dive scooters

For a general introduction and major facts about DPVs, click on my earlier post here:                          —>>Underwater Dive Scooters – Adding Speed to the Dive<<—

Best Underwater Scooter of 2019

Below is a detailed description and comparison of the 10 best dive scooters/diver propelled vehicles (DPVs) of 2018.  For each scooter key features and benefits are outlined.  At the end is a comparison chart.

Tusa SAV-7 EVO2

The Tusa Sav 7 Evo2 is a high performance model with some improved features from the earlier version.  It includes a lithium ion battery, charger, hands free saddle and has 10% more torque than the earlier SAV-7 EVO model. Continuous cruise time in open water of 70 – 110 minutes is attainable.  The average cruising range in open water is 2.25 – 4.5 miles.  There is a progressive acceleration system using a trigger with use of a saddle and 3-speed pitch propeller.  It is well suited for underwater photography, videography and spearfishing.

• Best For: photography
• Depth: 230 feet
• Run Time: 110 minutes
• Buoyancy: -8 oz
• Weight: 45 pounds
• Maximum Speed: 2.8 mph
• Pros: can pull 3 divers at a time, 3-speed propeller,  supports hands free riding
• Cons: expensive, heavy

check the price

Tusa SAV-7 EVO

The Tusa SAV – 7 sea scooter is a slightly older model of scooter with a reputation of being  a high quality, durable piece of equipment over the years.  It has a progressive acceleration system, saddle wings that handle 3 divers and a 3-speed adjustable pitch propeller.

• Best For:  photography
• Depth: 230 feet
• Run Time: 80 minutes
• Buoyancy: Neutral
• Weight: 54 pounds
• Maximum Speed: 2.6 mph
• Pros: Can pull 3 divers at a time, 3-speed propeller, supports hands free riding
• Cons: Heavy, older model

check the price – out of stock

Sea Doo GTI Sea Scooter

The Sea Doo GTI Sea Scooter offers a good balance of power, weight, depth, and run time and is fitted with adjustable buoyancy control based on diver weight.  The rated depth is 100 feet and it will cruise at 2.5 mph for up to 120 minutes.

• Best For: Recreational diving, snorkeling
• Depth: 100 feet
• Run Time: 120 minutes
• Maximum Speed: 2.5 mph
• Buoyancy: Adjustable controls for buoyancy
• Weight: 18 pounds
• Pros: lightweight, surface use appropriate for snorkeling
• Cons: low durability

check the price – out of stock

Hollis H-160

This  DPV is in a different class.  It delivers 45 pounds of thrust and can go to 656 feet.  It has removable trim weights, can be driven with one hand and has variable power settings.  All this makes it a great ride for technical diving.

• Best For:  Cave, wreck and technical diving
• Depth: 656 feet
• Run Time: 120 minutes
• Maximum Speed: 3 mph
• Buoyancy: Undefined
• Weight: 42 pounds
• Pros: Removable trim weights to suit fresh or saltwater diving, LED light at the front
• Cons: Pitch propeller can be tricky to adjust at first

check the price – out of stock

Yamaha Seal Seascooter with Camera Mount

The Yamaha Seal  is a low price scooter with a solid brand name and some nice features.  It has a sealed battery,  lightweight, waterproof construction  and is suitable for kids.  It travels to 15 feet at a speed up to 2 mph for up to an hour and a half.  With the GoPro camera mounted, the weight is 12 pounds.

• Best For: Children, snorkeling and surface swimming
• Depth: 15 feet
• Run Time: 90 minutes
• Maximum Speed: 2 mph
• Buoyancy: Positive
• Weight: 12 pounds
• Pros:  Light weight, great for kids
• Cons:  Negatively buoyant in fresh water

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Sea Doo SDI15003 RS3

This Sea Doo scooter can reach speeds of 3.10 mph for up to 60 non-stop minutes on one charge of its Lit-ion detachable battery.  It travels to 160 feet in maximum depth and has a two gear adjustable speed system.  The hull on this model creates neutral buoyancy and is appropriate for adults and kids.

