[David Wilson]

We're now down to the final three Barakuda snorkel-masks. Let's start with the Korsika, named after the French island of Corsica in the Mediterranean:

German: "KORSIKA, barakudablau. Eine Schnorchelmaske fur Nasenatmung, entsprechend dem Typ „ELBA“ — mit abgewinkeltem Schnorchelbogen und Stromlinienventil. „Korsika“ ist die preiswerteste Schnorcheltauchmaske des Barakuda-Programms, ohne deswegen einen geringeren Gebrauchswert zu haben. Die Maskenmanschette, die der Elba-Form entliehen ist, dichtet genau wie die Elba-Maske hervorragend auf jedem Gesicht. Als Schnorchelventil wird das seit Jahren bewahrte Barakuda-Stromlinienventil verwendet. Nr. 149 BUZ-Scheibe DM 8,85."
Rough translation: "KORSIKA, Barakuda blue. A snorkel-mask for nose breathing, corresponding to the “ELBA” model — with inclined snorkel bend and streamlined valve. “Korsika” is the cheapest snorkel mask in the Barakuda range with no reduction in utility value. The mask skirt, which has been borrowed from the Elba mould, is a perfect seal on every face, just like the Elba mask. The snorkel valve is the time-tested streamlined Barakuda valve. No. 149 BUZ-lens DM 8.85."

This model's appearance in every Barakuda catalogue between 1962 and 1973 speaks volumes for its longevity and popularity. With potential purchasers probably more cost-sensitive than most, the price dropped from DM 8.85 to DM 7.85 in 1967 before rising to DM 9.85 in 1968 and DM 9.95 in 1969. Barakuda was at pains to deny, however, that low pricing meant low quality, citing the watertight fit of the mask skirt and the tried-and-tested reliability of the ball valve topping the snorkel as evidence to support the claim.

In 1973, the catalogue caption shrank, while replacement parts (lens, rim, strap, valved tube) became available separately, presumably to service older models in need of repair:

German: "KORSIKA, barakudablau (A). Schnorchelmaske für Nasenatmung, wie ELBA, mit abgewinkeltem Schnorchelbogen und Stromlinienventil. Die Maskenmanschette dichtet hervorregend auf jedem Gesicht. * KORSIKA mit BUZ-Scheibe. Best.-Nr. 1 802.00. Ersatzscheibe BUZ. Best.-Nr. 1802 15 1. Sprengrahmen. Best.-Nr. 102 31. Nackenband. Best.-Nr. 1 802.02. Schnorchelstutzen mit Ventil. Best.-Nr. 1002 86."
Rough translation: "KORSIKA, Barakuda blue (A). Snorkel mask for nose breathing, such as ELBA, with inclined snorkel bend and streamlined valve. The mask skirt is a perfect seal on every face. KORSIKA with BUZ disc. Order No. 1 802.00. Spare BUZ lens. Order No. 1802 15 1. Snap-on rim. Order No. 102 31. Head strap. Order No. 1 802.02. Snorkel tube with valve. Order No. 1002 86."

 

[David Wilson]

Next up is the Barakuda Malta, named after another Mediterranean island:

German: "Modell „Malta“. Diese Vollsichtmaske ist eine Verbindung von Tauchmaske und Atemgerät. Durch die große, nach besonderen Gesichtspunkten geformte Sichtscheibe erhält der Taucher ein stark erweitertes Blickfeld. Die Scheibe wird durch einen Leichtmetallsprengring gesichert. Der Schnorchel ist zentral an der Stirnseite der Maske angebracht, wodurch er besonders strömungsgünstig liegt und jeder seitliche Zug auf die Maske entfällt. Die Maske selbst schließt den Mund mit ein, so daß Nasen- und Mundatmung möglich sind. Ebenso kann man über und unter Wasser hinter der Maske sprechen, ohne diese oder den Schnorchel zu entfernen. Zwei Haltebänder sorgen für guten Sitz. Ausführung: Barakudablau mit farbig eloxiertem Schnorchel mit Ballventil. Preis mit BUZ-Scheibe DM 12,85."
Rough translation: "'Malta' model. This full-face mask is a combination of diving mask and breathing apparatus. The large, specially designed lens provides the diver with a greatly expanded field of vision. The lens is secured by a light metal snap-on ring. The snorkel is attached to the front centre of the mask, which makes it particularly streamlined and eliminates any sideways pull on the mask. The mask itself encloses the mouth, making nose and mouth breathing possible. Likewise, one can talk above and below water behind the mask without removing the latter or the snorkel. Two straps ensure a good fit. Design: Barakuda blue with coloured anodised snorkel with ball valve. Price with BUZ-lens: DM 12.85."

