Riding scooter

Just saw a vid on MSN this morning of an underwater scooter type of vehicle called the Bob. Battery powered, self contained with tank and helmet. Very intereseting idea, but as the passenger is surrounded and protected by the structure of the vehicle I can see how this could end up causing an awful lot of damage to a reef or any bottom structure. I was both impressed by the creation and scared when I envisioned the damages such a vehicle could cause if handled by amatures. It's anticipated price shown in the video seems like it will certainly be well within the range of a lot of hobyists and gadget freaks. Anyone familiar with this machine and it's intended market?

I saw a boat with several of them in Key West recently. The intended audience would have to primarily be tourists no doubt. My first thought about the BOB would be a flooded bubble and what that would mean to a non diver. I could see panic setting in followed by a frantic free swimming ascent unless you had one support diver per unit underwater.
Damage to the environment is certainly a concern.
Google BOB underwater adventure and you'll find some great video of the machine.
Maybe someone that's worked on one of these concessions will have some better insight.

I see real potential for major bouyancy control problems with these machines ( and related panic accents, etc), and the rider is still basicly on a scuba system, so any use should require scuba training, IMO. This is on top of the potential for environmental impact, resulting from careless use of the vehicle. They sure look like fun, but with pretty serious consequences if misused.

While in the Bahamas several years ago we watched one of these operations. I recall being sceptical, too.

The device is quite negative, and tethered to a surface float; the depth of the machine is kept at ~12 to 15 feet. They placed the machine (I am loathe to call it a scooter) in the water with a winch, and while it was held at the surface, the rider got in. Then it was lowered to the full length of the tether.

After all the tourists were dangling, they did a follow the leader tour in about 20-25', so the keel of the machine was always about 8-10' off the bottom. I recall there were lots of DM's swimming along, maybe 4 DM's for 8 tourists? Anyway several of the DM's would swim over the tourists trundling along in their little bubbles and sprinkle dog food over them, so they would get mobbed by the local fish and presumabally have a great memory of all the cool fishies.

I could outswim one of these things with one fin off, they were that slow.

I also recall thinking it wasn't really a safety hazard, and actually pretty professionally done. <shrugs> Who knows? maybe a small percentage end up taking a scuba class.


All the best, James

This gadget was intended for use by Dork Divers, I can't think of any other reason for it's existance.

I couldn't help it so I read more about the BOB and someplace it said you can't or shouldn't use it if you have mobility problems. When I watch the video what comes to mind is underwater wheelchair.

fdog:

The device is quite negative, and tethered to a surface float; the depth of the machine is kept at ~12 to 15 feet. They placed the machine (I am loathe to call it a scooter) in the water with a winch, and while it was held at the surface, the rider got in. Then it was lowered to the full length of the tether.

After all the tourists were dangling, they did a follow the leader tour in about 20-25', so the keel of the machine was always about 8-10' off the bottom. I recall there were lots of DM's swimming along, maybe 4 DM's for 8 tourists? Anyway several of the DM's would swim over the tourists trundling along in their little bubbles and sprinkle dog food over them, so they would get mobbed by the local fish and presumabally have a great memory of all the cool fishies.

I also recall thinking it wasn't really a safety hazard, and actually pretty professionally done. <shrugs> Who knows? maybe a small percentage end up taking a scuba class.

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Tethered and professionally monitored by DM's, and used as part of a tourist operation, in the way you witnessed I could see how these machines could be safely used.

I just went back and reviewed the video that was hosted on yesterday's MSN Homepage, and in that video these machines did not appear to be lowered into the water, but seemed to make a free "splashed down" entry and apparently were operating free style, with no tether visible. (If it's on TV it must be true, right?) There was even a price listed in the video of @$7400 (in 1994), so the impression was of these being offered as a form of personal watercraft.

As free roaming personal watercraft these could easily get someone killed quickly, but for tethered and professionally shepherded tourists, it's probably a bit more fun than a glass bottom boat.

Thanks for your observations everyone.

HatchetJoe:

This gadget was intended for use by Dork Divers, I can't think of any other reason for it's existance.

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You are right, but...My fear was that if "dork divers" get themselves killed it reflects badly on the rest of us and our sport.

They're really just small ambient subs-pretty cool