• Best For: Snorkeling, recreational diving
• Depth: 160 feet
• Run Time: 60 minutes
• Maximum Speed: 3.1 mph
• Buoyancy: Neutral
• Weight: 19 pounds
• Pros: Light weight, two gear system, medium price
• Cons: ?

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Sea Doo Dolphin

The Sea Doo brand is well known for their underwater scooters for all uses. This DPV in particular is ideal for children and adults from the age of 8 plus that is built with safety in mind.  It has features such as a floating chassis, automatic shut down, large protective grills and a built in place to mount a GoPro camera to capture it all.

This scooter has a maximum speed of 2 miles per hour and is depth rated to 15.5 feet. This kind of use will allow about 1.5 hours of run time.

• Best For: snorkeling, kids and families
• Depth: 15.5 feet
• Run Time: 90 minutes
• Maximum Speed: 2 mph
• Buoyancy: Positive
• Weight: 12 pounds
• Pros: Reliable, lightweight, maneuverable, good for children and snorkeling, durable
• Cons: Not suitable for scuba or serious freediving

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Yamaha RDS 300

The Yamaha brand is known for its powerful reliable outboards for boats and increasingly for sea scooters.  The RDS 300 is rated for depths of 100 feet. It can reach 3 mph in salt water, and has an impact resistant, waterproof hull.  It is equipped with auto shut off, a thermal switch function and a sensor for water leakage.  It is known for reliability.

• Best For:  Snorkeling and recreational diving
• Depth: 100 feet
• Run Time: 90 minutes
• Maximum Speed: 3 mph
• Buoyancy: Adjustable
• Weight: 18 pounds
• Pros: GoPro camera mount, durable, 2 level adjustable speed, auto-shut off  feature, reliable
• Cons: More expensive than the Yamaha RDS250 without providing much more value

check the price

Yamaha RDS 250

Apollo AV-2 Evolution 2

• 3 speed prop
• Variable speed trigger
• Hands free riding saddle
• Progressive acceleration system
• 3 pitch propeller system
• Saddle wings can carry two additional riders
• Best For:  Recreational and technical diving
• Depth: 230 feet (tested to 300 feet)
• Run Time: 70-110 minutes
• Maximum Speed: 2.6 mph
• Buoyancy: Neutral
• Weight: Pending
• Pros: Hands free riding saddle, progressive acceleration system, speed propeller, saddle wings
• Cons: Expensive

check the price

Dive Scooter Comparison Chart

Dive Scooter	Depth	Run Time	Weight	Speed	Price
Tusa SAV-7 EVO 2	230 feet	110 minutes	45 pounds	2.8 mph	$$$
Tusa SAV-7 EVO	230 feet	80 minutes	54 pounds	2.6 mph	$$
Sea Doo GTI	100 feet	120 minutes	18 pounds	2.5 mph	$
Hollis H-160	656 feet	120 minutes	42 pounds	3 mph	$$$$
Yamaha Seal	15 feet	90 minutes	12 pounds	2 mph	$
Sea Doo SDI15003 RS3	160 feet	60 minutes	19 pounds	3.1 mph	$$$
Sea Doo Dolphin	15.5 feet	90 minutes	12 pounds	2 mph	$
Yamaha RDS 300	100 feet	90 minutes	18 pounds	3 mph	$$
Yamaha RDS 250	100 feet	120 minutes	18 pounds	2.5 mph	$$
Apollo AV-2 Evolution 2	230 feet	110 minutes	pending	2.6 mph	$$$$$

I hope you found this post on DPVs interesting and useful. If you have any questions, comments or your own personal experience, please feel free to share them in the comments section below.  I’d love to know what you think.  If there is no comments section directly below, click here:  >>comments<<

For my reviews of diving scooters, please click:  —>>Best Underwater Scooter Review – Top 10 Best DPVs of 2019<<—

Diver Propulsion Vehicles

Diver propulsion vehicles (DPVs), also known as underwater propulsion vehicles (UPVs), or more simply, dive scooters, were first devised for mililary and commercial application.  They are becoming increasingly used by technical and recreational divers, snorkelers and kids in swimming pools who want to cover area more quickly and increase range.  Range is only limited by dive table limits, amount of breathing gas carried and battery power.

