DA Aquamasters

[treasureman]

I was looking at my reg serials, one of my DAAM has no number. It is a Pico Blvd, anyone have any idea what year it would have been made?

[duckbill]

Hi treasureman.
The DAAM was born in 1958.
USD was at West Pico from 1956-1959.
So, your DAAM is from 1958-1959.
Most of the W. Pico DAAMs I've seen are serialized, so if I would conclude that your DAAM was most probably made in

1958

[treasureman]

A rather short production run, yet it seems that more of the DAAm's are being found and in use. I have seen fewer RAMS, in use, and clearly even less up for sale. Most divers that have them wont part with them, but in fourty years, one would think we would see more of them on the market

[Nemrod]

The DA AquaMaster was produced into the 70s as was the Royal. I remeber seeing them on the shelves in the stores, laing there, tempting me and scorning me, sticking their duckbils out at me, far to lofty an itemfor me to aspire to.
I think the DA was by far the most common.To bad there is no information available but I bet the number of DAs exceeds the numbers of all other types combined maybe even incluiding other companies efforts. People buystuff on looks, the DA looked like a Royal, it was after all round wiith the same hoses, why pay more for the Royal?
James

[Bryan]

Going off of the timeline from Mark Howell and from Dan

USD was on Pico Blvd 1956-1959
DA Aqua-Masters were made 1958-1972

Only the EARLY DA"s from the Pico Blvd didn't have serial #'s as many of them do. The exact date they started serial #'s I do not know and have never heard.

[jbrians]

Talk about bring the dead to life!!!! the thread, I mean.

I've wanted to know the answer to this for years.

What does DA stand for?


Brian the noob

[treasureman]

DA...heh i can answer that one..... means ummmm ......

Dont Ask???

[jbrians]

DA...heh i can answer that one..... means ummmm ......

Dont Ask???

There's one (or more) in every crowd!!

[capn_tucker]

My understanding is the lettering of US Divers regulators is nothing more than the numbering system that was used in their warehouse. For example DA, DX, DY. Apparently USD classified everything according to the letters of the alphabet, and the letter D was for regulators. My copy of the 1955 book "Dive" by Rick Carrier has what appears to be a complete list of this lettering system as of that time.
Some other examples are D1 for the "Trademark" Aqualung, B2 for twin 70s, B3 for a set of triple 44s w/Aqualung, H for single 70s, the letters K & J for valves, L for tank harnesses and so on..

[JES]

Here's Mark Howell's site that Bryan references:

Early Aqua-Lung Identification Plates

[capn_tucker]

My understanding is the lettering of US Divers regulators is nothing more than the numbering system that was used in their warehouse. For example DA, DX, DY. Apparently USD classified everything according to the letters of the alphabet, and the letter D was for regulators. My copy of the 1955 book "Dive" by Rick Carrier has what appears to be a complete list of this lettering system as of that time.
Some other examples are D1 for the "Trademark" Aqualung, B2 for twin 70s, B3 for a set of triple 44s w/Aqualung, H for single 70s, the letters K & J for valves, L for tank harnesses and so on..

Did some more looking through the book, and there is a DB Aqualung listed! I challenge all you Aqualung scholars to tell me what that one is..

[JES]

Did some more looking through the book, and there is a DB Aqualung listed! I challenge all you Aqualung scholars to tell me what that one is..

A typo????

[treasureman]

DB Aqualung... I know that one its easy



It means "Doesnt Breathe" simple no??

[capn_tucker]

Did some more looking through the book, and there is a DB Aqualung listed! I challenge all you Aqualung scholars to tell me what that one is..

A typo????

Negative shipmate! The DB Aqualung was a DA that came with an integral full face mask, called a "Natascope". The literature also states "the mask will only work with regulators with serial numbers less than 30,000". There is a picture of it too, but I don't have a scanner.
When I get home I'll see if my webcam will take a decent photo of it..

[treasureman]

Natascope... there is a name i have not heard in nigh a long time. Somewhere in my crapola from the move is just the piece of info on this. Let me see if I can lay me hands on it.