Healthways SCUBA Regulator (Attack of the 1950's Scuba Regulators Part IV)

 

Healthways SCUBA Regulator, 1957-1959.  The mouthpiece is from a later Healthways regulator, and the original hoses were way too far gone to use.  This is a shame because they were a beautiful blue colour and gave the regulator a great look.

     This is my second piece on Healthways Scuba gear.  The first was on their Scubair regulator from 1962-1968.  This episode is about their second offering to the burgeoning world of Scuba Diving in the 1950's.  This regulator came out in 1957 and replaced their "Div-Air" regulator.  Healthways used the term "Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus" as the name for this regulator, hence the "SCUBA".

    Healthways has a gained a reputation in the modern diving world as a maker of "budget" or second rate gear, which is unfounded in my opinion, because much of their kit is very well made and has some interesting included features. The  Healthways Co. of Los Angeles, Calif. was one of the first makers of Scuba equipment in the United States.  When the interest in vintage Scuba began to gain traction, Healthways was not the most popular of gear to collect and dive.  As of now that is slowly starting to change.  I know a small but dedicated group of vintage Divers who are starting to warm up to diving Healthways Scuba gear.

     The Healthways SCUBA Regulator is a single stage regulator.  This means that it turns the high-pressure air in the Scuba tank into breathable air at ambient pressure in one stage.  This also means that the SCUBA was easier and cheaper to make.  This translates to decades later a Diver coming across this regulator is able to get it taken apart, cleaned up and put back together and running with very little drama. I swear this is the easiest double hose regulator I have ever came across.  Very little inside to go wrong, but not everything, more on that later.

    One of the criticisms about the Healthways SCUBA is from modern Diver who are diving a SCUBA without the original Hope-Page Mouthpiece.  The later mouthpiece are found on a number of SCUBA regulators and there is a general concensus that they are too small and don't deliver enough air.  Honestly, I have not had this issue, and have dove my SCUBA with a post-SCUBA Healthways mouthpiece without issue.  Granted I have not taken my SCUBA to very deep depths and have not gotten into heavy physical assertion.  I might change my tune if this were the case, but so far I have no issues.  Many Divers simply replace the hoses with US Divers hoses.  The original Hope-Page mouthpieces tend to go for a bit of cash. I do have one, but am reluctant to actually use it.

Original Hope-Page Mouthpiece found on Healthways Div-Air and SCUBA Regulators.  And yes, those are hose clamps, just like found on a '67 Mustang.

    One more quirky feature found on the Healthways SCUBA is the exhaust.  This is the Achilles Heal of this regulator in my opinion.  The exhaust is a small diaphragm inside the body of regulator that seals off the end of the exhaust hose from the internal part of the regulator.   Over the years these small diaphragms turn solid, or most likely just disappear, which was the case with mine.  I was lucky in that the original clamp for the exhaust was still in place and I was able to fabricate a ersatz exhaust by using a piece of rubber glove.  This solution works, but needs to be replaced from time to time.  I had my fail at 40 foot once.  That adds a certain Jenna-saits-qua to your diving experience.  Luckily mine did not totally go at once and only leaked a bit.  But taking a breath and getting water is not fun.  I need to find a better material to replace this.  This is the downside of the SCUBA Regulator.  

    In 1960 with the Healthways SCUBA Deluxe and in 1963 with the "Gold Label" the exhaust issue was resolved with a much better solution.  My gut reaction about the exhaust format on the original SCUBA was a "work around" the patents on the US Divers and Voit exhaust?  Just an educated guess.  If the people who make reproduction parts for vintage Scuba gear could suss out a workable replacement for this part, it could open up one more source of inexpensive regulators for vintage Divers.  The SCUBA was made in great numbers and go for good prices.  Getting more of them in the water would be a great thing.

At this point I'm grateful that main diaphragms and hoses are available from Rob at The Scuba Museum.

     Exhaust issues aside, the Heathway's SCUBA is a fun 1950's regulator to dive.  I really enjoy diving mine.  It is different...most Divers who dive vintage tend to gravitate towards US Divers and Voit gear, Healthways is different and gets looks and comments.  Most of them good.  Like my friend on the Vintage Scuba Forum Jay Bird says "Viva La Difference"!!!  In closing, the Healthways SCUBA Regulator is a major part of the early days of Scuba Diving.  It was an affordable way of getting Divers in the water in the late 1950's and it has the potential of showing a new generation of Divers what diving was like in the early days.