Georges Beuchat (11 February 1910 – 20 October 1991) was a French inventor, underwater diver, businessman and emblematic pioneer of underwater activities and founder of Beuchat. Throughout his lifetime, Beuchat never ceased developing products which have significantly enhanced underwater activity as we know it today. Many of his inventions and innovations have gone down in history, including the surface buoy in 1948, the first underwater camera housing in 1950, and the first vented fins (the Jetfins in 1964).

Georges Beuchat
Georges Beuchat in 1980.
Born(1910-02-11)11 February 1910
Marseille, France
Died20 October 1991(1991-10-20) (aged 81)
Cassis, France
Occupation(s)Inventor,
Diver,
Businessman

Beuchat inventions

edit
 
Georges Beuchat wearing the foam-rubber isothermic wetsuit he invented
  • 1947: Tarzan Speargun
  • 1948: Surface Buoy
  • 1950: Tarzan camera housing
  • 1950: Tarzan calf sheath for diving knife[1]
  • 1953: First isothermic (foam rubber) diving suit[2][3][4]
  • 1954: Split strap for diving mask.[5]
  • 1958: Compensator (single-window mask)[6][7][8][9]
  • 1959: Tarzan fin grips[10] (3-way straps securing closed-heel fins on feet)[11]
  • 1960: Espadon nervure fins
  • 1960: Espadon Record fins with blades featuring parallel longitudinal ribs[12]
  • 1963: Tarzan wetsuit
  • 1964: Jetfins (1st vented fins. 100,000 units sold in the first few years)[13]
  • 1964: Souplair regulator
  • 1975: Marlin speargun
  • 1978: Atmos regulator

Distinction

edit
  • Georges Beuchat received the Exportation Award in 1961.[14]

References

edit
  1. ^ Paul Beuchat: FR1208702. Gaine de poignard pour plongeur. Retrieved on 13 June 2019.
  2. ^ Georges Beuchat and Pierre Malaval: FR61926. Vêtement isolant pour séjour dans l'eau en surface ou en plongée. Retrieved on 13 June 2019.
  3. ^ Georges Beuchat and Pierre Malaval: FR979205. Vêtement isolant pour séjour dans l'eau en surface ou en plongée. Retrieved on 13 June 2019.
  4. ^ Georges Beuchat and Pierre Malaval: FR1029851. Dispositif de liaison par fermeture automatique des parties jointives d'un vêtement isotherme pour plongée ou autre. Retrieved on 13 June 2019.
  5. ^ Georges Beuchat: FR1095781. Attache pour masque de plongée et de natation. Retrieved on 13 June 2019.
  6. ^ FFESSM No. 2, 1958: Nouveautés Pêche Sport Marseille. Retrieved on 13 June 2019.
  7. ^ Paul Beuchat: FR1190915. Dispositif régulateur de pression pour masque de plongée. Retrieved on 13 June 2019.
  8. ^ Paul Beuchat: Masque de plongée et de prospection sous-marine. Retrieved on 13 June 2019.
  9. ^ Paul Beuchat: FR1211281. Dispositif régulateur de pression pour masque de plongée. Retrieved on 13 June 2019.
  10. ^ Pêche-Sport. Retrieved on 11 June 2019.
  11. ^ Paul Beuchat: FR1224519. Sangle stabilisatrice pour palme de natation et de plongée. Retrieved on 11 June 2019.
  12. ^ Georges Beuchat: FR1175567. Pale de propulsion pour nage. Retrieved on 11 June 2019.
  13. ^ ESSM No. 20 1963: Jetfins, palmes à tuyères. Retrieved on 13 June 2019.
  14. ^ Oscars de l'exportation 1961 Archived September 25, 2019, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved on 13 June 2019.
edit