Any other opinions on the Sea Doo Seascooter?

[Yabaman]

Well it seems like before i actually paid for a sea Doo seascooter (in which i shall be receiving in about a week)i seemed to come across reviews that made it great ,fantastic,a pleasure to own,swift,reliable etc etc etc.
Now i come across JONNYREDS review (somewhere on this site) which makes it seem like a piece of trash.
Have i really fallen into the review trap?is JONNYREDS review or opinion that true?:confused: :confused: :confused: .
Does anybody else own a sea doo?because i would really want a second and third and even fourth opinion.
I really hope JONNYREDS opinion is not true,but if it is.....i shall find out in about a week or so.
Bottom line .....i really do feel depressed and will be very UPSET:upset: if JONNYREDS opinion is correct.
It would make me want to throw a couple of :boom: : at the sea doo manufactures.

[roturner]

Yabaman once bubbled...
Well it seems like before i actually paid for a sea Doo seascooter (in which i shall be receiving in about a week)i seemed to come across reviews that made it great ,fantastic,a pleasure to own,swift,reliable etc etc etc.
Now i come across JONNYREDS review (somewhere on this site) which makes it seem like a piece of trash.
Have i really fallen into the review trap?is JONNYREDS review or opinion that true?:confused: :confused: :confused: .
Does anybody else own a sea doo?because i would really want a second and third and even fourth opinion.
I really hope JONNYREDS opinion is not true,but if it is.....i shall find out in about a week or so.
Bottom line .....i really do feel depressed and will be very UPSET:upset: if JONNYREDS opinion is correct.
It would make me want to throw a couple of :boom: : at the sea doo manufactures.

I forgot about this post until it came up again.

I recently read an article that said that in testing it was fairly slow and the battery life was about 40 minutes (maybe in warm water it would be a few minutes longer). That seems awfully short to me. My dives are usually an hour or more and I think I would get tired of toting it around with a dead battery for a significant part of every dive.

Worse yet, if you're not careful you'll be left hanging part way through a dive with a dead scooter and a long swim back.

If it had a 90 minute battery life then it would become a lot more interesting..... Just my 2c worth.

R..

[keyo]

I have used the sea-doo scooter and it did ok. It's not going to get you anywhere fast but it will get you there. As far as battery time, we got an hour before the battery signed off. It is easy to handle underwater if you make it neutral by adding weight. I demoed an apollo scooter and there is no comparison, the apollo is hands down better than the sea doo. The apollo is also four times more expensive than the sea doo also. It's like everythingelse, you get what you pay for. The sea doo can be used for the lesiurely dive and will carry you from point A to point B and back without any problems. Now if you want to do tricks or if speed is an issue then save your bucks and go for the apollo/dacor unit or some unit along that line. Just my 2 cents.

Ken

[justinbaker]

Seascooter VS what does the vs mean?

[The Kraken]

Without getting into the Latin, it basically means "as compared with".

[AquaBob]

Without getting into the Latin, it basically means "as compared with".


Are you SURE that it doesn't mean Variable Speed?
I think they have at least one model that is variable.

btw.... what does VS mean in Latin?

[Paul Evans]

There are now a few models avalible, the original which I own - Slow, 50mins battery life with the supplied 7ah bat 1hr 20 mins with a 12ah bat. one speed - and the newer models with two speeds, the supercharged version is twice as fast and has over the hour run time.
http://www.daka.com.hk/products/index.php?cat=PET

Follow this link for all the details

Its a toy, as mentioned, you get what you pay for.
That said, it does work and is good fun for the price. ;)

[The Kraken]

My mistake. I thought there was a comparison between the Sea-Doo and the Apollo.
I recognize the error of my ways. I will go and sin no more.

[ZoCrowes255]

I've had the VS Supercharged on about 16 dives over the past 3 months or so and it is a whole lot of fun. It's easy to use, can definitely move some water and the higher end models have a pretty good battery life (hour and a half or so on the low speed setting.) Once in the water if you weight the buoyancy chamber correctly it's pretty much neutral-slightly negative. It's a very nice design and for the price it can't be beat. Although I do have two complaints about it. The first one is that the handles feel VERY flimsy on land. You pick it up and you feel them move slightly. If dropped hard enough I would not be suprised to see one break off. My only other complaint is that it's difficult (but not impossible) to manuever with one hand. Even with it's drawbacks I am still very happy with my purchase.

