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Ever since James Bond’s incredible underwater battle in Thunderball (1965), generations of divers have been interested in sea scooters. While they used to be prohibitively expensive for most people, with advances in technology, the underwater scooter is now much more accessible to the average freediver or scuba diver.
An underwater scooter – otherwise known as a diver propulsion vehicle (DPV) – is a piece of diving equipment that increases a divers range underwater. They are useful for a variety of different applications, from increasing the range you can cover underwater, to snorkeling, to cave and wreck diving. Whatever type of diving you plan on doing, having the right underwater scooter can save you plenty of time and energy. They are also a blast to use!
Picking the right underwater scooter can be a bit of a challenge however, as there are many options. In this review, I’ll go over the best sea scooters for several different uses, and how to select the perfect sea scooter for you.
Quick Answer: 4 Best Underwater Sea Scooters
- Best Overall: Yamaha RDS 250
- Best For Kids and Casual Use: Yamaha Seal Seascooter
- Best for Experienced Divers / Power: Yamaha 500 Li
- Best for Pro Divers: TUSA SAV7-EVO2
The 4 Best Underwater Scooters
Best Overall
Yamaha RDS 250
Depth: 100 feet
Buoyancy: Adjustable
Max Speed: 2.5 mph (4 km/h)
Run Time: 2 hours
Weight: 18 lbs (8.2 kg)
Pros: Great value, good mix of speed and battery life, good for underwater photography, adjustable buoyancy
Cons: May not be powerful enough for professional divers
A great choice for anyone who wants a capable, quality sea scooter without breaking the bank. Rated for depths of 100 feet and capable of speeds up to 2.5 mph (4km/h), the Yamaha RDS 250 is more than powerful enough for most users. It also features an impressive runtime of 2 hours, which is better than most sea scooters. This model offers a great balance between power, speed, and runtime.
This scooter features a removable buoyancy chamber, which enables you to adjust the buoyancy depending on your preference. It also comes with a GoPro camera mount, so it’s great for underwater photography.
Best for Kids and Casual Use
Yamaha Seal Seascooter
Depth: 15 feet
Buoyancy: Positive
Max Speed: 2 mph (3.2 km/h)
Run Time: 1.5 hours
Weight: 12 lbs (5.4 kg)
Pros: Great for kids and the whole family, relatively inexpensive, made by a reputable manufacturer
Cons: Not powerful enough for serious diving
The Yamaha Seal Seascooter is a great budget underwater scooter that’s perfect for kids and families. Kids will have a blast playing in the pool, lake, or ocean in this surprisingly capable underwater scooter. The scooter weighs just 12 lbs, and its compact design makes carrying it easy, even for youngsters. Rated for up to 1.5 hours of use, and depths of 15 feet, this compact scooter is fun for adults too!
The buoyancy is designed to be positive, which prevents kids from unintentionally diving too deep. There are plenty of other safety features as well, including a safety grille, automatic shut off, and dual trigger operation. Just like other Yamaha sea scooters, it comes with a GoPro camera mount included.
Best for Experienced Divers / Power
Yamaha 500 Li
Depth: 130 feet
Buoyancy: Automatic
Max Speed: 4.35 mph (7 km/h)
Run Time: 1.5 hours
Weight: 21 lbs (9.5 kg)
Pros: Impressive power and speed, suitable for recreational and professional divers, automatic buoyancy adjustment, GoPro camera mount included
Cons: More expensive than other models
This flagship underwater scooter from Yamaha is an absolute beast! If you’re looking for unmatched power, speed and reliability then this is undoubtedly the best underwater scooter for you. The Yamaha 500 Li is a top of the line sea scooter suitable for both recreational and professional divers. With a top speed of 4.35 mph (7 km/h) and a maximum depth of 130 feet, you’d be hard pressed to beat this machine.
Speed is controlled with a three-level rotational speed control button, which gives you greater speed control than most other two- speed scooters. A conveniently placed battery level indicator displays the remaining charge left, so you won’t run out of power during a deep dive. The battery lasts a respectable 90 min, which is excellent considering the power and speed of this scooter.
