First DPV - Your recommendations

[sharky001]

I really don't have anything to add as I've never used a DPV, but this is a cool video for those who are interested in X-Scooters [and their 'speed shift' system]:

YouTube - Dive Xtras Speed Shift on the fly

and this just looks like a killer day out with an X-Scooter:

YouTube - One Seriously Epic Day at Pt lobos, CA

Enjoy.

 

[sharky001]

Have people seen this DPV company:

Farallon USA, Inc. Worlds Best Diver Propulsion Vehicles

They look pretty hardcore. Military use mostly. Very heavy.

 

[Baracuda Smile]

I really don't have anything to add as I've never used a DPV, but this is a cool video for those who are interested in X-Scooters [and their 'speed shift' system]:

YouTube - Dive Xtras Speed Shift on the fly

and this just looks like a killer day out with an X-Scooter:

YouTube - One Seriously Epic Day at Pt lobos, CA

Enjoy.

Great videos sharky, My Seadoo also have the same speed mechanisim only three speeds. The best part is that they can be carried with one hand and I bought two of them for $700. They are very fun, but I use my scooters to get to dive spots that others can't access. I typically drag a dive float with me, use the scooters to zip to the outer reef, then anchor the scooters and the dive float and conduct a normal dive then scooter back into shoar.

 

[verickson]

If you go to tahoebenchmark.com you can find some results on DPV testing done this last summer at Lake Tahoe, Ca.

 

[fdog]

Welcome to SB, Vic! Your experience and great diving skills will be a benefit to the board.


All the best, James

 

[Mr.X]

Have people seen this DPV company:

Farallon USA, Inc. Worlds Best Diver Propulsion Vehicles

They look pretty hardcore. Military use mostly. Very heavy.

This company has gone through many negative changes over the years. The scooter is dated & cannot compete with the newer scooters in the speed, or weight category. It does win the prize for biggest and heaviest.

It was not included in the Tahoe Benchmark tests. I can almost expect the outcome? My friends have tested the Farallon and found that it lagged far behind a SS scooter.

X

 

[ben.mcgeever]

Are they still in buisness? They didnt goto DEMA and they still list the Arrow as a Dive Rite product. As I understand it, Dive Rite discontinued the product 2? years ago.

 

[Mr.X]

Farallon President:

Recipient Profile - Rudi Asseer - Forty Under 40

Additionally, IANTD was sold to Farallon, then sold back to IANTD in 2005.

Harvard Extension: As the University’s primary resource for continuing education, we bring Harvard academics to the public through evening and online courses, and part-time programs. We are open to students with a variety of backgrounds and goals, with no formal requirements beyond a commitment to an academic challenge.

 

[sailcsy44]

As stated earlier Farallon has been around for many years and ownership changed hands a couple of times. They still make a few sales to foreign special forces on occasion. The US military over the years has owned many of them but they always end up the same way. On a pallet at DRMO for auction. A dive shop in Honolulu bought some surplus units in the early 90s and tried to use them for fun rides but they ended up with the same issues as every other user. Short battery life to the point of becoming useless.
As far as I'm concerned all the current tow motors are just knockoffs of the Farallon. They just have better batterys and are lighter.

 

[Baracuda Smile]

If you go to tahoebenchmark.com you can find some results on DPV testing done this last summer at Lake Tahoe, Ca.

Verickson,

Thanks for the link! The trials read is very interesting!!!

It would be nice if an independent orginization did this test annually. It would also be nice to have more vendors present for the test. The test would also be nice to test in different conditions. For example different water tempreture, current, surf, surg, current along with battery life, speed, weight, and manueverability using a standard test subjects. This would give us (most useres) the best useable conditions these DPV's can cover. For example the combustible engine...the gas engine has a overall faster speed, but the deisle engine provides more torge. I think putting the DPV's under verying conditions will also seperate the Profesional versus the Amature DPV's.