1st vintage dive.

[ClevelandDiver]

I did my first vintage equipment dive today and loved it!

Equipment: Healthways double hose single stage reg, Aqualung steel 72, Shark Skin beaver tail 1/4" wetsuit, Aqualung EZ Kam tank harness and plain old weight belt with 10 lbs of lead (note: still working on obtaining old black rubber oval mask and the rocket fins I got off ebay should be here next week). Notably absent: BC, computer and octo. Defintely present: experienced regular buddy keeping a close eye on me.

Having tested out the double hose last weekend with a pony backup reg and inflator hose to my wing, I was ready to try the real deal.

It was kind of weird kicking down to 20 feet with out dumping any air, but when it was one of the coolest free floating experiences I have ever had diving. Nothing dragging or flapping around me, I felt sorry for my buddy pushing his bulky drysuit and doubles through the water. I had heard that you set your weight for the depth you plan on diving, so I expected to have to work harder once I went deeper.

At 40 feet I was definitely getting a work out and swimming at an angle. Before we dropped into the pit (white star quarry people know what I am talking about) I signaled to my buddy that I might have to hand him my weight belt. We dropped to the bottom of the pit, 65 feet, and I was able to make it out with out any help.

Looking forward to doing it again next weekend with a little less weight and the rocket fins. Now all I need is an oval mask and a giant dive knife to cut the hoses of the bad guys. Mike Nelson would be proud.

 

[Nemrod]

Congrats, you will get the weight thing down in time. In the ocean, warm water, I use none to maybe one or two lbs with just a swimsuit or lycra dive skin. Wet suits always complicate weighting, I think you were over weighted a bit but sounds like you have a helper, great, welcome to vintage diving. N

 

[Bill51]

The Aqualung EZ Kam harness with the molded plastic plate is the still the most comfortable I’ve ever worn – or maybe it just seems that way 40 years later.

Glad you had a good time and this is beginning to intrigue me and make me want to go back to my roots.

 

[ClevelandDiver]

Congrats, you will get the weight thing down in time. In the ocean, warm water, I use none to maybe one or two lbs with just a swimsuit or lycra dive skin. Wet suits always complicate weighting, I think you were over weighted a bit but sounds like you have a helper, great, welcome to vintage diving. N

I thought it would be a bit much weight too, but I went with 10 lbs because that is what I dive with my regular 7mil wetsuit setup. It was perfect for 20 feet, but the average depth of the quarry is 40 feet.

When I left the belt on the platform and dove down to 40 feet I was still a little floaty with empty lungs when I stopped swimming.

I plan on diving 6lbs next time. I think those charts are wothless when it comes to weighting. At 230lbs with a 7mil or 1/4" wetsuit they have me taking down 20+lbs. Can you say anchor?

If I properly weight myself for a greater depth (say 45 feet) with my 1/4" wetsuit, how difficult is it to keep from popping up during the safety stop? I know some people leave weight behind to pick up at the end of the dive, but I dive a crowded quarry where someone might think it was dropped accidentally and therefore fair game.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[ClevelandDiver]

The Aqualung EZ Kam harness with the molded plastic plate is the still the most comfortable I’ve ever worn – or maybe it just seems that way 40 years later.

Glad you had a good time and this is beginning to intrigue me and make me want to go back to my roots.

My favorite feature of the EZ Kam harness is how you unsnap it from your left shoulder, slide right strap down a little and grab the handle with your right hand. No table or anything needed. Again, I felt pity for my buddy with doubles waiting for someone to move their gear so he could take a load off. Bonus, I can still pick a few up for $20/each and have one on each of my 72s. No swapping stuff around during the surface interval, just grab and go.

Come on Bill back to your roots you will have a blast. Ebay is loaded with everything you need.

 

[Bob3]

Just wait 'till ya get yourself a Royal Aqua Master or better yet, Nemrod Snark III. You'll get rid of that "sucking on a straw" feeling as your tank pressure gets down there.
Some very decent "retro" masks can be had from DiveInn: http://comdive.scubastore.com/ - go to the "masks" section & look for "PICASSO VICTORIA" and/or "PICASSO COMPENSATOR".
I just picked up a few of the old Dacor-esque Pinocchio masks (Picasso Victoria), still the only mask that I've found to produce a 100% seal with a moustach.

