Decor nautica BCd

Question
Mike,

I was diving and there is a guard on top of an inflator hose that fell off. Where can I get replacement parts now that Decor is no longer?

I live in the Wisconnsin area.

Thanks,

Ron

Answer
Hi Ron,

I'm sorry to hear about your equipment problem and I have several possible solutions for you.

It's true that Dacor no longer exists as a separate company.  They merged with Mares (www.mares.com) several years ago and now exist under the Mares name.  For a long time, Mares and Dacor were twins and much of their equipment and parts were actually interchangeable so the merger didn't actually change much as far as the equipment lineup is concerned.  Contacting Mares may lead to a solution for you.

Dacor and many other equipment suppliers didn't maintain a replacement parts inventory for more than about 10 years so, depending on how old your equipment is, new parts may no longer be available anyway.  If you are able to locate a source of replacement parts, you'll need the model name from your BC along with the serial number and year of manufacture.  This information should be available on a tag sewn into the BC. It is generally located inside one of the side pockets.

Many dive shops, mine included, retain usable parts when we scrap old equipment that is no longer serviceable so there could be an old inflator mechanism laying around gathering dust in the back of some dive shop.  An inquiry is all it takes to see if this may help you.  The internet may also be a source of parts and a little time spent there could be rewarding.  You will probably have to purchase the entire mechanism just to get a piece of it but the cost should be minimal.

Replacing the entire inflator mechanism is another possible solution for you.  They all work the same way and the differences are just cosmetic.  The only critical point is where the inflator mechanism screws onto the receiving fitting permanently attached to the shoulder of your BC.  These fittings vary considerably so you'll need to check carefully to be sure a replacement will actually install on your BC.  There is a rubber gasket at this juncture so be sure you install it.  This attachment is only finger tight so don't overtighten it or you'll never be able to get it off again.

Ron, I hope this information will lead to a solution to your problem.  Please let me know if you have further questions.

Sincerely,

Mike Giles
Mike's Dive Center
mikescuba.com