MitchFtLaud
Contributor
Does anyone have any experience or advice on using a DPV for solo diving.
What I’m thinking about is being able to hit the reefs a distance off of South Florida and have been wrestling on how to get there myself. I’ve ruled out a small light inflatable boat, because I’d have to leave it unattended and either tie it off or tow it from below.
So, what I’ve come up with so far is to get a pair of Torpedo 2500’s in the double mount. Will mount a compass, depth gauge and watch to it for battery management and navigation. This is a setup I can afford and I want a redundant system, I'd love to have a pair of Cuda's but can't coin even a used one. A pair of demo 2500 units should run me about 1500 and I can split them up to dive with a buddy shorter range as well.
check out torpedodpv.com if not familiar with this unit.
Run time is listed as 55min, but with a lead acid battery, it will go for much longer at a slower and slower speed. Two separate units so even if one unit fails I can make it back to shore under power.
Total unit will be about five pounds negative, so easy to float with a bag and tow in a worst case.
With two units it will be quite fast and I’d expect to hit the reef in no more than twenty minutes running even if I go at a 45 degree angle from shore up current so I can drift back to my exit point.
Not sure what to do about a dive flag, I’m fairly sure I don’t want to be dragging one while going to or from the reef, but could inflate and send up a SMB if I want. Might just dangle the DPV off the marker and let it float above me while I drift. I have a Carter 10’ SMB with 50# lift, so the DPV would keep it upright in the water and make it large enough to see. Would put a strobe light on the top of it even during the day for more attention and would rig a section of cord to break between the DPV and SMB just in case a boat tries to drag off the SMB.
So, anyone doing this or thought about it?
What I’m thinking about is being able to hit the reefs a distance off of South Florida and have been wrestling on how to get there myself. I’ve ruled out a small light inflatable boat, because I’d have to leave it unattended and either tie it off or tow it from below.
So, what I’ve come up with so far is to get a pair of Torpedo 2500’s in the double mount. Will mount a compass, depth gauge and watch to it for battery management and navigation. This is a setup I can afford and I want a redundant system, I'd love to have a pair of Cuda's but can't coin even a used one. A pair of demo 2500 units should run me about 1500 and I can split them up to dive with a buddy shorter range as well.
check out torpedodpv.com if not familiar with this unit.
Run time is listed as 55min, but with a lead acid battery, it will go for much longer at a slower and slower speed. Two separate units so even if one unit fails I can make it back to shore under power.
Total unit will be about five pounds negative, so easy to float with a bag and tow in a worst case.
With two units it will be quite fast and I’d expect to hit the reef in no more than twenty minutes running even if I go at a 45 degree angle from shore up current so I can drift back to my exit point.
Not sure what to do about a dive flag, I’m fairly sure I don’t want to be dragging one while going to or from the reef, but could inflate and send up a SMB if I want. Might just dangle the DPV off the marker and let it float above me while I drift. I have a Carter 10’ SMB with 50# lift, so the DPV would keep it upright in the water and make it large enough to see. Would put a strobe light on the top of it even during the day for more attention and would rig a section of cord to break between the DPV and SMB just in case a boat tries to drag off the SMB.
So, anyone doing this or thought about it?