LXD048 : Dick Long

Retrieved from ScubaGuru - Expert Advice & Best Practices for Scuba Diving Professionals Dick Long – Diving Industry Veteran & Exposure Protection Legend In this episode of The League of Extraordinary Divers I chat with thermal protection legend Dick Long. Bio If you’ve ever worn a wetsuit or drysuit – and most of you have – then you can thank today’s legend for the improved designs of thermal insulation on your dives! Dick Long is the Founder, owner and chairman of the board, of Diving Unlimited International, Inc, San Diego, CA DUI is currently considered the leader in drysuit design, manufacturing, dive procedures and buoyancy control. Dick Began diving in 1958. Became a diving instructor in 1960 – NAUI #49. After that he became certified as PADI and YMCA instructor. He worked as a contract diver with the U.S. Navy in the Arctic in 1965 and was an equipment designer for Sea Lab II; worked on early saturation dives. Dick participated in the first dives to over 1000 feet and eventually open sea, working dives to 1400 feet. He lectures and writes extensively for recreational publications and retail shows. Dick started his own diving equipment business in 1959 and started developing wetsuits which ultimately became dry suits in the early 1980s. In 1965 developed the hot water suit which is in use to this day. Dick has served major marketplaces including the Military, Search and Rescue and Scientific, Recreational diver and Commercial/Industrial markets. Equipment Development And when it comes to equipment development, he has developed helmets, gas manifold systems, backpack harnesses, weight and trim systems, buoyancy control systems, zip seals, breathing bag assemblies, and various thermal protection equipment, bell survival systems, rebreather systems, a to-fro CO2 scrubber system, wide variety of thermal support equipment Patents Dick had developed an amazing 12 patents including: Air Inlet Valve for Underwater Diver’s Dry SuitLow Friction means to Facilitate Putting on an Underwater SuitUnderwater Diver’s Drysuit & Method of Sealing (Seam Sealing)Easy Access Underwater Diving SuitMethod of Treating an Underwater Diver’s DrysuitNonreturn Hot Water Diving SuitMethod of Forming Crushed FoamHot Water SuitHot Water SystemBreathing Gas HeaterWeight and Trim SystemBuoyancy Compensator Awards 1965 – U.S. Navy Superior Accomplishment Award1991 – NOGI award for education1994 – NAUI Lenny Greenstone award for safety1994 – L.A. County Underwater Instructors’ Assn. – honoree for diving safety and education1995 – Diver of the Year award from Beneath the Sea Show1996 – DAN Diver of the Year Award1997 – California Scuba Service Award2000 – NAUI Hall of Fame2003 – Diver of the Year, Our World Underwater2004 – DEMA Reaching Out Award for lifetime achievement2016 – California Divers Hall of Fame2017- NAUI life time achievement award Author of Training and Educational Material DrySuit Diving – Book Board of Advisors Historical Diving Society USAIANTD – Int’l Association of Nitrox and Tech DiversFlorida Institute of TechnologySanta Barbara City College – Commercial Diving SchoolCalifornia Ships to ReefsDiver’s Alert Network (DAN)San Diego Oceans FoundationCalifornia Certified Reef EnhancementDEMA European DevelopmentDEMA Board – Education CommitteeScuba Diving Resource GroupAnd many others Of his many diving organization professional membership, Dick is also a fellow in The Explorers Club Items In This Podcast Began diving in California when there were no scuba training agenciesStarted his first diving business in 1959Went through the first NAUI Instructor course in Texas in 1960Worked on Sea Lab II projectHelping the US Navy with exposure suit protectionThe first hot water suitChasing black sea bassThe wonderful operations at DUI Sponsor Special thanks to our episode sponsor Aggressor Adventures Thanks For Listening! Thank you for joining me again. Do you want to give a shout out to our guest on this podcast? Leave a note in the comments section below! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post. Please leave an honest review for The League of Extraordinary Divers podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! And, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. The post LXD048 : Dick Long appeared first on ScubaGuru.