WTB: Mako Scooter

[montanadivenut]

Yea Rick, I just e-mailed Paul that he should have just stuck yours under his drysuit and taken it home with him. You know how he is though..........one of those guys with that irritating honest streak in him.......

I sort of miss the old fella........it's been awhile since he's been up here.

Hope to see you one of these days also.....

Later-

[DA Aquamaster]

How long on a single charge

I am still playing with that with the new batteries. I expected to hit the yellow indicator at 40 minutes of continuous run time at the highest pitch setting, but didn't, so it is some number of minutes over 40, but probably less than 50.

With stock batteries, 40 minutes is the norm at high pitch with single diver speeds in the 230-240 fpm range. While low pitch settings and single diver speeds in the 130 fpm range will produce 120 minute run times.

Rewound motors will produce more thrust (up to around 75 pounds maximum as opposed to the normal 50 pounds) and slightly higher speeds but at the expense of shorter run times so it is a mixed bag. Since drag increases as the square of the velocity you get 4 times the drag when you go twice as fast, so 50% more power does not produce anywhere near 50% more speed (maybe 270-280 fpm as opposed to 230-240 fpm.) The exponentially lower drag at lower speeds is also why the lower pitch/power/thrust/speed settings produce much longer burn times and longer range.

One other X scooter versus Mako difference is in how they handle. The X-scooter is lighter and more maneuverable with one hand. But the heavier Mako does not seem to want to rotate as much due to torque (at least with the right handle in the 12 o'clock position) so it is fairly easy to manage in cruise - and you can get it to turn on a dime when you need it to by pushing/pulling on the shroud with the other hand.

[Rick Inman]

I see how it is.

Rewound motors will produce more thrust (up to around 75 pounds maximum as opposed to the normal 50 pounds) and slightly higher speeds but at the expense of shorter run times so it is a mixed bag.

I am getting 1 hour of continuous @ pitch 7 with doubles and one stage with my rewound motor. I've seen an hour and 10 mins of trigger time with stop and start.

I don't know about pounds of thrust, but I know that at 7 I am even with the Sierra at fastest speed and at 8 I'm slowly pulling away.

[DA Aquamaster]

That is good news Rick as it is pretty much what I am hoping for with mine with the current motor and batteries. I figured with 45-50 minutes at max pitch I could plan on getting 60 or so at 6 or 7.

I only downside at the moment with the new batteries is that it is neutral in salt water but a pound heavy in freshwater. I need to add a neoprene sleeve on it to add some fresh water buoyancy.

[Yellowstone diver]

All this talk about burn times just makes me want to get a scooter today. I'm already making plans for where to dive!!

[mch]

I'm looking for a Mako, hopefully with a re-inforced bulkhead.

I saw one listed on TDS today (The Deco Stop).

mch

[Rick Inman]

I saw one listed on TDS today (The Deco Stop).

mch

It's sold. But the OP does have a WTB on TDS.