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Is there much ‘Vintage’ single hose diving?

Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2018 8:46 am
by 73diver
Hi Vintage Divers,

I started diving in 1973 at an NASDS school in California. The shop equipped me with a Water Gill At-Pac and the remaining equipment was Scubapro. Except for a mask and wetsuit, I still have the gear I started with. Maintenance and repairs have been made and I dive the old gear every so often. Some folks recognize the vintage 109.

I was wondering if ‘my style of vintage diving,’ i.e. single hose, is being performed by others.

FWIW: An aftermarket vendor made a console that accepted the Scubapro SPG, depth gauge, Ikelite compass and Scubapro SOS (bendomatic). Most At-Pac users that I encountered at the time adopted that console.

Regards

Re: Is there much ‘Vintage’ single hose diving?

Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2018 10:03 am
by antique diver
73diver wrote:
Sat Mar 17, 2018 8:46 am
Hi Vintage Divers,

I started diving in 1973 at an NASDS school in California. The shop equipped me with a Water Gill At-Pac and the remaining equipment was Scubapro. Except for a mask and wetsuit, I still have the gear I started with. Maintenance and repairs have been made and I dive the old gear every so often. Some folks recognize the vintage 109.

I was wondering if ‘my style of vintage diving,’ i.e. single hose, is being performed by others.

FWIW: An aftermarket vendor made a console that accepted the Scubapro SPG, depth gauge, Ikelite compass and Scubapro SOS (bendomatic). Most At-Pac users that I encountered at the time adopted that console.

Regards
I have an number of late 50's through 70's single hose regs that I enjoy diving with too!

Those consoles you mentioned were made by Pennform, which made variations to fit most every common gauge combination on the market at the time. Some of them were pretty large, and we used to joke that divers from our friends / competitor's dive shop could sit up on their big inflated At-Pacs and paddle them with their huge consoles.

Re: Is there much ‘Vintage’ single hose diving?

Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2018 10:29 am
by Bryan
antique diver wrote:
Sat Mar 17, 2018 10:03 am
we used to joke that divers from our friends / competitor's dive shop could sit up on their big inflated At-Pacs and paddle them with their huge consoles.
Especially the NASDS favorite Triangle version!

LOTS of people rebuild, service, restore and dive early Scubapro and US Divers single hose regulators.

Re: Is there much ‘Vintage’ single hose diving?

Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2018 11:36 am
by captain
To me vintage is not about the type of regulator but the total configuration, regulator, tank, backpack or strap harness, period correct fins and mask, depth gauge J valve,etc. No BC, safe 2nd, SPG or computer.

Re: Is there much ‘Vintage’ single hose diving?

Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2018 11:43 am
by antique diver
Bryan wrote:
Sat Mar 17, 2018 10:29 am
antique diver wrote:
Sat Mar 17, 2018 10:03 am
we used to joke that divers from our friends / competitor's dive shop could sit up on their big inflated At-Pacs and paddle them with their huge consoles.
Especially the NASDS favorite Triangle version!

LOTS of people rebuild, service, restore and dive early Scubapro and US Divers single hose regulators.
Yep, that big triangle was what I was thinking of for maximum propulsion! Also great as a "Shark-Shield" to hold up between you and an overly-inquisitive predator. :lol:

Re: Is there much ‘Vintage’ single hose diving?

Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2018 11:52 am
by antique diver
captain wrote:
Sat Mar 17, 2018 11:36 am
To me vintage is not about the type of regulator but the total configuration, regulator, tank, backpack or strap harness, period correct fins and mask, depth gauge J valve,etc. No BC, safe 2nd, SPG or computer.
Good point, Captain. I still love the simplicity of diving in warm water in cut-offs, with a single 38 in a strap harness, topped with only an Aquamatic or original Calypso reg. Can't wait until the water warms up for my summer nostalgia dive. I might even carry a little speargun.

Re: Is there much ‘Vintage’ single hose diving?

Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2018 8:11 am
by swimjim
Hello Ken. I rebuilt a Scubapro Mk7 and an Mk1 last year and dove them at Fortune Pond. I also have an Aquamatic I like to dive up there on occasion. When it comes to lake Michigan though, I'm usually either diving my Kraken or going with modern gizmo's. I'm going up to Fortune on May 11 - 12th. The water will be pretty cold yet which may give the Scubapros a hard time. I'll give it a shot though if you come up.

Jim