Spectrum Diving Equipment spurred by dream, hard work
Dennis Kaleta's new company, Spectrum Diving Equipment Inc., Shamokin, was born from a dream, some inspiration and lots of hard work.
The Shamokin native began diving in his late 20s after meeting a diver at Indian River Inlet, Del., who let him borrow some gear and splash around. In 1994, Kaleta earned his certification as a scuba diver, and he's been at it ever since, logging more than 800 dives.
Whether exploring a sunken shipwreck off the coast of North Carolina or looking for artifacts in the icy waters of Maine, Kaleta can't seem to get his fill of his favorite avocation.
"Diving provides me with a sublime sense of oneness with the sea; it gives me a freedom different from anything I've ever experienced," Kaleta told Northeast & Midwest Dive News. "I simply cannot imagine my life without it."
Over the years, Kaleta has experimented with new and better equipment. One such piece that vexed the diver is a dive reel - literally a length of line on a spool used to help a diver navigate through potentially dangerous areas where low visibility or the lack of light presents a challenge.
A flaw of the dive reel is for the line to tangle or "bird nest," making it useless. Also, it's difficult to use while handling other gear, like a flashlight or spear gun. After a particularly harrowing experience, Kaleta was determined to find a solution.
Faced with a deficit of advanced reels in the marketplace, Kaleta decided to invent one.
In September 2005, he developed a prototype and took it to Latovich Machine Shop, Mount Carmel. Kaleta and the shop eventually formed a partnership. Spectrum Diving Equipment was incorporated in January 2007.
The result of all of Kaleta's work has been realized in The Reeler, which, according to Kaleta, is the most advanced dive reel on the market. Using a unique combination of a line leveler and tensioning system, tangling has been eliminated. Also, the design allows for more line, all of which is easier to wing in than a conventional reel. There's even a flashlight accessory slot.
Kaleta received a patent for The Reeler in November 2008, and by spring of 2009, Spectrum had launched its first product. Currently, The Reeler is being shipped throughout the U.S., Canada, Spain and Poland.
"We are going to make truly first-rate products that are a large step ahead of anything out there, and make them right here in Pennsylvania," Kaleta said.
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