[Scuba_Vixen]

A couple of the LDS's here have gotten several of the VS Supercharged models in. There are 4 sea doo models if you count the one they admit is a pool toy. Here is a description and pics of all of them:

http://www.yachtdiver.com/seadoo/index.shtml

You have to be carefull when talking about seascooters so as to be sure what model you're referencing ... they range from "WTF .... You must be kidding" to "almost a usefull scooter"

As for the VS Supercharged, divers who have never scootered before seem to like them a lot. They are light and easy to carry around, that seems to be a big plus to a lot of their following. The battery does seem to last about an hour to an hour and a quarter. Unless it's a really shallow dive, you can likely not have to worry about running out of battery before you run low on air. Except for a couple big porky guys, no one's yet had to swim one back with a dead battery.

Now you gotta figure that since it's a 12volt battery with a 12Ah rating, and it's lasting as long as 24V / 18Ah scooters like the Mako and shortbody Gavins and SS's, .... that there has to be a catch. .....There is .... It's in the speed rating. .... It's rated at up to 3 mph ...the only way this thing can make 3mph is straight down with cinder blocks tied to it. If I set my prop pitch almost all the way back (min speed) ... I still have to stop every 20 yards and wait till they catch up. You don't want to have to fight a current using one of these. The other irritating thing, besides the snaillike pace is the noise. It's a small high rpm motor with a gear reduction system ... it sounds like a cross between a Waring blender and a cheap electric razor. One of the things I like about diving is the tranquility, diving around a bunch of these things is about as "tranquil" as a stadium moto cross event.

All in all, though, for those not having any previous scooter experience, they make a decent entry level scooter for the money. Just don't harbor any unrealistic expectations based on what you know of the larger scooters available.

Darlene

[asthar00]

The information about scooters on the web is very limited. I own the yellow SEA DOO sea scooter. For shore diving with the extended battery it is a blast. The standard battery sucks. This scooter will give you 90 minutes of fun. Of course, that is if you use it continuosly for that period of time. In a normal dive, divers stop to check intersting areas or marine life. Therfore, you can spend more time in the water with this scooter.

In a light current it is not very powerful, you will have to use your fins. If you want power go with the Torpedo, Apollo, Voyager etc. On the other hand if you are into cave diving the Gavin will be a nice choice if you can afford it. I am a shore diving guy and to be honest I would not like to have an Apollo or the Torpedo 3000 which will only give me close to 60 minutes of juice. I own the Torpedo 2000 and I can get a lot of juice from the battery up to 80 mins. Besides it is more streamlined than the Apollo.

Before you buy a scooter consider the type of diving you will be doing. If you do a lot of boat diving then the Apollo would be a blast because an hour is enough to enjoy the scooter or the Torpedo 3000. On the other hand, if you do shore dives with the Apollo or Torpedo 3000 make sure you come right back because 60 minutes is not a long time, and this is at the lowest setting.

I have used the Sea Doo and the Torpedo 2000 in the Florida Keys to do shore dives. With these models I can do a one tank dive and have enough juice to go snorkeling. The Aeris or Oceanic Mako claim to have enough juice for 120 minutes. However, with a $2500.00 price tag I would rather buy the Torpedo 2000. I am sure the Aeris /Oceanic is a blast but I refuse to spend that much for shore diving. undefined I find taht one of the drawbacks of scooters is the battery life. I wish this technology could be improved to have a 3 hour battery without getting a second mortgage.

In conclusion, I recommend the Sea Doo sea sooter. I am very happy with mine. (with the extended battery)undefined

[Scuba_Vixen]

The information about scooters on the web is very limited. I own the yellow SEA DOO sea scooter. For shore diving with the extended battery it is a blast. The standard battery sucks. This scooter will give you 90 minutes of fun. Of course, that is if you use it continuosly for that period of time. In a normal dive, divers stop to check intersting areas or marine life. Therfore, you can spend more time in the water with this scooter.

In a light current it is not very powerful, you will have to use your fins. If you want power go with the Torpedo, Apollo, Voyager etc. On the other hand if you are into cave diving the Gavin will be a nice choice if you can afford it. I am a shore diving guy and to be honest I would not like to have an Apollo or the Torpedo 3000 which will only give me close to 60 minutes of juice. I own the Torpedo 2000 and I can get a lot of juice from the battery up to 80 mins. Besides it is more streamlined than the Apollo.

