Flying with a DPV

[Kevrumbo]

I have an XJoy2. NiMH battery. Want to take it to Bonaire later this year. Will it fly?

Thanks!

Unless you're hauling a lot of deco & stage tanks for Tech Diving and exploring a 888' long Aircraft Carrier, I'd save money in excess baggage fees and leave it at home.

Besides, the scooter's motor & prop freak out and scare off the schooling fish & pelagic marine life. . .

 

[guyharrisonphoto]

Does using a slow DPV scare the marine life more than kicking up to them blowing bubbles in OC gear? Not being sarcastic, I am new to scootering and would like to know.

 

[Kevrumbo]

Does using a slow DPV scare the marine life more than kicking up to them blowing bubbles in OC gear? Not being sarcastic, I am new to scootering and would like to know.

One or the other -or both together are just as disrupting .. . Point is, use the DPV sparingly if you are with a group of photographers for example, or else you will scare away your subjects like pelagics & schooling fish (as well as being discourteous to your fellow underwater photographer dive buddies). If you're by yourself or with a buddy on DPV as well, then it doesn't matter. . .

 

[Jon Nellis]

Does using a slow DPV scare the marine life more than kicking up to them blowing bubbles in OC gear? Not being sarcastic, I am new to scootering and would like to know.

Some scooters are noisier than other, especially if they use a gear reducer. so that is something to consider, but scaring off the fish really depends on the fish and how you drive the scooter. Some fish become curious and follow along side just to see what you are. Dolphins, sea lions and some seals love fast scooters and will interact with you because you are moving faster than a diver. I've slowly eased my way into the middle of schools of big jacks headed down the coast and they just let me in the pack and kept on going. Big bait balls on a scooter are priceless. Smaller reef fish tend to hide if you go by them too close and too fast, but give them a few seconds and they come right back out. I've even used my scooter to chase down reef sharks and eagle rays to coax them back to a waiting photographer. They could out run me if they really wanted to, but they don't, they just stay about 10' away. Dolphins love it when you start doing barrel rolls on a fast scooter at full speed, it's play time! You'll go from shooting macro to shooting big fish and video with a scooter.

 

[Kevrumbo]

I have an XJoy2. NiMH battery. Want to take it to Bonaire later this year. Will it fly?

Thanks!

You also have to be aware some dive-ops may ask to see a C-card for a DPV Scooter Specialty to let you use off of their dive skiff (in Bonaire, you'll mostly be doing beach diving so it probably won't matter). . . it would suck to bring it all that way with baggage fees, only to be prohibited from using it.

 

[guyharrisonphoto]

OK, thanks everyone! Not worried about using it in Bonaire as we will be diving from shore almost all the time. Never heard you had to have a "card" for one, why is that needed for OW rec diving? Excess baggage will be $80.00 round trip, per scooter. I think that is probably worth it even if we only use them on 6 or 7 dives..

 

[Jon Nellis]

I've never been asked to see a DPV cert to dive off any company's boat, but many dive ops require you to stay with the DM, which kind defeats the purpose of the scooter. The dive ops that do allow them, will require you have a buddy with a scooter also. Call or email the local dive ops before your trip, to find one that will accommodate how you what to dive. You're more likely to get a "YES" if they know you are coming with a scooter, than if you show up with a scooter the morning of the dive and surprise them.

 

[guyharrisonphoto]

Jon, I am going to pm you about a camera mount . . . .