Future of Two Hosers......

[simonbeans]

My regulator of choice is a double hose. Be it my Mistral (original), my Royals or the Phoenix. I just like the double hose concept. However, when I work for the store, I have to use a single hose and the store's brand. That is business. I plan on using the Phoenix on my personal dive trips, as I have done. But no matter how much we would like to do otherwise, we must comply with the requirements of dive ops. What I tried to say is that it really doesn't matter wheither the double hose regulator is an original or modified (Phoenix) or a newly made (Aqualung Mistral) or some unforseen model, I doubt that double hoses will be very popular. Compare almost any sport that tries to be retro or even cars. Sure Ford is selling a few new Mustangs, but more "modern" models will be sold. I really don't care if double hoses become main stream, I will use them whenever or wherever I can. Heck, I still hunt with a muzzleloader for everything. And not one of those inlines or even "p" guns. If it is just you and me diving with a double hose, great. If everybody uses them, great. It makes no difference to me. IMHO.

[crimediver]

There is a lot to be said for the nostalgic toys we play with. They take us back to a simpler time. I keep my beer cold in a 1953 General Elecctric Coca Cola cooler, have to put a penny into my bathroom scales to weigh myself, and my dive vehicle is a 71 VW camper love bus. The toys are often more trouble than they are worth as they need constant TLC but I don't mind it as it is a labor of love and a reminder of our " Wonderbread years.".

That being said, I do wish the police would quit pulling me over in my VW. I suppose that it is the vintage license plate bracket that says Ass, Gas, or Grass on the back of the bus. They are always a little taken back when I allow them to search my vehicle and they find my Glock and police ID. Always fun to put one over on the man.

There will always be those that will dive the double hose, and the rest who will sit on the sidelines, afraid to enter the arena, and wait with baited breath to see us die.

[Bryan]

Bryan says:

"Well that hurts........"


Sorry , I have been insulting everyone lately and not meaning it that way. That is the problem with removing the words from the source and filtering them through the e-world.

I meant that future of double hose diving might not be vintage regulators only. After all between the Phoenix, the project Michael is fooling around with and some Dan played with and this picture of a new regulator in the OP there may come a time that not all double hose regulators are vintage era.

Is that better worded?

James<------kicking self

WHEW!!! Thought you knew something that I didn't......I was getting ready to have a closeout sale..... YOUR THE BEST JAMES......No one irritates the SB guys like you do!!!

[dhaas]

James,

I can't believe your Aqualung Legend gives you as much trouble diving as you relate.....I renew my "generous" offer to take if off your hands for $50.00 LOL....

I also, as James stated don't want anyone here at www.vdh.com to think I don't love the old regs. If I didn't, I wouldn't keep looking for deals (MAYBE someday I'll get a last model produced Royal Aquamaster) plus resurrecting a "NEW" to me Mistral every damn year by Sand Dog time!!!
Arrgghhhhh!!!!!!!

I'm glad the Phoenix came along, but I think everyone is deluding themselves that double hose regulators will ever become even a hint of mainstream....SimonBeans says it best.....

Plus for most of my diving I couldn't be bothered with floating hoses (as in Tiger sharks bumping into you in 15' of water) and all the stuff to make it pass for "modern" on a dive boat. I have only 3 hoses on my modern rig and I still think it's clunky...But easy enough to dive down to those same depths James is anticipating on his wreck dive (although these days I think 160' on AIR is asking for trouble.....)

When diving Vintage, I will always use a backpack, single or double hose with just a j-valve and likely not deeper than 100'. Wear a crotch grabbing front mounted neck strangler BC? No friggin' way! I hated those things from the day they came out, and I don't need it for neutral buoyancy. I wear the minimal amount of lead to be neutral about 20' -40'. That's it.....

I have a gauge checker to see how much PSI I have left for my 2nd, 3rd or whatever plunge into Weeki Wachee and capture images I'm happy to share with my amigos When I'm cold or my early diaphragm Calypso, Conshelf VI or Mistral starts to draw the least bit hard, it's time to go.....

Looking forward to new photos and showing eveyone how cool these vintage regulators are.....

Later!

David Haas

P.S. - OK James, I'll give you $60.00 for that "terrible breathing" Legend

[luis]

Those holes being perpendicular to the diaphragm may prove to be problematic.
One thing I noticed while diving the new Mistral was that whenever I rolled back, the reg would freeflow for a little while. I'm pretty sure it was because the main diaphragm was not protected from currents as well as the majority of vintage double hose regulators which either have holes around the sides of the bottom box, or baffled openings (like the Snark lll Silvers).
The Jet Air had holes pointing down toward the diaphragm, but on a more sensitive system (like the new Mistral) that may not be ideal.

