New Article and E-mail

[Bryan]

These E-mails and articles were sent to me by Dr. Sam Miller. It's all about the origins of the wetsuit. I removed the E-mail addresses but notice they are from Sam Miller, Zale Perry, Fred Roberts, Sam Lecocq and many others...It reads like a who's who of Vintage Scuba Diving! Sorry but I just had to cut copy paste the info but I think it all makes sense. Thank you Sam !


Hello Dr. Sam!

It was July 26, 2005 when I received a call from David Eisenstat the author of the LA Times Wet Suit Story. He was in the process of putting words on paper and was told by Hugh Bradner to call me to verify that Bradner was the creator of the wet suit made of neoprene. At the time David interviewed me, he was in a quandary of whether O'Neil was first or Meistrells were first with the wet suit. Neither, I exclaimed. It was Bradner.

Apparently, David is a friend of O'Neil and was siding with O'Neil when I countered with Meistrells next after Bradner then almost immediately O'Neil came on the scene. O'Neil and Meistrells are top surfers. Wet suits were and are a good thing!
Interestingly, I called David today and asked for a newsclip of the story if it was finally finished and printed.
David was under the weather with the flu and would send a clip in a day or two.

Then I re-read your e-mail of days' yore about the wet suit. Yippy!

You agree. I remember Fred Roberts in his heavy rubber that kept him chilled.

You gave a nice reply.

Thank you, dearie!

Everybody stay well please.

Hugs to all as always,

Zale


A SHORT HISTORY OF WET SUIT.

I RESEARCHED AND PUBLISHED AN ARTICLE ON WET SUIT 15-20 YEARS AGO....SO FAR AS I KNOW THE FIRST ON IT'S HISTORY.

THIS IS A GOOD SYNOPSIS OF THE WET SUIT HISTORY.......

ENJOY

SAM


----- Original Message -----

It was Hugh Bradner!

His suit was created by a serendipitous event.

He made several models which were presented to the UW Swimmers Panel of the National Science bBoard which Hugh was a member. At that time the UW SP were evaluating various exposure suits which were of WW11 vintage for use by various branches of the military, ie Dunlop, (UK ,) Pirelli (ITALY,) and I think it was either American or Young rubber company (US.)

His was unique in that it allowed the individual to become wet while wearing it. I still recall the description "a multi open celled rubber suit with a plethora of zippered openings"

The Korean was had just began so the Swimmer's Panel immediately declared his suit as "classified " and scheduled it for further testing. However Doug Fame got word of it and had a number made for his UDT unit. Hugh was prohibited from marketing it on the civilian market until about 1953--check the early SDMs for its month of introduction to the civilian market.

The rubber came from Kirhoff rubber company of Brea (near Yorba Linda in So Cal.) The rubber sheets had been developed in WW11 as a covering for military gas tanks to make them "self sealing" in case puncher by a enemy projectile.

In the 1950s I purchased several sheets at $1.00 a sheet for making my suits, Some 35 years ago my young son SamIV needed a suit. I contacted Kirkhill, they still had a huge pile of rubber sheets left over from I assume WW11. They gladly gave me a sheet and would at that time gave me a truck load if I wanted it.

We who were present must not forget the Italian dry/wet suit "Peche Sport" worn so many years by Fred Roberts-- Remember his shivering after every dive?

Or the pre neoprene suit made of open celled plastic material sold in Newport Beach (Terry??.) I had a bright red one. I also recall that Carol Merker owning one. Recall the movie made by Mort Toggweiller and Ron Merker--was it "Any one for diving?" (The name escapes me??.) But the goose bumps on her legs will always remind me of my days prior to the neoprene wet suit when I dove the red plastic suit---I am setting at my computer and shivering!

Yes! it was Hugh Bradner



SAM


----- Original Message -----
Subject: Interesting Articles from October 11 LA Times

http://www.latimes.com/ Click this link to log on to the LA Times and look up the articles.


Evolution of the suit
October 11, 2005
Matt Warshaw / Warshaw is the author of "The Encyclopedia of Surfing."
From the moment the first neoprene suit was poured, cooled, cut and stitched, its manufacturers have tried — with mixed results — to blur the distinction between fashion and utility. After all, who wants to shiver like a wet puppy or look like...

Surfing whodunit
October 11, 2005
By David Eisenstadt / Special to The Times
AT 77, Bob Meistrell leads deep-sea diving expeditions to Catalina Island and remains at the helm of Body Glove International, the multimillion-dollar Redondo Beach surf company he co-founded with his twin brother Bill half a century ago. Jack O'Neill,...