The text above comes from the 1955 catalogue. The Malta's final appearance was in the 1973 issue, making the product Barakuda's longest-serving snorkel-mask. The image accompanying the words is a reminder that the Malta is a full-face mask enclosing the eyes, the nose and the mouth with the option of either nasal or oral respiration. Another advantage was the ability to speak above or below water without mask removal. Two straps were fitted to ensure a watertight fit.

The price rose to DM 13.85 the following year. In 1959, two versions of the Malta were offered:

German: "„MALTA“, barakudablau. Vollgesichtsmaske, die Nase und Mund einschließt, mit Schnorchel und Schnorchelventil für Mund- und Nasenatmung, sehr großes Blickfeld, mit doppelt gebördeltem Sprengrahmen, Manschette aus hochwertiger Gummimischung, sehr gut dichtend, mit breitem geteilten Nackenband und breitem verstellbaren Kopfband mit Schnorchelrohr-Halterung. Preis: kompl. mit BUZ-Scheibe DM 13,85. Mod. „Malta-Luxus“, Ausführung wie oben, jedoch in elfenbein mit goldeloxiertem Sprengrahmen. Preis: kompl. mit BUZ-Scheibe DM 14,85."
Rough translation: "'MALTA', Barakuda blue. Full-face mask enclosing nose and mouth, with snorkel and snorkel valve for mouth and nose breathing, very large field of vision, with double beaded snap-on rim, high quality rubber compound skirt, a very good seal, with wide split strap around the nape of the neck and wide adjustable head strap with snorkel tube harness. Price: complete with BUZ-lens DM13.85. “Malta-Luxus” model, design as above, but in ivory with gold anodised snap-on rim. Price: complete with BUZ-lens: DM 14.85."

Note the redesign of the valve and the improved quality of the mask skirt material and the cosmetic appeal of the new luxury model. Further changes were introduced in 1962:

German: "MALTA, barakudablau * * Vollgesichtsmaske, die Nase und Mund einschließt, mit Schnorchel und Schnorchelventil für Mund- und Nasenatmung, sehr großes Blickfeld. Manschette aus hochwertiger Gummimischung, sehr gut dichtend, mit breitem geteiltem Nackenband. Nr. 151 BUZ-Scheibe DM 9,85. MALTA-SILBER * * Ausführung wie oben, jedoch mit doppelt gebördeltem Sprengrahmen und breitem, verstellbarem Kopfband mit Schnorchelhalterung. Nr. 152 DM 12,85. MALTA-LUXUS * * Ausführung in elfenbein mit goldeloxiertem Sprengrahmen. Nr. 154 BUZ-Scheibe DM 14,85. MALTA-SPEIGAT * * Diese Ausführung ist mit dem neuartigen Ventil ausgerüstet, welches bereits beim Modell ELBA-SPEIGAT beschrieben wurde. Nr. 158 DM 13,85."
Rough translation: "MALTA, Barakuda blue * * Full-face mask, enclosing nose and mouth, with snorkel and snorkel valve for mouth and nose breathing, a very large field of vision. High-quality rubber compound skirt, very good seal, with wide split neck strap. No. 151 BUZ-lens: DM 9.85. MALTA-SILBER * * Design as above, but with double-edged snap-on rim and wide, adjustable head strap with snorkel harness. No. 152: DM 12.85. MALTA-LUXUS * * Ivory finish design with gold anodised snap-on rim. No. 154 BUZ lens: DM 14.85. MALTA-SPEIGAT * * This design is fitted with the new valve, which has already been described on ELBA-SPEIGAT model. No. 158: DM 13.85."

