Basking Ridge Diver
Contributor
So I finally sat down to talk about my experience with DPVs.
A year+ ago I went to a local quarry and did a DPV trial with SubGravity DPV’s. I grabbed a DPV and took off – how hard can this be? I must admit I was completely baffled on how to steer them and why a DPV was needed. I remember trying to turn in the direction I wanted was ridiculously difficult – I kept reaching up with my free hand to push the nose cone where I wanted to go. Push on the left side to go right or push down on the nose cone to go down – it was not much fun… I kept thinking why is everyone so excited about these machines? The bigger the DPV the harder it was to push the nose cone the way I wanted to go and I was getting tired using my arms – I thought this was supposed to be fun…
Fast forward from that point – I did more research and realized my mistakes. I am an open water diver – I happen to dive singles and doubles and thought the DPV would open up some of the dive sites that I was passing on due to shear distance. Who wants to spend 45+ minutes kicking out to a spot – swimming around and then 45+ minutes back? Not me - obviously.
I started getting bored with the same dives and kept researching new shore dives that if I had a DPV I go reach and explore. So I started asking questions about DPVs as a beginner – I got various answers and each in its own way was good advice but was not realistic for me. I have 2 kids in college right now and next year a 3rd on his way so 3 college students next year – so for me money is an object and I have only so much to go around.
I landed on an AquaProp L from SubGravity – it gave me extended range and was within my budget (even though strictly speaking it wasn’t). I have been diving the AquaProp in both fresh and salt water and in each case it has met or exceeded my expectations. I am not a technical or cave diver but I dive doubles and like to try new spots. That said some of the advice that was given seemed to be appropriate but not always appropriate for my situation.
I look at a DPV kind of like a boat – each year the boat gets smaller… But for me – I don’t have to have the fastest, strongest, or newest of things. I just need a functioning DPV that will allow me to get to new dive spots within reason. I am not diving in an inlet with a ripping current – so why do I need a DPV to do the same?
Your mileage may vary but I wanted to let you know what I have found in my DPV travels. AquaProp L works for me and my North East diving. I hope to post some videos of my travels soon.
By the way having friends with a DPV really helps too...
A year+ ago I went to a local quarry and did a DPV trial with SubGravity DPV’s. I grabbed a DPV and took off – how hard can this be? I must admit I was completely baffled on how to steer them and why a DPV was needed. I remember trying to turn in the direction I wanted was ridiculously difficult – I kept reaching up with my free hand to push the nose cone where I wanted to go. Push on the left side to go right or push down on the nose cone to go down – it was not much fun… I kept thinking why is everyone so excited about these machines? The bigger the DPV the harder it was to push the nose cone the way I wanted to go and I was getting tired using my arms – I thought this was supposed to be fun…
Fast forward from that point – I did more research and realized my mistakes. I am an open water diver – I happen to dive singles and doubles and thought the DPV would open up some of the dive sites that I was passing on due to shear distance. Who wants to spend 45+ minutes kicking out to a spot – swimming around and then 45+ minutes back? Not me - obviously.
I started getting bored with the same dives and kept researching new shore dives that if I had a DPV I go reach and explore. So I started asking questions about DPVs as a beginner – I got various answers and each in its own way was good advice but was not realistic for me. I have 2 kids in college right now and next year a 3rd on his way so 3 college students next year – so for me money is an object and I have only so much to go around.
I landed on an AquaProp L from SubGravity – it gave me extended range and was within my budget (even though strictly speaking it wasn’t). I have been diving the AquaProp in both fresh and salt water and in each case it has met or exceeded my expectations. I am not a technical or cave diver but I dive doubles and like to try new spots. That said some of the advice that was given seemed to be appropriate but not always appropriate for my situation.
I look at a DPV kind of like a boat – each year the boat gets smaller… But for me – I don’t have to have the fastest, strongest, or newest of things. I just need a functioning DPV that will allow me to get to new dive spots within reason. I am not diving in an inlet with a ripping current – so why do I need a DPV to do the same?
Your mileage may vary but I wanted to let you know what I have found in my DPV travels. AquaProp L works for me and my North East diving. I hope to post some videos of my travels soon.
By the way having friends with a DPV really helps too...