The Second Single Hose

[YankDownUnder]

I bought a Porpoise in 1976. They were only available to the military by that time, but I managed to get one. It was confirmed by Ted Eldred to be the last one ever sold to the public. When I moved to Australia in 2005, I wanted to get a Sea Bee. They were the second one and started in 1954. The Porpoise was never patented, so other companies followed suit. I went to Air Dive and was told they had seen one in many years. However, they looked around and found one which had been used to test new parts. It was rebuilt and became the last sea Bee ever sold. Mine is a 1957 model.

This is a Sea Bee on twin 26 cu ft tanks



This is the last Sea Bee regulator to be sold. A modern version is now available, but the name Sea Bee is no longer on it.

[eskimo3883]

Hi,

Great photos. I need to be reminded the USA is not the center of the diving world. I would love to see a few more shots of the reg and tank set up. I like the photos big even if they take a bit to load up.

[Sniox]

Hi Steve.

Thank you for sharing

It is funny that Poseidon states that they produced the worlds first single hose regulator in 1958

http://www.poseidon.com/about/the-poseidon-story/

Best regards

Niels

[YankDownUnder]

Niels,

I saw that comment on the Posiden site. Perhaps they made their first single hose regulator at that time, but they did not make the first single hose regulator. If their date of 1958 is correct, they are about 4th. The Porpoise CA-1 was the first. The inventor told me he sold his first regulator early in 1952. Mine has 1953 stamped on the tank valves.

The Sea Bee was made in 1954 and the Submatic was made in 1956. All were Australian. The Dawson Lung was made about 1958 and later sold by Sea Hornet, again an Australian product. The single hose was not patented because Ted Eldred could not afford to do so. Once his product was on the shelf, no one else could patent it, although some tried. Steve

This is the 1956 Scubmatic



This is the 1961 Sea Hornet, copied from the 1958 Dawson Lung