The Torpedo DPV (Dive Propulsion Vehicle)

[TLS]

You just wear the magnet inside your glove.

 

[empressdiver]

I've had the 2000 for 6-8 months now and used it at least a couple dozen times. I love it... yea the weight out of the water sucks. It's not a speed demon.. at full charge it will basically keep up with a fast diver kicking hard and after an hour and a half if you use the whole time, it will move you, but just barely. I pull my buddy (holds top of my tank) and we cruise about the speed of casual kicking without the kicking. Current and especially surge do make a big difference of course. The higher powered model- 3500 would be good if you only do 1 short deep dive ie 45 min., but I tend to prefer the longer hour and a half shallow dive. I do get 2 boat dives out of 1 battery charge as long as it's not on the whole time.

To pull your buddy more efficiently, put a D-ring on the upper rear of your crotch strap and attach a line to it with a bolt snap at each end, and your buddy can attach the other end to his tow ring. This way he can stay in your slipstream and avoid the extra water resistance created by his holding the top of your tank.

 

[OceanObsessed]

I've never used a scooter before but I am thinking about purchasing one for freediving. I have not decided which scooter to purchase.

I like the Torpedo 3500 (most powerful of the Torpedo series) because you can mount a video housing on it. I am currently using a Top Dawg housing which is about the same diameter as a scuba tank. I know the video housing is going to slow it down but since I wont be wearing a tank, regulator, bc... I'm expecting that it should tow me at least the same speed as someone using a tank when the housing is attached. I'm 5'10'' 190 pounds.

For those of you that have used this scooter I'd like to hear your thoughts about how you think it might perform freediving with and/or without an attached camera.
Thanks in advance
-Chris

 

[empressdiver]

I have a different scooter, but with any scooter the video housing will slow it down a little, but it shouldn't be much. You want a scooter to have almost neutral bouyancy and the video housing and camera may change that. I would think the bouyancy would be very important to have dialed in correctly for freediving, otherwise it could be like holding on to an anchor!

But the concern that immediately comes into my mind is that you could go deep, and then if the scooter died or flooded or the prop got entangled in fishing line or rope, etc, and you were depending on it to get you back to the surface, you could be in serious trouble.

In scuba diving, the rule is that you should be ascending slowly with your fin kicks and not ascending quickly with the power of the scooter, because of decompression requirements. So you plan your diving without relying on the scooter for ascent.

So, I would think the safe method for freediving would be to use the scooter primarily only for horizontal travel, and stay within a depth limit of your personal freediving capability. You also would have to be prepared to drop the scooter in the event of any of the above problems.

Scuba divers normally attach a line to both sides of the scooter with a bolt snap on the line to connect to a crotch strap ring, so the line takes the pulling force and not your arms. But since each freediving trip will be short, you may not need it, and you may be safer without it.

 

[rjack321]

The weight is a good thing in the water. You wouldn't want a neutral DPV. If you lay it on the bottom you want it to stay there. Another nice thing about the Torpedo is that it can easily be operated with only one hand. Try that with most other DPV's and you'll have a tough time manuevering. Also, you can use them one handed with either hand, right or left....another advantage over the other brands.

Neutral or slightly positive scooters don't damage the reef. They are also recoverable if you have to cut one loose. Most scooters are operated with one hand. Almost all scooters use some type of magnetic reed switch, usually trigger activated. The torpedo is unusual in that you put the magnet in your hand.

 

[OceanObsessed]

I have a different scooter, but with any scooter the video housing will slow it down a little, but it shouldn't be much. You want a scooter to have almost neutral bouyancy and the video housing and camera may change that. I would think the bouyancy would be very important to have dialed in correctly for freediving, otherwise it could be like holding on to an anchor!

But the concern that immediately comes into my mind is that you could go deep, and then if the scooter died or flooded or the prop got entangled in fishing line or rope, etc, and you were depending on it to get you back to the surface, you could be in serious trouble.

In scuba diving, the rule is that you should be ascending slowly with your fin kicks and not ascending quickly with the power of the scooter, because of decompression requirements. So you plan your diving without relying on the scooter for ascent.

So, I would think the safe method for freediving would be to use the scooter primarily only for horizontal travel, and stay within a depth limit of your personal freediving capability. You also would have to be prepared to drop the scooter in the event of any of the above problems.

Scuba divers normally attach a line to both sides of the scooter with a bolt snap on the line to connect to a crotch strap ring, so the line takes the pulling force and not your arms. But since each freediving trip will be short, you may not need it, and you may be safer without it.

Thanks for all the tips empressdiver.
Yeah, I agree... I certainly would not ever take a scooter to any depth/distance that I could not swim myself and the scooter back to safety. I'm not fond of attaching myself to anything while freediving either. I may attach it to my kayak with some type of a lanyard while surface swimming so the scooter can pull myself and the kayak along.

Nobody wants to be the person pulling the kayak along while freediving.... having a scooter may change that

 

[ReefGuy]

I have a bladder for my torpedo that holds enough air to make it about 1 or 2 pounds positive.

It's the torpedo 2500, it also can house the videocamera platform.

 

[OceanObsessed]

I like the idea that you can use the bladder to make it positive. When in shallow water I would want it slightly negative so I can set it down. In deeper water, where I cannot see bottom while on the surface, I would like it to be a slightly positive at depth. That way, in the event that I had to abandon it, it will float back up to the surface.

Reefguy, do you find this chart to be accurate? It says that your model has a battery time of 55 minutes. Is that the point where it is completely dead or do you get 55 minutes of good performance before the power begins to diminish?

I am very skeptical that the 3500 model can do 3.5 mph. I would be extremely impressed if it could even pull a freediver at that speed. That is damn fast undwerwater!

 

[kidspot]

According to reviews I've read on the 3500 it does about 100-110 feet per minute pulling a diver. I'd guess a lot of the manufacturers measure speeds without a diver attached, or in the case of Torpedo based upon the specs of the motor (trolling motor speed) but that's just my "guess" and not based upon any actual knowledge.

In comparison SS, Gavin and X scooters run in the 160-210 feet per minute range depending upon settings etc.. (3.5mph would be over 300 ft per minute)

If anyone has actual data feel free to correct me

Aloha, Tim

 

[Grognard]

I just thought that I would jump into this thread for my first post since I have had 3 Torpedo 2000s for about 7 years. I have never had any problems since the company replaced (free) some bad nose cones and latches. Mine were some early models. Plan on replacing the nose o-ring every 3-4 years and the battery should last at least that long. Use the company's o-ring since they are softer than commercial ones. Commercial battery replacements are available. If you keep the o-ring and groove clean, you should have no leakage problems. Get an extra magnet/velcro strap and keep it on the opposite side handle in case you lose the original.

They are no speedsters, but you will reduce your air consumption so much that you will run out of bottom time first usually. The bladder is a good option, especially if you are going to use the scooter in fresh water. The camera platform is easy to use for video, but does reduce the speed a little. It is also a good place to mount a compass and watch for running underwater search patterns. There isn't much compass deviation from the motor magnetics.

I've used mine from shore and from boats and it's just as easy to handle as a tank. When I offered them for use in Advanced classes, the students have loved them. They always came back with a smile and wanted to know where they could buy one. I've also used them in Search & Recovery dives and am always impressed in how much territory I can cover.

If you are not in a hurry and can live with the one hour battery time, IMHO it would be hard to find a better scooter for the money.

I hope to join in this forum often now. It seems like there are some good divers here.

Grognard