Before you buy a scooter consider the type of diving you will be doing. If you do a lot of boat diving then the Apollo would be a blast because an hour is enough to enjoy the scooter or the Torpedo 3000. On the other hand, if you do shore dives with the Apollo or Torpedo 3000 make sure you come right back because 60 minutes is not a long time, and this is at the lowest setting.

I have used the Sea Doo and the Torpedo 2000 in the Florida Keys to do shore dives. With these models I can do a one tank dive and have enough juice to go snorkeling. The Aeris or Oceanic Mako claim to have enough juice for 120 minutes. However, with a $2500.00 price tag I would rather buy the Torpedo 2000. I am sure the Aeris /Oceanic is a blast but I refuse to spend that much for shore diving. undefined I find taht one of the drawbacks of scooters is the battery life. I wish this technology could be improved to have a 3 hour battery without getting a second mortgage.

In conclusion, I recommend the Sea Doo sea sooter. I am very happy with mine. (with the extended battery)undefined


As I see from the website, the only drawback to the yellow one is the 65' depth limit ....... if you're in an area where that's not an issue, it's hard to beat the $399 price I've seen for it. The extended battery is the 11ah one that is standard in the more expensive models. It doesn't last as long in them because it seems the gearing is different and they do have a bit more power.

I'd think if they lasted a couple/three years, you could figure you got your money's worth.

Probably a great way to see if you'll really like scooter diving.


Darlene


Since these things are so new to the market, it will be intersting to see how they hold up over time.

[asthar00]

Darlene I found a guy from Maui Hawaii on the net, he has a dive operation there where he uses Apollo scooters. He claims a panasonic battery extends the time in the Apollos, I emailed him and his reply was that he uses a panasonic battery 12V 28 AMP batteries. Do you or someone else has some info on this? I went to panasonic on the web and I found the battery here http://www.panasonic.com/industrial/battery/oem/chem/seal/index.html
This would help a lot of people who have Apollos and have to be exchanging batteries to buy more time. The web site has different models of this batteries. The questions would be: Can we charge them with the Apollo charger? And which model battery should we buy? Any info would be appreciated.

[Scuba_Vixen]

Darlene I found a guy from Maui Hawaii on the net, he has a dive operation there where he uses Apollo scooters. He claims a panasonic battery extends the time in the Apollos, I emailed him and his reply was that he uses a panasonic battery 12V 28 AMP batteries. Do you or someone else has some info on this? I went to panasonic on the web and I found the battery here http://www.panasonic.com/industrial/battery/oem/chem/seal/index.html
This would help a lot of people who have Apollos and have to be exchanging batteries to buy more time. The web site has different models of this batteries. The questions would be: Can we charge them with the Apollo charger? And which model battery should we buy? Any info would be appreciated.

Did he give you an idea of how much increase he was actually getting when *Comparing a New Panasonic* to a *New Brand X* ..... If he replaced aging batteries with new ones (regardless of brand) ... He'd be getting major improvement in burn time just because the batteries were new. Comparing burn times with new batteries to new batteries shouldn't be a great deal different, although there may be some improvement from 1 brand over the other. There is only so much room for energy storage within a given physical size. Newer design should allow for some gains, but for X number of cubic inches of battery size, don't expect vast differences in burn times when comparing the same battery chemestries. (in this case SLA's)

That said: I use the Panasonic 12v/20Ah bateries in an upgraded Tekna (takes 2 in series, as it's the same motor and drive as the Mako) ... I chose the Panasonics because they have a small edge in capacity over the other brands I could research. (look for amps at the 1 hour rate, as that's the best indicator for scooter use) I think the panasonic's edge comes from design change/improvement .. it's a little heavier than the 17 Ah and 18Ah batteries of the same size it replaces.

I routinely get both dives (about 50 mins each before the safety stop) out of the Tekna on a 2 tank boat trip using it at about 80% "on" time. I usually keep the prop pitch at 6 to 7 out of 9 ... that's usually the most efficient setting.

I'd think Panasonic 28Ah would make a fine replacement for the standard battery in the Dacor/Apollo and the original charger should be just fine. I don't recall of the top of my head what connetors the apollo uses, but that should be a small item to deal with.