In 1967, the Malta line shrank again to the basic and the luxury model. The latter was discontinued in 1969. As with the Korsika, In 1973, Malta replacement parts (lens, rim, strap, valved tube) became available separately in 1973, to service older models in need of repair:

German: "MALTA, barakudablau (A). Vollgesichtsmaske mit Schnorchel und Schnorchelventil für Mund- und Nasenatmung, großes Blickfeld. sehr gut dichtend, mit breitem, geteiltem Nackenband und Sprengrahmen. MALTA mit BUZ-Scheibe Best.-Nr. 1 803 00. Ersatzscheibe BUZ Best.-Nr. 1803 15. Sprengrahmen Best.-Nr. 1 803 31. Nackenband Best.-Nr. 1 809.02. Schnorchelstutzen mit Ventil Best.-Nr. 1 803 85."
Rough translation: "MALTA, Barakuda blue (A). Full-face mask with snorkel and snorkel valve for mouth and nose breathing, large field of vision. A very good seal, with wide split neck strap and snap-on rim. MALTA with BUZ lens. Order no. 1 803 00. Spare BUZ lens. Order no. 1803 15. Snap-on rim. Order no. 1 803 31. Neck strap. Order no. 1 809.02. Snorkel tube with valve. Order no. 1 803 85."

I'll stop here for today and review the final Barakuda snorkel-mask next time. It comes with a very different design feature. Stay tuned.

 

[David Wilson]

I hope I've left the best till last when it comes to the Barakuda Gorgona snorkel-mask. As a product name, "Gorgona" itself is quite a clever choice, not only drawing parallels between the twin snorkels projecting from the top of the mask and the snakes growing from the head of a Greek mythological creature (above), but also alluding to the fact that the oldest Barakuda snorkel-masks Korsika, Malta and Gorgona are all named after Mediterranean islands.

German: "„GORGONA“, schwarz. Eine Doppelschnorchel-Vollsichtmaske, die unter dem Kinn dichtet, also Nase und Mund mit einschließt. Der Maskenkörper besitzt eine waagerechte Trennwand, die das Maskeninnere zwischen Nase und Oberlippe in zwei in sich abgeschlossene Kammern teilt: in den oberen Sichtraum und in den unteren Atemraum. Von der unteren Kammer führen seitlich links und rechts die beiden Schnorchelkanäle nach außen, auf welche je ein gebogenes Schnorchelrohr mit Ventil aufgesteckt werden kann. An der Eintrittsöffnung der Schnorchelkanäle in dem Atemraum befindet sich eine Aufnahmevorrichtung zum Einsetzen von Ein- bzw. Ausatemventilen. Die sehr große Klarsichtscheibe ist aus unzerbrechlichem Kunststoff, der von einem Leichtmetallrahmen gehalten wird. Ein breites, geteiltes Kopfband verleiht der Maske einen guten Sitz auf jeder Kopfform. Diese Maske ist vielseitig verwendbar. Man kann sie einmal als einfache Schnorcheltauchmaske benutzen, zum anderen eignet sie sich auch mit entsprechenden Zusätzen zum Anschluß von Preßlufttauchgeräten. Ebenso wird sie in Verbindung mit dem Barakuda-Tauchertelefon verwendet. Der vom Sichtraum abgeteilte Atemraum verhindert ein Beschlagen der Sichtscheibe durch die Atemfeuchtigkeit und verringert gleichzeitig den „Totraum“ auf ein Minimum. Es ist eine Maske für Taucher mit hohen und vielseitigen Ansprüchen. Preis: kompl. mit 2 Ventil-Schnorcheln, jedoch ohne Ein- und Ausatemventil DM 28,85. Schnorchelrohr, sp. DM —,60. Schnorchelventil, sep. DM 2,25. Halteband, sp. DM 1,35. Ersatzscheibe, sep. DM 3,30. Spannrahmen mit Verschraubung, sep. DM 1,35. Ein- oder Ausatemventil DM —,60."
Rough translation: "“GORGONA”, black. A twin-snorkel full-face mask sealing under the chin and hence enclosing the nose and mouth. The mask body has a horizontal partition dividing the inside of the mask between the nose and the upper lip into two self-contained chambers: an upper viewing area and a lower breathing area. The two snorkel channels on the left and right sides run from the lower chamber to the outside. A bent snorkel tube fitted with a valve can be attached to each of these channels. A mounting device at the point where the snorkel channels enter the breathing area enables inhalation or exhalation valves to be inserted. The extra-large lens is made of shatterproof plastic retained by a light-alloy rim. A wide split head strap enables the mask to be a good fit for all head shapes and sizes. This mask is versatile. It may even serve as a simple snorkel diving mask. With the appropriate extra parts, on the other hand, it can also be connected to compressed air diving apparatus. It is also used in conjunction with the Barakuda diver’s telephone. By separating the breathing area from the viewing area, breath condensation is prevented from misting up the lens, while “dead space” is simultaneously reduced to a minimum. This is a mask for divers with demanding and wide-ranging requirements. Price: complete with 2 snorkels fitted with valves, but no inhalation and exhalation valve: DM 28.85. Snorkel tube, separately. DM -, 60. Snorkel valve, separately. DM 2.25. Retaining strap, separately. DM 1.35. Spare lens, seperately. DM 3.30. Clamp with screw fitting, seperately. DM 1.35. Inhalation or exhalation valve DM -, 60."

