Serial number question

[ScubaLawyer]

I picked up these two DA Aqua Master project regulators. Using Bryan's U.S. Divers Pocket Reference Card from the manuals section I believe I have deduced the following:

1. West Pico label + black hoses = 1958 vintage. ???

UPDATE: I found the article on DA Aqua Masters in the Manuals section. This can't be a 1958 since it has a hookah port and a serial number (221500). Apparently the 1958s had neither. Also, it has a curved mouthpiece and hoses with lots of convolutions - apparently also something added later.

2. Yellow hoses + black straight mouthpiece (but with West Pico label) = 1960?vintage.

UPDATE: The article also said, "The serial numbers of the yellow/black combo units go as high as 218533. Number 217063, for example, was produced on
4/5/1960." The serial number of this one is 212159 so it is likely a 1960 model year.

So why is the serial number on the first one higher than the serial number on the 1960, but with a West Pico label. I understood US Divers moved from West-Pico in 1959. I imagine they had labels left over and just used them? Mark.

UPDATE: Ok, forget the questions, looks like USD didn't move until the 1962-63 time frame. That explains the upgrades.

11.jpg

[swimjim]

I'm pretty sure in '58 and '59 the straight mouth piece was still OEM. More then likely the hose set with the curved mouth piece was updated along the way. Nice reg's! The DA is the most versatile, upgrade-able reg ever thanks to Bryan and Luis! The sky, er, depth is the limit!

[Bryan]

Bernie has commented a few times about Navy regulators he was associated with having one black and one yellow hose. Hopefully he will see this and chime in....I can't remember the details...Sorry

[ScubaLawyer]

Bernie has commented a few times about Navy regulators he was associated with having one black and one yellow hose. Hopefully he will see this and chime in....I can't remember the details...Sorry

Good eye Bryan, I have it here in front of me and I guess I wasn't paying much attention. I thought the one hose was just dirty, but sure enough there is one yellow hose and one black hose! Any info on that would be appreciated. Mark.

[crimediver]

I have 2 pairs of socks like that. Pretty strange, one pair has a white sock and a black sock. The other pair has a black sock and a white sock.

[ScubaLawyer]

I have 2 pairs of socks like that. Pretty strange, one pair has a white sock and a black sock. The other pair has a black sock and a white sock.

I am acutely aware the merely obvious will suffice. I was hoping this was evidence of a secret society of aquatic explorers for which bi-colored hoses signified the greater plan of world domination only discussed in the submerged air-bells adjacent to underwater habitats affixed to the continental shelf.....

Ok, I need to get out more....

[Bronze06]

Hey SL,

The reg to the left in the picture is a 1961 DAAM !!!!!IF!!!! those are the original hoses which appears probable due to its higher serial number and West Pico/Satin finish. The reason I say this is that those hoses look like the 61 "al La Spirotechnique" flex hoses that USD copied/mimicked and were only available for that year. Below is the excerpt from the 1961 catalog showing the "new" Kleer-EEZ" mouth piece and heavy corrugated hoses al la "Spiro".

[ScubaLawyer]

Bronze, thanks for the info. The next obvious question is who, if anyone, makes those hoses now? Mark.

[Bronze06]

SL,

Unfortunately no one makes them. The closest you can get is the EPDM hoses, but they are one inch on both ends. I have two of these regs. One set of hoses was shot but the other was in good shape. What I did was acquire a Hope-Page and use that with EPDMs on one reg which was also "Phoenixized" The other I spruced up a bit with new internal parts and cleaned the hoses thoroughly and keep it as an original. Sorry about no getting back on this one sooner, but I was on leave at the time of the post.

Russ