Sea-Doo SeaScooter & DSAT - I CALL 'Shenanigans'

Regarding the ads and claims about the new (take a deep breath) 'SEA-DOO® SEASCOOTER™ VS SUPERCHARGED UNDERWATER SCOOTER' (breathe).

The ads claim as follows... "Rated No.1 overall by Diving Science and Technology (DSAT)".

So, being in the industry, I wanted to know who DSAT is, and I discovered that they are a marketing firm, among many other things, they do everything from websites to video production..

So I then contacted DSAT to ask which other models the test included to arrive at the '#1' status. I got no response. I asked for a quote to test the Tyger Ray Scooter, and again, I got no response..

(I was hoping to get it rated #2 since #1 is already taken..)

I am all about product improvement and delivering a quality product. However I call Shenanigans on these claims until I see the test methods and results.

Jonnyreb:

Regarding the ads and claims about the new (take a deep breath) 'SEA-DOO® SEASCOOTER™ VS SUPERCHARGED UNDERWATER SCOOTER' (breathe).

The ads claim as follows... "Rated No.1 overall by Diving Science and Technology (DSAT)".

So, being in the industry, I wanted to know who DSAT is, and I discovered that they are a marketing firm, among many other things, they do everything from websites to video production..

So I then contacted DSAT to ask which other models the test included to arrive at the '#1' status. I got no response. I asked for a quote to test the Tyger Ray Scooter, and again, I got no response..

(I was hoping to get it rated #2 since #1 is already taken..)

I am all about product improvement and delivering a quality product. However I call Shenanigans on these claims until I see the test methods and results.

Click to expand...

As I recall, you did a test report on them both last year. Wasn't it the SeaDoo that had the toy motor and plastic gears from a "Barbie Corvette"?

Waiting for the DSAT Tec-Rec decal set for the SeaDoo ....

Darlene

http://www.seascooter.net/pdf/dsat_report.pdf

Here is a link to the D-SAT report which lists all the models tested. If you read the report you will actually see that it is fairly accurate if you look at what market the product is being marketed to and in this case it appears to be warm water recreational divers. It also does not hide the Sea Doos flaws. It's not meant to be a serious diving tool which is what 95% of the DPV's produced are.

Just take a look at the stats on them. The Apollo, Torpedo etc have twice the power, twice the speed and twice the depth but also twice the price. You get what you pay for.

I have the Seadoo Seascooter supercharged blah blah and it's great if you look at it for what it is: a toy for rec divers. I have only tried it in the pool and it's fun to play around and have fun with and it will be great for simple little jaunts around my local quarry. Am I going to put it head to head with a "real" DPV? Hell no but that's not what it's intended for.

You're right though the "rated no.1 by DSAT" is very misleading because it does not give any context.

Thanks for the link. It was very interesting and very obvious who paid for this marketing firm to do the "test". It appears to be an attempt to make the SeaScooter look like a serious DPV and not a toy. However, I don't know how the $399 Tyger Ray can be compared with $3500 DPVs in the same test.

:06:
If this was not a publicity stunt, WHY DID THEY ONLY INCLUDE THEIR NEW $900 UNIT AND NOT THEIR OTHER 3 MODELS which are priced closer to Tyger Ray?


I compared the $399 Yellow SeaScooter to the Tyger Ray in a recent post (same price point..) I would not think of comparing it to a DPV 10 times the cost. That is just silly. You want a Lexus? Pay for it.

Furthermore, the new SeaScooter VS retails at $900 while the Tyger Ray is less than half the cost making it their biggest competition in the 'Budget' DPV market nitch, which is why they slammed it. Not to say that some of what they claim is not true... It is not the most brilliant switch design and it is a little awkward to carry. (but the rest is BS..) The Tyger Ray is a solid, reliable perfomer for the price.

Jonnyreb:

Thanks for the link. It was very interesting and very obvious who paid for this marketing firm to do the "test". It appears to be an attempt to make the SeaScooter look like a serious DPV and not a toy. However, I don't know how the $399 Tyger Ray can be compared with $3500 DPVs in the same test.

:06:
If this was not a publicity stunt, WHY DID THEY ONLY INCLUDE THEIR NEW $900 UNIT AND NOT THEIR OTHER 3 MODELS which are priced closer to Tyger Ray?


I compared the $399 Yellow SeaScooter to the Tyger Ray in a recent post (same price point..) I would not think of comparing it to a DPV 10 times the cost. That is just silly. You want a Lexus? Pay for it.

Furthermore, the new SeaScooter VS retails at $900 while the Tyger Ray is less than half the cost making it their biggest competition in the 'Budget' DPV market nitch, which is why they slammed it. Not to say that some of what they claim is not true... It is not the most brilliant switch design and it is a little awkward to carry. (but the rest is BS..) The Tyger Ray is a solid, reliable perfomer for the price.

Click to expand...

I'm not familiar with the Tyger Ray. I've had a few people ask me about the Seadoos and I could present them with an alternative.

Im not shamelessly pushing the Tyger Ray (I am a biased after all) but here is a link since you asked.

Tyger Ray - http://www.caymandivegear.com

I dove Tyger Ray last saturday in the Gulf at Edison Reef in fact. Really helped with the current since I was testing some horrible prototype fins that day... might as well have been wearing house slippers!
I dont dive with them much (I really do dive for the excercise...) I like to use them primarily when doing a long kick shore dive. I use it to get me out to the reef while snorkeling then I tie it to my dive flag and let it bob at surface until I am ready to go back.. I only dive with it when the current is kicking my butt or when someone else wants to use one too.. They are best if everyone in the group has them, otherwise your air consumption and cruise speeds are too different from diver to diver.

Let us not forget that DSAT is (I think) owned by PADI, or at the very least tightly coupled with them :11:

NAUI - 'Dive Safety Through Education'

PADI - 'Anything for a Buck'

(I'm talking about deer of course. Avid wildlife conservationists they are...)
~~~

Com'on now,, you know I'm just kiddin'... That happens to be our motto too!

:11ztongue