Scooter recommendation

[REVAN]

A DPV is one the most expensive purchase, a diver will make. Buy a DPV for the type of diving you will perform and buy the best your funds allow. If you can't afford one, just save until you can afford a unit with the required specs. Don't buy one with inferior specs. You'll have to sell it and take a hit on the resale value.

The boat is a the most expensive purchase a diver will make. I haven't scene any requirement specs other than that it not be too expensive and be useable for some possible future, and as yet undefined, tech diving.

I say wait until you need it before you consider purchasing a DPV. IMO, DPVs are not cool pieces of diving kit. A DPV is an ugly tool that can be used to make an ugly situation workable by throwing more money at the problem. There is nothing graceful about DPVs. It is the sledgehammer solution to the problem of limited diver mobility. If your problems don't yet require the sledgehammer, why go out and buy one?

PS to the OP - I don't know what kind of diving you are interested in. I don't dive beyond recreational limits any more. Using my "recreational" scuba kit, I cruise comfortably at 2 knots without a DPV (Note - this is faster than most divers on a DPV will cruise). I did this by streamlining the heck out of my equipment and using good fins. This is measured performance, not anecdotal 'big fish - fishing story' performance. For me, it is way more practical than using a DPV. Let me know if you want to know more about it.

 

[tbone1004]

uhhh what? you clearly haven't seen good DPV divers then...

 

[REVAN]

uhhh what? you clearly haven't seen good DPV divers then...

Have I been to the Tahoe Benchmark? Yes, I have.

A diver can be very skilled at using a DPV and to a lot with it. John Henry could do a lot with a sledgehammer too. I still think a DPV is a crude solution. There is nothing graceful or imaginative about it, and it is new kit that tends to dominate the dive.

This diver moves too slow... Hmmm, lets add a disembodied electric trolling motor to drag them through the water.
​

What's elegant about that?

 

[tbone1004]

then explain how this is an ungraceful sledgehammer? also, I would love to see data as well as what gear you are using where you can maintain a 200fpm kick speed, especially for any length of time while maintaining a good sac rate. If you can maintain a good sac rate while kicking 200fpm, then good on you, but I'm very much inclined to call BS on that claim.

 

[LiteHedded]

then explain how this is an ungraceful sledgehammer? also, I would love to see data as well as what gear you are using where you can maintain a 200fpm kick speed, especially for any length of time while maintaining a good sac rate. If you can maintain a good sac rate while kicking 200fpm, then good on you, but I'm very much inclined to call BS on that claim.

but why would you? imagine the gas savings someone like that would get with a dpv

 

[REVAN]

then explain how this is an ungraceful sledgehammer? also, I would love to see data as well as what gear you are using where you can maintain a 200fpm kick speed, especially for any length of time while maintaining a good sac rate. If you can maintain a good sac rate while kicking 200fpm, then good on you, but I'm very much inclined to call BS on that claim.

The DPV dominates the diver's field of view. The diver needs to hold on to it, occupying their hands, even when he stops using it. It makes a fair amount of noise (though not as bad as some other DPVs I heard). If the DPV dies on the dive, it becomes a big liability, incumbering the diver's ability to swim out of the situation. It is VERY expensive. The batteries could short and burn your house down. You can't take it on a plane with you to Hawaii. It adds a lot of size and weight of equipment when dealing with getting kitted up and in the water. Etc, etc, etc....

You can see my data, videos and such here: DOL-Fin Technology - Smith Aerospace

My 2 knot cruise speed streamlined scuba kit is covered in Part 3 of the "Beyond Drag" series.

 

[tbone1004]

and no mention of your air consumption in those tests... I'm not debating that you can get up to those speeds, but my "kick" sac rate is around 0.6cfm when I'm trying to move somewhere, it is around 0.45 when on a DPV which is about the same as when I'm on deco i.e. not moving.

The dpv is anything but dominant in the divers FoV, if it is, you are not diving it properly.

DPV's are one handed use and only when using them, when not using them, you let them go, or clip them off.

Yes they are somewhat noisy, but there is no better way to get from one place to another without exerting any effort...

If it dies, as long as it doesn't flood, just clip it off and swim home, if it floods, cut it loose

They are quite expensive, I'll give you that.

The batteries can short and burn your house down, but so can the battery in your laptop and your cellphone

Many dpv's can be taken on a plane, both Dive Xtras and Silent Submersion are still making travel versions of their DPV's

 

[FiddlerOnTheRoof]

I know I'm going to open a can of crap with this one but for all of you putting down Gavin Scooters let me tell you something!
I LOVE MY GAVIN SCOOTER!!!
I have been diving with my WKPP Gavin dpv for years... I't has been super reliable and as never let me down.
Yes I can't deny it's heavy compared to new ones, BUT I love how simple and easy to maintain it really is. Basically I can walk into a home depot and get all I need to repair it except for minor things that I can get from my local electric supply store. Granted all my diving is mostly 90% salt water and I no longer cave dive. My scooter has been down to depths of well over 200 feet with no problems. I have the higher rpm motor in it and so far I'm yet to dive with other divers and their dpv's who can keep up with me and my double steel 100's on my back except for my dive buddy who also has a Gavin.
Now, don't take me wrong... My scooter is not all stock... Because of how simple it is made and straight forward design I have made some inexpensive updates over the years like the seals, bearings, motor brushes and replaced the batteries recently. All that done for a couple of hundred dollars and just because it was winter and gave me something to do. The scooter was working fine when I got it. Someone I know has a problem with his Hollis scooter and is now in debt for over $1000. I have replaced the clutch with a new clutch from DGE that has the zinc on it just because I dive salt water a lot and do have spare props and assembly as a backup but so far did not need to change them yet.

The beautiful thing is I paid $950 for it and with updates it cost me so far TOPS $1500 (including the $950). I do maintain it very well and keep it in top shape. I just purchased a SS mechanical water seal for it for $35 and will be replacing it this winter as a precaution and because SS is better for salt water.

Sure we all love the new toys and there's no doubt I do to, but Gavin's, well maintained, can be good reliable machines too.

 

[Doby45]

It is obvious he is shilling for his DOL-Fin fin. I would LOVE to see someone using one of those in a cave or anywhere other than an open water rec dive.

 

[REVAN]

and no mention of your air consumption in those tests... I'm not debating that you can get up to those speeds, but my "kick" sac rate is around 0.6cfm when I'm trying to move somewhere, it is around 0.45 when on a DPV which is about the same as when I'm on deco i.e. not moving.

My definition for comfortable cruise is that the level of effort is like casual walking, easy effort and can be maintained indefinitely without problems.

I can easily exceed 1 knot (1.3 -1.5 range) with a rest level breathing rate. This is about where most DPVs will typically cruise for range extension.

By the way, I believe that divers should be exerting some effort while diving. While there are many reasons to avoid working hard on a dive, if your entire dive is at rest level, you won't get any exercise and you'll likely get cold. There is a sweet spot that resides around the effort exerted from walking that I think is the ideal level of exertion for scuba diving.

Anyway, this is getting off topic, so I'm out. PM me if you want to discuss further.

PS -

It is obvious he is shilling for his DOL-Fin fin...

Please - You are the first one to talk about the DOL-Fin here. Forgive me for posting my diving R&D papers on my website. If you like, we can put them on your website and link to those instead.