DPVs are constructed with a pressure resistant, watertight casing, and are equipped with an electric motor driving a propeller which is housed in a design that eliminates chance of damage to the diver, equipment or surrounding wildlife.  This design must ensure that it cannot be started accidentally and is neutrally buoyant so as not to be able to run away from the diver.  Typically the scooter has two handles with which the diver steers and controls speed, which is usually a maximum of 2 knots.

DPVs are popular with tech divers because they help make long dives more comfortable and conserve gas, and can provide assistance in fighting against currents. Also, on very deep dives, they make carrying  a number of stage bottles or other support equipment easier to manage.

Non-tech divers are also intrigued by the small, cool, attractive vehicles. It is not far removed from feeling like being in some sort of a sci-fi or spy movie, speeding along behind the propeller through the otherworldliness of the sub-sea environment.

Practically speaking, they’re pretty useful for both types of divers. The risk of strong currents is decreased and it is possible to cover a much larger area without the usual physical strain, meaning that dives can be extended a good bit due to lower air consumption.

Key Facts About DPVs

Purposes – DPVs come in different shapes and sizes based on the purpose.  Those for military or commercial use can be designed for a bigger load of materials and more than one diver.  They can be equipped with a mounting board that can carry additional gear such as compasses, cameras and even spear guns.  The ones for recreational use are smaller and designed to pull the diver who holds onto handles on the stern or bow and are called tow-behinds.

Speed – When using a DPV the speed can be considerably greater than the diver can manually propel himself.  This applies to both horizontal movement and vertical movement.  The diver should be particularly concerned with buoyancy.  When moving horizontally at the maximum speed of 2 knots, poor buoyancy of the diver can be compensated for.  But when slowing down, if the diver has not made adjustments to his buoyancy, it can cause loss of control and a descent or ascent to happen more quickly than is safe and can result in barotrauma.

Navigation can be a concern.  If you move more quickly being towed by a scooter it is possible to get disoriented more quickly.  In overhead environments such as caves or wrecks, care needs to be taken to navigate carefully so as to be able to go directly to the exit point.  Diving in these types of environments is best done with advanced training.  In addition, keep in mind that the DPV is in large part made of metal, which can interfere with the functioning of a compass.  Test your compass use before the dive to know how to keep it clear of the potential DPV interference.

Power Limit – The DPV has a limited source of electrical power which is usually measured in hours.  Often around two hours is the limit.  Current, speed, water temperature, age of the battery and amount of use can all factor in to how long the power lasts.  When the battery is dead, the scooter stops.  Plan your dive conservatively.

Tether yourself to the scooter, so as not to lose it, especially if you have a tow-behind variety.  Most have pre-fixed attachment points.  Your BCD has D-rings that you can attach to.

The noise of the DPV, the electrical field generated by it or the shear speed of approach may tend to scare certain of the wildlife.  If your purpose is to see such creatures that these aspects of scooter use affect, then you’ll need to consider not using one.

Cost

Like a lot of scuba gear, Diver Propulsion Vehicles tend to be expensive.  You should probably get some training before using one and for a reasonable fee a DPV would be included.  Most of the scuba training agencies offer introductory and in some cases advanced classes.  In some dive shops units are available for rental, but most will insist on some sort of training beforehand.

For my reviews of diving scooters, please click:  —>>Best Underwater Scooter Review – Top 10 Best DPVs of 2018<<—

I hope you found this post on DPVs interesting and useful. If you have any questions, comments or your own personal experience, please feel free to share them in the comments section below.  I’d love to know what you think.  If there is no comments section directly below, click here:  >>comments<<