Vintage Double Hose

ZERO Equipment Failures at Sea Hunt Forever
- We tend to take the reliability of our rebuilt/restored vintage diving equipment for granted. But considering how often modern divers may scoff or smirk at our vintage diving activities, I think the public record of Sea Hunt Forever is worth bragging about.
- Considering 6-10 divers per half hour segment and 7 hours straight each day, that's over 160 dives for the weekend without anybody's dive gear failing. All in full view of the public.
- Not too shabby!

Yeah Eb, no failures. But the Sea Hunt crew does not represent the "average" diver these days. The Sea Hunt guys and gals not only know how to dive, they know their gear literally inside out. They also do more then four dives a year. Practice makes perfect.

Good point!

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swimjim wrote:Yeah Eb, no failures. But the Sea Hunt crew does not represent the "average" diver these days. The Sea Hunt guys and gals not only know how to dive, they know their gear literally inside out. They also do more then four dives a year. Practice makes perfect.

Case in point. A few months ago I walked down to one of my favorite coves to dive and saw a diver standing on the beach with his buddy. The buddy had standard modern everything equipment-wise but the other guy had a DH reg with faded yellow hoses (complete with every other equipment hang-on ever invented). Naturally I walked over to inquire and strike up a conversation. Nice guy. Said he had been interested in diving a double hose for quite some time, had done all his research and bought the Mistral he was using off E-Bay. Said he overhauled the guts, replaced the single 0-ring, new diaphragm, etc... Said it breathed great and this was his first time in the water with it. That's when I noticed the odd yellow hose and mouthpiece color. Damn if it wasn't an original hose and mouthpiece from back in the day, complete with cracks (as in visible holes in the corrugation on the exhaust side). I also noticed there were no clamps holding the hoses to either horn or to the mouthpiece on either side. So I ask what's up with that? He matter-of-factly said that those hoses and mouthpiece came with the reg and did not come with any clamps. The guy he bought it from told him no one manufactured the hoses or mouthpiece anymore to "specifically fit the Mistral" so he somehow got neoprene wetsuit cement into an "aerosol form" (his words) and blew it in through both ends of each hose to seal the insides. OK...... Then since he didn't have any clamps he just painted on neoprene wetsuit cement to hold the hoses to the horns and mouthpiece. OK ..... I really didn't want to sound like the SCUBA police but I had to tell him that, in my humble opinion, having dove a number of DH regs for some time now, he was asking for death or great bodily harm. I told him there were a number of places to buy brand new hoses, mouthpieces, clamps, etc... I tried my best to be nice but firmly stress that what he was doing was a recipe for disaster. He ignored me and walked into the water. The first small wave that hit him knocked him down and one of the hoses broke clean in two like Mike Nelson himself had cut it. There will always be a few! Mark

Mark,

That is a great tale of ignorance and arrogance. Glad the diver decided to abort when SPECTRE cut his hose. Should put him in contact with Rob for some silicone replacements, and DH for the clamps, wagon wheels and one way valves.

Scary story there, Mark. First thing that pops up on a Google search for "vintage double hose" comes up with this site as the first hit! Hopefully that diver eventually finds his way here.

ScubaLawyer wrote:

swimjim wrote:Yeah Eb, no failures. But the Sea Hunt crew does not represent the "average" diver these days. The Sea Hunt guys and gals not only know how to dive, they know their gear literally inside out. They also do more then four dives a year. Practice makes perfect.

Case in point. A few months ago I walked down to one of my favorite coves to dive and saw a diver standing on the beach with his buddy. The buddy had standard modern everything equipment-wise but the other guy had a DH reg with faded yellow hoses (complete with every other equipment hang-on ever invented). Naturally I walked over to inquire and strike up a conversation. Nice guy. Said he had been interested in diving a double hose for quite some time, had done all his research and bought the Mistral he was using off E-Bay. Said he overhauled the guts, replaced the single 0-ring, new diaphragm, etc... Said it breathed great and this was his first time in the water with it. That's when I noticed the odd yellow hose and mouthpiece color. Damn if it wasn't an original hose and mouthpiece from back in the day, complete with cracks (as in visible holes in the corrugation on the exhaust side). I also noticed there were no clamps holding the hoses to either horn or to the mouthpiece on either side. So I ask what's up with that? He matter-of-factly said that those hoses and mouthpiece came with the reg and did not come with any clamps. The guy he bought it from told him no one manufactured the hoses or mouthpiece anymore to "specifically fit the Mistral" so he somehow got neoprene wetsuit cement into an "aerosol form" (his words) and blew it in through both ends of each hose to seal the insides. OK...... Then since he didn't have any clamps he just painted on neoprene wetsuit cement to hold the hoses to the horns and mouthpiece. OK ..... I really didn't want to sound like the SCUBA police but I had to tell him that, in my humble opinion, having dove a number of DH regs for some time now, he was asking for death or great bodily harm. I told him there were a number of places to buy brand new hoses, mouthpieces, clamps, etc... I tried my best to be nice but firmly stress that what he was doing was a recipe for disaster. He ignored me and walked into the water. The first small wave that hit him knocked him down and one of the hoses broke clean in two like Mike Nelson himself had cut it. There will always be a few! Mark

This guy wasn't one of the Know it All millenials was he? This is more prooof that the dive instruction agencies are failing in their role. That or the "dumbing down of America" really is showing. LOL Was this moron even certified is the follow on question? It is idiots such as this dolt that will continue to give rise to the myth that "Them dar things ill kill yah!" Great write up.