Good luck,

Darlene

[asthar00]

Darlene this is the guy's ad from Hawaii in regards to the Apollo scooters:

Underwater Scooter dives!

"Scooter diving is a blast! I've found longer lasting batteries that give a third more bottom time and much more range than the traditional Apollo scooter batteries. We stay down longer, cover more of the ocean’s floor"

Therfore, the Panasonic batteries will give him a third more bottom time. However, I wrote him an email to find out more info about his new battery and his reply was:

"The slowest speed, three, will give you the most time and longest distance underwater. There is a thermal switch inside the Apollo. If you're using the button constantly going on and off rather than locking it in place, your scooter will heat up and start cutting out. Also, If you want to come out of the water, change batteries and go back in, let the Apollo cool for 30 minutes to an hour before resuming your dive! This will help with the cutting out. I've found that if it cuts out on you out there give it a couple of minutes to cool and you can make your way back in. Cuts out again, let it cool, head back in. etc."


Apparently his referring to the use of the 28 ah panasonic battery, I believe because of the extended capacity of the battery the scooter will overheat if the trigger is used on and off. I called Apollo and they informed me that they have never heard this before. I guess I will have to invest 2 thousand dollars to find out. I want to get me a faster scooter but battery life is a concern. However, if I have to go through all that I would rather stay with my Torpedo.

[Scuba_Vixen]

Darlene this is the guy's ad from Hawaii in regards to the Apollo scooters:

Underwater Scooter dives!

"Scooter diving is a blast! I've found longer lasting batteries that give a third more bottom time and much more range than the traditional Apollo scooter batteries. We stay down longer, cover more of the ocean’s floor"

Therfore, the Panasonic batteries will give him a third more bottom time. However, I wrote him an email to find out more info about his new battery and his reply was:

"The slowest speed, three, will give you the most time and longest distance underwater. There is a thermal switch inside the Apollo. If you're using the button constantly going on and off rather than locking it in place, your scooter will heat up and start cutting out. Also, If you want to come out of the water, change batteries and go back in, let the Apollo cool for 30 minutes to an hour before resuming your dive! This will help with the cutting out. I've found that if it cuts out on you out there give it a couple of minutes to cool and you can make your way back in. Cuts out again, let it cool, head back in. etc."


Apparently his referring to the use of the 28 ah panasonic battery, I believe because of the extended capacity of the battery the scooter will overheat if the trigger is used on and off. I called Apollo and they informed me that they have never heard this before. I guess I will have to invest 2 thousand dollars to find out. I want to get me a faster scooter but battery life is a concern. However, if I have to go through all that I would rather stay with my Torpedo.


If you want a better scooter, the entry level of "real scooters" is the Mako, ... about 2 grand if you shop for it, about $2400 retail, and obviously much less used. It's the same *basic* 24v motor the SS and Gavins use. It's the same shroud and prop system as well, 9 speed settings. As I recall it's depth rated to 180' and uses two 12V, 17Ah to 20Ah batteries. For the range and efficiency you gain from a 24 volt scooter, I wouldn't waste money on an Apollo (or any 12V scooter) ... for a bit more you can get a Mako. Your torpedo is about as close to an apollo as you can get .... similar speeds and run times with new batteries. Although torpedo uses a Douglas Guardian battery, rated at 32Ah, it's really only equivalent to a 26Ah at the discharge rate it's used at.

With scooters, like most other things, it's "depth, speed, & runtime, all cost money ...... How deep , fast, long, can you afford to go".

Darlene

[asthar00]

Darlene thank you for your information. I am going to stay with my torpedo 2000. The Mako/Voyager is very nice. However, for the kind of diving I do I would rather spend that money to buy me a Zodiac with a nice Mercury outboard. Everybody I talk to about the Apollo is talking about 40 or 50 mins of scootering time, which for me is not enough. Thanks again. I wonder if I could buy a Panasonic battery for my Torpedo and increase time? Take care.

[asthar00]

I had a chance to look at one recently on land and the same thing struck me as well about the handles - seems fairly flimsy. I haven't tried one in the water but I wonder how it would hold up....

For the price the sea doo is excellent. So what if the handles are flimsy. That sea doo can tow me a 200 pound guy with full scuba gear and my brother a 325 pound guy. How is that fo flimsy?