It looks really nice. Can't wait to hear the story on that one.

I disagree with you conclusions based on the following:

A) For a stagnation pressure (pressure due to flow) of 1 inWC you need a water flow velocity of 1.6 miles/hr (assuming a drag coefficient Cd=1) and for ½ inWC the flow velocity needs to be 1.1 mph. You can swim against that kind of current, but you are going to know you are swimming against it.

B) My observations with a relatively powerful vintage Farallon DPV (diver propulsion vehicle) and a very sensitive Scubapro regulator did not show a free-flow unless the regulator was just behind the flow stream of the propeller. Even at it's maximum speed, the DPV itself was not fast enough to cause a free-flow on the Scubapro (behind the prop wash, was totally different). The Scubapro regulator diaphragm cover is flexible rubber with holes open to the front.

[luis]

Allan
I totally agree with your opinion in reference to the future of DH regulators (DH regulators will never be mainstream).

That being said, a double hose regulator due to its history, its simplicity, higher reliability, and many other positive qualities, does deserve the type of respect I am sure you receive as a muzzle loader hunter.


Calling it a “hobby gizmo” is not correct and a bit disrespectful IMHO.

The definition of gizmo:
Device or piece of equipment: a gadget, especially a mechanical or electrical device considered to be more complicated than necessary (informal).

“More complicated than necessary” is totally incorrect.

But, I am sure our Amigo Dave didn’t mean to be disrespectful to what many of us consider to be a beautiful piece of engineering due to its simplicity…etc...etc.

[Nemrod]

I was just messing with David (dhass). I hope y'all know that, he is our friend but he is only going 50 bucks on my unLegendary so I had to give him a dig.

I thought for sure I would get a long lesson from him when I called his camera a digi-snapper FILM will never die

Well, as to the future and mainsrtream, they may never be mainstream but as the lemmings march off the cliff with their poodle jackets and color coordinated plastic regulators there is no need for us to follow them lock step.

With increasing interst in rebreathers, don't be totally surprised to see young divers seeking to have the rebreather "look'. After all the rice rockets they drive don't really have nitrous, it is just a pretty decal. I also predict that rebreathers will move more mainstream, no, not the units they have now but smaller and lighter units designed for moderate depths and times to expand sport diving horizons. Since they are double hose--sorta--the future may still be double hose---just not our type of double hose

James

[Nemrod]

Single hose regulators are good for somethings, like pony bottles, stage bottles, throwaway use and girls.


About those holes in the can at 90 degrees to the diaphram, I was wondering about that too. The mouthpieceis intersting, hope he chose the largest opening for the mouthpiece to prevent back pressure.

James

[Nemrod]

I did not say air would be used on the 160 foot dive. I am doing a recon this SD of the Oriskany and then this June I am going back serious. I will be using a trimix with the Phoenix.

Nemrod of the Deep

[dhaas]

Nemrod and all,

DigiSnapper! Hah!!!! (Note to self, no photos of James, especially underwater sporting his cool gear at SD IV LOL......

Let me know when you have your FILM developed and can share those pics across the internet, the technology that has really spawned this vintage diving thing with instant sharing

FILM is dead, dead, dead.......Thanks God....

Glad to hear you won't tempt fate at 160' on AIR. But TRI-Mix? WOW!!! You are a closet tech diver.......Now we know why all those d-rings are on your back plate !!!!

OK, I'll go $65.00 on the Legend

Later,

Dave

[treasureman]

I sense a hose cutting soon

[dhaas]

Ha, Ha....

No hose cutting planned I like it when people like James can post a good fun essay!

We all are what we are.......divers.......

Not long now!

dhaas

[treasureman]

Not long now.... At least three months for the ice to leave the lakes and rivers, and another 40 days past that for it to warm up enough to get into the water. brrrrr.. six months of the year in the icy grip of winter

[JES]

I did not say air would be used on the 160 foot dive. I am doing a recon this SD of the Oriskany and then this June I am going back serious. I will be using a trimix with the Phoenix.

Nemrod of the Deep

The Nemrod we know could easily perform a 230ft technical dive and make a decompression stop totally on air!

[Bryan]

.............BFD................