Apart from the extended caption, the principal distinguishing feature of the full-face Gorgona is the inner partition separating the "underwater vision" chamber from the "underwater breathing" chamber, not only reducing fogging and dead space but also enabling the device to be connected to a compressed air supply. The enhanced intricacy of the partition and the potential add-ons seems like nods in the direction of both the overcomplicated snorkel-masks of the mid twentieth century and the more safety-conscious but overengineered snorkel-masks of the new millennium. Despite its high price tag, the Gorgona enjoyed a long service life, lasting as it did from 1960 to 1973. Here it is in that final year:

German: "GORGONA, schwarz. Maskenkörper mit Trennwand, für oberen Sichtraum und unteren Atemraum. Von der unteren Kammer führen seitlich die beiden Schnorchelkanäle nach außen. Große Klarsichtscheibe aus unzerbrechlichem Kunststoff, wird von Leichtmetallrahmen gehalten, breites, geteiltes Kopfband. guter Sitz auf jeder Kopfform. Verwendbar als Schnorcheltauchmaske und mit entsprechenden Zusätzen zum Anschluß an Preßluft-Tauchgeräten. GORGONA mit BUZ-Scheibe Best.-Nr. 150100 39,00. Ersatzscheibe BUZ Best.-Nr. 1901 17 1,85. Sprengrahmen Best.-Nr. 19012 1,25. Nackenband Best.-Nr. 1901 07 123. Schnorchelstutzen mit Ventil Best.-Nr. 1901886 258."
Rough translation: "GORGONA, black. Mask body with partition creating an upper viewing area and a lower breathing area. Two snorkel channels on the left and right sides run from the lower chamber to the outside. Extra-large lens is made of shatterproof plastic retained by a light-alloy rim. A wide split head strap enables the mask to be a good fit for all head shapes and sizes. May serve as a simple snorkel diving mask and, with appropriate extra parts, may be connected to compressed air diving apparatus. GORGONA with BUZ lens. Order no. 150100 39.00. Spare BUZ lens. Order no. 1901 17 1.85. Snap-on rim. Order no. 1902 1.25. Neck strap. Order no. 1901 07 123. Snorkel tube with valve. Order no. 1901886 258."

 

[David Wilson]

Here ends the basic gear lesson according to the German diving equipment company Barakuda. Well, not quite. I have reviewed, so far as humanly possible, just the fins, masks, snorkels and snorkel-masks manufactured by this Hamburg firm. What I have deliberately omitted are the numerous fins, masks, snorkels and snorkel-masks Barakuda imported from other European countries over the years, particularly from France, Italy and Spain. I have been very grateful to Barakuda catalogues when I have tried to source information about basic gear made in France for my Scubaboard thread on the subject, drawn a virtual blank when trawling the web, and then alighted on a product description in a Barakuda catalogue featuring the product as an import. Information about early diving equipment is not always where you expect it to be, but when you happen to locate it where you least expect it to be, it's vital to pass it on to others in case the online source is inadvertently or deliberately deleted. The Internet Wayback Machine at archive.org is a marvellous thing, storing for posterity the contents of zillions of websites past, but it cannot record them all. This is a plea to make the pages of every diving equipment catalogue in every language available to all by scanning every print copy you have and posting your scans online for others to download. I try to practise what I preach; see: Catalogues - Google Drive.

That's all for today and for Barakuda, but not for Germany as a diving equipment manufacturing country. Let's take a closer look at Tauchtechnik and Dräger in a few days' time.