Welcome to SDHF and Dyktankhuset

This is a shortened version of our Swedish website. Only the most popular pages are translated. This page, the home page, is updated continuously.

The diving tank house (Dyktankhuset) located at Galärvarvet, Royal Djurgården in Stockholm, between the Vasa Museum and the Spirit Museum, is the heart of the association’s activities. Our purpose is to spread knowledge about diving from older times through various activities, collect objects, manuals/technical descriptions and document everything that has had and has significance for the development of diving. We hope you will find our website interesting and entice you to visit the Diving Tank House to gain more knowledge about diving in a historical perspective, in the present and in the future. The diving tank house is under the government authority The Swedish Maritime and Transport History Museums, SMTM.

Did you know that you can book special viewings? Write to us and tell us about your wishes.

Latest news from SDHF

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Do you know Alderney

Alderney is one of England’s Channel Islands. It is not far from the French coast. The island is not that big and the population is not that big either, about 2500 people. The island, like the other Channel Islands, has a relatively high degree of self-determination, which they often use to show off their island. Because it is an island, much is about the island, the birdlife, there is, among other things, a colony of puffins and the sea in all sorts of ways forms and of course the island has a diving club, Alderney, Diving Club

In 1998, the diving club celebrated its 21st birthday, and the rulers of the island thought it should be noticed. So it issued a set of stamps with diving motifs.

  • The first mark in the series represents the famous LETHBRIDGE barrel named after its English inventor John Lethbridge from 1715, constructed of a wooden barrel, from which his arms protruded through waterproof cloth sleeves and his hands, smeared with oil. an could dive for 30 minutes and breathe the air inside. It was then brought up to the surface where it was filled with new air with a small bellows before the next dive. It enabled its inventor to save many Spanish, English and French galleons and he made a fortune with it.
  • The second stamp shows the famous open helmet DEANE. Drn was invented by John Deane and his brother Charles in 1820. It all started when they were in England and a fire in which several horses were at risk of burning inside. To save the horses and get through the smoke, they used medieval armor and pumped in air with the help of a water pump from the fire department. The rescue a success. Later, the equipment was modernized with a leather helmet and air supply with a bellows (against smoke). Then it became diving equipment, with which they salvaged cannons and valuable cargo from well-known ships such as the GUERNSEY LILY, MARY ROSE, which was recognized by the Admiralty, they received a patent for the helmet and became full-time divers.
  • The third stamp shows the Siebe Gorman helmet, expelling the air with a nock valve. The helmet is adapted to the hermetic suit. It was used in rescues of Spanish and English ships such as the Royal George and many others.
  • This stamp shows the Heinke helmet similar to the Siebe Gorman with more or less advantages and superior qualities. The helmet was used in 1902 when salvaged from the shipwreck in Corblets Bay on Alderney.
  • This badge shows Cousteau-Gagnan diving equipment with demand valve, cyclops and fins in the 1940s
  • The last stamp shows the modern evolution of a fiberglass Superlite helmet – Kirby Morgan. produced in England and the USA for the modern oil industry and used in salvaging vessels such as the oil tanker MV POINT LAW, in Peace Bay.

The stamp series is considered unique, but is still available, for example at Antique dive Helmets run by a Spanish collector of classic diving helmets, lead shoes, knives, etc.

News on the website

The film archive


Sub-igloo. The film has improved sound and is provided with Swedish subtitles..

Newly added

Hans Ornhagen’s speech at the ”Birthday Party”, The rescue of an escape training tank is under ”About the Diving Tank House”
”Swedish Diving History” and Hans Ornhagen’s ”Svenska Dyktankar” are under ”History of Diving”. From here it is now also possible to reach the ”Hall of Fame”.

The archipelago fair (Skärgådsmässan)

The archipelago fair has been moved forward this year and will be held June 7 – 9. We will keep the Diving Tankhouse open and demonstrate heavy diving Saturday – Sunday. If you are a sport diver and want to try heavy diving, contact us.


Welcome!

Looking forward to meeting you at one/some of our events during the year!

Swedish Historical Diving Association (SDHF)

The Board

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