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Discussion of diving methods and equipment available prior to the development of BCDs beyond the horse collar. This forum is dedicated to the pre-1970 diving.
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Bronze06
Master Diver
Posts: 666
Joined: Tue Jul 01, 2014 5:33 am
First Name: Russell
Location: Tabuk, Saudi Arabia

1959 "50 Fathom" Blue Can Red Sea Dive and Red Lens Effects

Mon Oct 17, 2016 12:33 pm

:D Hey Folks,

Finally took my 1959/60 "50 Fathom" Voit for a spin. God it breathed great! The 1956 "Sail Fins" by Voit weren't too bad. Made a lttle video and dropped it on the Youtube. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHsl3vReEME
"Where'd ya get that ol' thang, don't cha' know them thare things ill kill ya!"

Live From the Red Sea,

Russ

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simonbeans
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Joined: Sat Jun 25, 2005 2:00 pm
First Name: Allan
Location: Rochester NY

Re: 1959 "50 Fathom" Blue Can Red Sea Dive and Red Lens Effe

Tue Oct 18, 2016 10:22 am

Nice video. Love the Red Sea. I was there last October (2015). I would go back again in a heart beat. Some of the best diving I have enjoyed.

Love your Voit 50 Fathom. That was the first "vintage" reg I got back in early 2000. I use mine exclusively in Silver Springs for the Sea Hunt adventures. Breathes great.

I do have a new goal for you. The originals came with chrome Tinnerman clamps. Your task, should you decide to accept it, is to get a set for your reg. They are extremely difficult to find, but the reward is definitely worth the effort:

Image
Check out my website: www.vintagescubastuff.com

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ScubaLawyer
Master Diver
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Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2010 11:25 am
First Name: Mark
Location: Laguna Beach, CA

Re: 1959 "50 Fathom" Blue Can Red Sea Dive and Red Lens Effe

Tue Oct 18, 2016 11:34 am

Cool vid! I too love the Red Sea. Last time I dove there was 1993 on a liveaboard from Sharm El Sheikh down to Zabargad by the Sudan border. We had 14 days of diving. Although not politically correct now we had some great spearfishing outside the protected areas. Lots of Trevally as I recall. Filmed some great shark feeds up close. I have a video somewhere showing a black tip shark's nose striking the lens port on an old Hi-8 Quest video housing, the port cracking, and water trickling in. I think that was at Daedalus reef. Love to go back if only to take pictures. Mark
"The diver who collects specimens of underwater life has fun and becomes a keen underwater observer. .. seek slow-moving or attached organisms such as corals, starfish, or shelled creatures." (Golden Guide to Scuba Diving, 1968) :D

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Bronze06
Master Diver
Posts: 666
Joined: Tue Jul 01, 2014 5:33 am
First Name: Russell
Location: Tabuk, Saudi Arabia

Re: 1959 "50 Fathom" Blue Can Red Sea Dive and Red Lens Effe

Sat Oct 22, 2016 8:37 am

What no one said anything about the 1956 Voit "Sail Fins"???? Damn prima donna vintage double hose regulators always take up all of the limelight!

Hey Simon,

This reg came with an original band clamp, but it was a little metal fatigued so I went with a new one. I guess the original owner sprang for the extra $ for the up-grade. THOSE clamps are rare as hens teeth. I like band clamps because I dive so much here I like to open up the regs quickly for maintenance purposes about every 6 dives or so to check for ANY possible infiltration. So far zip, but it's a good habit to get into. Regarding chrome Tinnerman's I would definitely put on a set IF I could find some!!??@#%$#@! It is hard enough just finding functional black or green tinnermans. Damn it!

Scubalawyer,

The Trevally are still there and in good numbers on the Saudi side of the Gulf of Aqaba. Very few tourists obviously come here, unlike Sharm El Sheik, Hurgada in Egypt or Aqaba in Jordan. We must remember that spearfishing was one of the great reasons to get into diving backin in the 1950s and 60s. Responsibly done, as it is in Arkansas, Alaska (I believe) and Texas waters, it can be a sustainable eco-friendly sport. Cousteau himself fed his family during the war with fish he'd speared.
Here however, many but not all Saudi divers spear anything that moves. European tourists and expats (who in home waters which they've over fished and polluted and now have no spearfishing allowed) come here and do the same thing without real regard for size and type. Hypocrisy in the diving world? Nah, couldn't happen could it?
As you might have seen, the amount of human garbage floating around in Jordan is ridiculous and Egypt is is even worse. The Saudis have the terrible tendency to throw crap everywhere and feel no resposnsiblity for doing this. Nets and old fishing line abound and we will often go in beach and reef clean up dives to the Saudi's chagrin. All that said, I am old enough to remember how we in the US and Canada used to throw garbage out of car windows and leave crap all over the place when camping. When fishing, people would just throw shit overboard. This was in the 1960s and some of this crap continued clear on up into the early 1980s in parts of the US.
Down in south Texas we still have a problem with low lifes throwing crap all over the road and beaches and when they get caught they get hammered and then they wonder why they are getting hammered by the law. Idiots! Eastern Saudi is getting better. It is all about education and changing social norms that have been here for more than 100 years, but they are slowly changing for the better. As more Saudis realize what a wonderful coast and country they have, more and more are starting to admonish the idiot that throws garbage everywhere and force them to pick it up. Things are slowly changing for the better here IMO.
"Where'd ya get that ol' thang, don't cha' know them thare things ill kill ya!"

Live From the Red Sea,

Russ

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