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What to think - me using vintage dive watches and gear- is it safe ?


HartDoc

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Ok here is the set-up. My wife is getting her certification in scuba. I went with her on her open-water check off. Since I think they can only go down 20-30 feet, I decided to go and have fun. Here is what happen

First

they asked me where was my computer. I told her I have a Omega Seamaster SM300 (watch-co), thats my computer. The divemaster said everyone needs a computer to dive. I said Im not a student and I'll be ok. The risk is my Ive already signed the waiver.

Next

I pulled out my vintage scuba gear.

1) Oval mask -sport divers ~ 1965

2) US diver Aquamaster 2 hoses 1 stage regulator ~ 1967

3)Parkway rubber shortie - A [censored] to put on ~ 1970

4) Just rigging to the tank - no backplate / wing/ or bcd

5) No weights

6) Spearman duck fins - 1950

Ok, here what went down. They said I shouldnt have brought out of date gear on a openwater check out dive (I'm not diving with them me and another diver is doing our on thing)and I should just buy their gear for >$1000 or I may not be able to dive.

I told them all my gear is very well maintain and a lot of people like to dive vintage especially a hose system.

They said I was a bad example for new divers. Since I didnt have

1) inflation device / BCD

2) no computer - a vintage isnt a computer

3) no weights

4) vintage equipment especially at two hose system

What do you guys think. I posting this here vs a scubaboard because this is one of my homes.

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I think if you know what your doing it's awesome using vintage gear.

I do understand that the people responsible for the dive or area being upset though.

If it was me, and I knew what I was doing..I would have probably already known this response was coming.

I would just dive in another area with like minded friends.

I love vintage anything! I'm vintage myself! :)

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Yeah, I dive with vintage gear often. I usually get questions and how things work. Back when I first trained we focused more on skills than technology.

@Nanuq If I lived in your neck of the woods. I would be worried about a frozen... everything including a frozen hartdoc.

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@Hart, you're painfully prescient! Most of the time in fresh water I've had to break ice away before going in. Saltwater stays clear much colder. For commercial diving we just used those orange rubberized canvas gloves and our hands stayed remarkably warm. And at the end of a long shift we'd be knee deep in sweat inside our drysuits. Naassssty!

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I can kind of see their point, in so much as they would have taught the students XYZ procedures, and it could confuse them to see someone using ABC procedures, but to be honest, I think they were being a tad oversensitive and insensitive to your own experience and expertise. On a more important note, how did the dive go? Is your wife now certified?

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You know, it's always the lawyers getting in the way - everyone is so worried about lawsuits nowadays, so they're over-protective.

But in the future you should probably dive away from the nannies.

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Yea, I kinda see their point. Next time I pull out the gear I'll take some pics.

But I going cave diving this weekend.... Which watch should I wear ?

Looking forward to the photos :good::drinks: Personally speaking, I'd say as long as the gear's well maintained, while it might become 'out of date', there's no reason why it shouldn't be safe to use :) As for cave diving, Rolex 1655, afterall, that's what they were originally intended for :victory:

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Guess it depends on your experience. If you just bought some vintage gear off craigslist the week before then I would understand them being upset. But if you have been diving for longer than the instructors taking the course and have been down very deep before numerous times then tell them to relax and FO.

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I think if you know what your doing it's awesome using vintage gear.

I do understand that the people responsible for the dive or area being upset though.

If it was me, and I knew what I was doing..I would have probably already known this response was coming.

I would just dive in another area with like minded friends.

I love vintage anything! I'm vintage myself! :)

+ 1 All the way.

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The divemaster said everyone needs a computer to dive.

That divemaster needs a kick in the nuts.

I've been diving for years, never owned a computer. Tables and a watch work just fine. If I were a serious/professional diver I'd buy a computer, but as it is diving for me is just for fun and using a watch and a table is part of the fun for me.

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I'm guessing wherever she got certified also sells the $1ks worth of gear they told you that you needed?

I had a very bad experience of buying a GroupOn for scuba lessons and then being nickled and dimed on all sorts of stuff that wasn't included. I should have asked for a refund as soon as they told me I had to buy a $30 instructional DVD that wasn't included in the groupon, but my friend also signed up for it and we both didn't want to be the one who backed down. On top of all the [censored] stuff I had to buy that was required but not included in the groupon, of their required equipment that I HAD to personally own, 90% of my dad's stuff I brought in they said was not up to their spec to dive with. I ended up having to spend even more on gear that I technically already had. Horrible experience & I only ever buy groupons for food now. A $170 groupon ended up costing me $500+ Sad to say I hear this about practically any Scuba cert class, the instructors are equipment salesman first and teachers last.

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  • 1 month later...

Speaking of which, I have a friend who just signed up for an "express" diving class and was charged $239 US, plus $666.67 in diving gear, and he doesn't even own his own regulator! I was completely stunned by the prices. I have been diving and spear fishing for a while now and I just don't remember the brotherhood being so abusive. To me it's just plain abusive to charge someone so much money for an express two day class, for a course that should require at least a month, not to mention equipment the dude is never going to USE!!!!

My original long blade Viper fins(bodysurfing ones BTW) and First generation Genesis mask, plus whatever snorkel is floating around is normally what I wear, sans a weight belt every now and then and these seem fine to me still.

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