Karl Stanley's yellow submarine

[RTBDiver]

Have have not done the Sub ride or the little airplane tour but that is because I am a cheap sob and just wont pay that much for either, if given as a gift or priced more to my liking I would do either without hesitation. I don't think either of these things are as adventurous, dangerous or threatening as renting ( and then driving ) a scooter on Roatan

 

[RTBDiver]

Really? I have seen positive & negative reviews on places & operators on trip advisor. Based on my experience, I wouldn't discount feedback on this site.

:bs:
Being this is the Bay Islands part of Scubaboard, just take a look at the Bay Islands, and particularly the Roatan area of Tripadvisor, Look at any of the top ten rated lodgings, restaurants, or other sections and while I have not looked recently I assure you a huge percentage of reviews are from one post wonders who sign up to promote their place using various emails as TA does not even verify email address. of course there are also the to or a few post wonders that often love one place more than anything in the world and happened to absolutely hate one or two other places that are in competition with their favorite.
Heck, I know of one place with a desktop computer set up that offered a free drink to people that would take a minute and write a favorable review for them

 

[hypersonic]

Great experience, plus it's got pontoons, what could go wrong?

mfinley,

The fragile little craft has probably a 100+ components that if they fail, the pontoons won't do you a bit of good. And don't forget about the insidious corrosive nature of salt water on all of the metal parts. Parts that may or not may not be fabricated using aircraft quality materials and may or may not be installed using standard aircraft practices.

Specifications for the AirCam list the two-seater gross weight at 1,640 lbs and an empty weight of 1,040 lbs for a useful load of 640 lbs. Factory listed empty weights are typically based on a bare bones barely flyable airplane.

The weights for Bay Island Airways third seat and floats subtract from the (suspect) 640 lb useful load as does the fuel for what ever flight is planned. The pilot (no small guy himself) plus two paying adult passengers will likely push the weight over the factory's published gross weight limit.

But to top that off, during the pitch I heard at CCV last September, the pilot offered to take two divers with their gear for an afternood of diving at Pigeon Key.

Tell me they are not pushing the margins and your luck.

 

[sololady]

Disclaimer: Please complete a very comprehensive and honest assessment of personal risk aversion prior to participating in any high risk activity including but not limited to SCUBA, skydiving and investing in any financial instrument or retirement program such as Social Security. :signofcross:

I have to agree with RTBDiver. Renting and riding a scooter is one of the most dangerous activities on Roatan. Been there, done that…once! :shocked2:

 

[sololady]

what he said

 

[Mike]

But to top that off, during the pitch I heard at CCV last September, the pilot offered to take two divers with their gear for an afternood of diving at Pigeon Key.

Are you f'n kidding me? Wow, now you put something on my to do list next time in Roatan. Can you imagine what a day that would be like? Fly out to Pigeon Key, do a couple of dives, have your surface interval on the beach with a nice lunch, fly back at sunset, count me in.

 

[hypersonic]

Mike,

Just out of curiosity, when you took your $400 ride in this fragile little craft, did the pilot or anyone tell you you would be flying in a homebuilt aircraft?

Did they tell you they operate in Roatan because there aren't many (if any other) aviation jurisdictions in the world that would permit using a homebuilt for charter flights?

Did you see a sign on the side of the fuselage in 2" high letters saying "EXPERIMENTAL" as would be required for this airplane in the U.S.?

Did you see a placard in front of your seat that read "Passenger Warning: This aircraft is amateur built and does not comply with Federal safety regulations for standard aircraft" as would be required for this airplane in the U.S.?

 

[Mike]

I think you're describing the relationship you have with anything you do once you leave the United States. Leaving the US means you've left behind all the government agencies that are in the US, like OSHA, the FAA, TSA, FCC, FTC... etc. I think it's that way because... you aren't in the US anymore. Going to Mexico, England, Roatan, Canada etc... means you've left the USA and everything to do with it. You're in a foreign country and crap guess what, you're in a foreign country!

 

[Didje]

Well, looks like these 2 people are looking for another "buddy" : http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/tr...bmarine-1-more-person-needed.html#post5974714

 

[RTBDiver]

While reading this article recently I could not help but think about wht folks here had to say about Karl's Sub, Heck, Its not like he is taking it to the Marianas trench.

Below is a quote from a recent article on those planning once again to the trench , The article in full can be found here

Race to the Bottom | Exploration | OutsideOnline.com

That’s when Swiss oceanographer and engineer Jacques Piccard, along with 28-year-old U.S. Navy lieutenant Don Walsh, piloted a homemade, 150-ton steel bubble called the Trieste to the floor of the trench. Maybe it’s because he’s the only man alive today who’s been there, but Walsh, now 79 and the honorary president of the Manhattan-based Explorers Club, doesn’t see the point. “Usually, if there’s a race, it implies some kind of prize,” he says dismissively. “What’s anyone going to win, the right to be second?”