We've been known to snap up a rock to use for "ballast weight", and drop it after the safety stop. Rocks don't hurt if one gets dropped on ya, as long as you're under water.

 

[Bill51]

I started with a single stage US Divers Mistral and thought I’d gone to heaven when I got my first dive with a Royal Aqua Master.

The amazing thing about that Kam EZ Pak was that I started using it when I was 11 years old and it still fit me perfectly when I stopped using 10+ years later.

 

[ClevelandDiver]

Just wait 'till ya get yourself a Royal Aqua Master or better yet, Nemrod Snark III. You'll get rid of that "sucking on a straw" feeling as your tank pressure gets down there.
Some very decent "retro" masks can be had from DiveInn: http://comdive.scubastore.com/ - go to the "masks" section & look for "PICASSO VICTORIA" and/or "PICASSO COMPENSATOR".
I just picked up a few of the old Dacor-esque Pinocchio masks (Picasso Victoria), still the only mask that I've found to produce a 100% seal with a moustach.

We've been known to snap up a rock to use for "ballast weight", and drop it after the safety stop. Rocks don't hurt if one gets dropped on ya, as long as you're under water.

I bought a Snark III on line, but it needs a serious overhaul. Trying to get in touch with Dan at Vintagescubasupply.com, no luck yet. The modified voit reg he has listed looks like a great set up for diving, but I am still trying to justify the $575 price tag to myself.

Love the rock idea. Bet you start to get a good eye for how much a rock weighs. Maybe even recycle a favorite balast rock by dropping it in the same place each time.

 

[Nemrod]

Hello, I suspect Dan is not replying beause he is on vacation/trip. We just completed a huge gathering of vintage divers and he was not returning home straight away I understood. He is super reliable and can be counted upon to deal fair and square and they do answer their emails etc.
My opinion, the Snarks and Healthways and other oddities are nice to collect but for diving with I recommend strongly a Aqualung Royal AquaMaster followed by a DA AquaMaster followed by a Mistral (old style--limited to no more than 2500 psi) or a Voit Trieste. SPG function is via a banjo bolt, LP function via an adapter to the hookah port. These work great and parts are available, both NOS and reproduction. Plus, most of the parts for the Conshelf, readily available fit the Royal AquaMaster as the first stage is the same. If your going to invest in a solid, diveable regulator that is what I would do.
Tip, banjo bolts are hard to find, run about 80 dollars. Several runs of new ones have recently been completed and mostly are sold out. I would check quickly with the two suppliers and try to get one if at all serious. If not, some of us have one or a few extra. If you need the contacts let me know. N

 

[ClevelandDiver]

Hello, I suspect Dan is not replying beause he is on vacation/trip. We just completed a huge gathering of vintage divers and he was not returning home straight away I understood. He is super reliable and can be counted upon to deal fair and square and they do answer their emails etc.
My opinion, the Snarks and Healthways and other oddities are nice to collect but for diving with I recommend strongly a Aqualung Royal AquaMaster followed by a DA AquaMaster followed by a Mistral (old style--limited to no more than 2500 psi) or a Voit Trieste. SPG function is via a banjo bolt, LP function via an adapter to the hookah port. These work great and parts are available, both NOS and reproduction. Plus, most of the parts for the Conshelf, readily available fit the Royal AquaMaster as the first stage is the same. If your going to invest in a solid, diveable regulator that is what I would do.
Tip, banjo bolts are hard to find, run about 80 dollars. Several runs of new ones have recently been completed and mostly are sold out. I would check quickly with the two suppliers and try to get one if at all serious. If not, some of us have one or a few extra. If you need the contacts let me know. N

Thanks for the info. An Aqualung Royal AquaMaster is defintely high on my wish list. My LDS may even have one in the basement, but he won't let me fish through the box of old double hoses to find. The owner is old school, and I am trying to wear him down to either sell me a fixer upper or fix one up for me. He claims not to have time, even when he sees how much money I have been throwing into the vintage stuff online. Very frustrating. Do you think that $575 Dan is asking for the Voit is a little steep, or is it reasonable?