[Scuba_Vixen]

I had a chance to look at one recently on land and the same thing struck me as well about the handles - seems fairly flimsy. I haven't tried one in the water but I wonder how it would hold up....


That seems to be the common perception when you play with them on land. They are quite flexible, and that seems to be perceived as flimsy. If the scooters were heavier and more powerfull, it would surely be a problem ...... but at 18# you can fling them about with one hand, and the handles seem quite adequate. We may see a redesign in the handle in later production as point of sale and user feedback has time to "kick in". That flexible feeling may well nix some sales as it comes across as flimsy.

When it comes to "bang for the buck" though, ... The little sea doos are top of the heap. ..... You just have to know how much bang you actually need to have ..... don't expect too much bang for short bucks.

Darlene

[Warren_L]

For the price the sea doo is excellent. So what if the handles are flimsy. That sea doo can tow me a 200 pound guy with full scuba gear and my brother a 325 pound guy. How is that fo flimsy?
The idea that the handles could snap off and leave me with a long swim back doesn't appeal to me too much. I'm not suggesting that they are bad as I've not used one. My initial perceptions by viewing one dry are probably similar to a lot of potential buyers, who, like me, will see them for the first time dry, on land. So as for "so what?", well, that's what I've been hearing from a lot of people too.

[asthar00]

The idea that the handles could snap off and leave me with a long swim back doesn't appeal to me too much. I'm not suggesting that they are bad as I've not used one. My initial perceptions by viewing one dry are probably similar to a lot of potential buyers, who, like me, will see them for the first time dry, on land. So as for "so what?", well, that's what I've been hearing from a lot of people too.

Ask those people if they have tried them in the water. I have many times with no problems. Some people like to discard stuff right away without trying them first. For people who can not afford the Apollo, Torpedo, etc this is a great alternative. The light weight is one of the advatages of the sea doo.

I did a shore dive last Sunday with full scuba gear, pony tank, camera etc and the Apollo scooter. When it was time to get out of the water with all the gear and the Apollo let me tell you that you have to be in very good physical shape. I walked close to half a block carrying all that gear in my back plus the 50 pound Apollo scooter to the parking lot and let me tell you that is not for the weak. I work out 5 times a week and in the 90 degree Florida sun that walk left me shaky. That is where the sea doo would be great. However, you can not compare it to the power of the Apollo, it will do the job at a slower pace. But who is in a hurry?

[Warren_L]

Some people like to discard stuff right away without trying them first. For people who can not afford the Apollo, Torpedo, etc this is a great alternative. The light weight is one of the advatages of the sea doo.
Problem often times is being able to try one before buying. So is that an invitation?

[zf2nt]

I've had the VS Supercharged on about 16 dives over the past 3 months or so and it is a whole lot of fun. It's easy to use, can definitely move some water and the higher end models have a pretty good battery life (hour and a half or so on the low speed setting.) Once in the water if you weight the buoyancy chamber correctly it's pretty much neutral-slightly negative. It's a very nice design and for the price it can't be beat. Although I do have two complaints about it. The first one is that the handles feel VERY flimsy on land. You pick it up and you feel them move slightly. If dropped hard enough I would not be suprised to see one break off. My only other complaint is that it's difficult (but not impossible) to manuever with one hand. Even with it's drawbacks I am still very happy with my purchase.
Ditto. I went out last week for several days with a VS Supercharged and had a ball with it. One day I did 4 official PADI dives on one battery charge, though I will also admit that was enough to run it down and I had to tow the scooter back to the shore. Whatever--I got way over an hour's use on a single charge so can't complain a bit. And in any case the manual tow home is a recommended part of the DPV specialty course.

So now I'm trying to find how to buy a couple to take down to my home in the Caribbean with me this fall. I wrote to the manufacturer asking if they were going to be selling any at the DEMA in October, and what I got was a response from Hong Kong telling me to go visit my local dealer, where I could fork over $599 apiece. Wrong answer! I know they were selling them in Miami at the DEMA last year for <$400 if you bought two of em.

They have a big splashy ad on the front page of the "Undersea Journal" I just got in the mail yesterday, and there is a bunch of stuff in the PADI Pro's section I can't access because I'm not a PIRA member. This is obviously a very aggressive ad campaign, and they are trying hard to sign up new dealers. It's a good product and I want a couple, but as always at the best price possible!

Bruce