The buoyancy is automatically adjusted by an automatic adjustment system, so you will never have to fight the machine during ascent or descent. Impressively, the scooter weighs in at only 21 lbs, which makes transport a cinch.
Best for Pro Divers
TUSA SAV7-EVO2
Depth: 230 feet
Buoyancy: Negative 0.5 lbs
Max Speed: 2.8 mph (4.5 kph)
Run Time: 2 hours
Weight: 45 lbs (20 kg)
Pros: Heavy-duty construction, can accommodate multiple divers simultaneously, hands-free operation, ideal for deep dives
Cons: Expensive for the casual user
Professional divers have to rely on their gear. Any type of malfunction can have devastating consequences. The Japanese made TUSA SAV7-EVO2 is the type of gear that professionals all over the globe rely on every day. This heavy-duty, well-made underwater scooter is ideal for professional divers who are looking for a scooter that can do anything they might need it to. With a depth rating of 230 feet and slightly negative buoyancy, this machine is built for the deep dive.
The scooter has a 3-speed variable control transmission system as well as a hands-free riding saddle, which allows you to ride the scooter while having both hands free for photography, checking gauges, or prepping equipment. Fold out wings also allow the scooter to accommodate up to 4 divers at the same time. The battery has a runtime of 2 hours, as well as an LED battery life indicator.
What to consider when choosing an underwater scooter?
Use Case
The best type of underwater scooter is the one that will best fulfill your particular needs. Are you looking for something the kids can use in the pool? Or something you can use to quickly transport you to the bottom on scuba dives over 100 feet? The ideal sea scooter will largely depend on what you plan on using it for.
Buoyancy
Buoyancy simply means how much an object floats in water. Sea scooters will either have positive, neutral, or negative buoyancy. Positively buoyant scooters will have a tendency to float towards the surface. These scooters are typically made for kids and will not handle deep water well. Neutrally buoyant scooters will neither sink nor rise to the surface on their own. These scooters are good for all around use. Negatively buoyant scooters will have a tendency to sink slightly. These are typically used in professional scooters for deep dives. The negative buoyancy makes descending faster and easier.
More expensive models will often have adjustable buoyancy of some kind, which will optimize the buoyancy depending on the situation.
Depth
Be sure to check the depth rating on any underwater scooter you consider. Most standard models will have a rating of around 100 feet, which is enough for recreational divers. Professional models will be able to handle depths of 200+ feet. Cheaper kids models often are only rated for 15 feet, so they aren’t appropriate for scuba diving.
Speed
Speed is an important consideration, especially if you like to go fast! Cruising on the surface is one of the most fun things you can do with an underwater scooter, and you don’t need scuba gear either.
If you are using the scooter for scuba diving, a faster scooter will allow you to cover more distance quickly. Also, depths below 50 feet you’ll want a powerful scooter to counteract the effects of pressure.
Battery
In most sea scooters there is an inverse effect between power/speed and battery life. If you want maximum battery life, you will have to sacrifice a bit of speed. Most scooters will have a battery life of around 1-2 hrs of typical use.
The type of battery is another important consideration. Lithium-ion batteries will recharge faster and are more expensive than lead-acid type batteries.
Weight
Weight can be an important consideration when choosing the best underwater scooter. If your scooter is very heavy, transport and especially plane travel can become an issue. Most recreational scooters weigh approximately 15 – 25 lbs, while professional models can be well over 40 lbs. Weight is only an issue outside of water though, in the water they will be similarly weightless.
Value
Prices for underwater scooters vary widely, from several hundred dollars to several thousand. Expensive professional models will undoubtedly outperform cheaper models, but you can definitely find an excellent underwater scooter for a reasonable price.
Underwater Scooter Uses and Benefits
Underwater scooters can be a lot of fun, but they also provide several key benefits to divers, which makes them a useful tool for several different applications.
Range. Every diver encounters the problem of restricted range due to gas consumption. During descent, divers will use up a fair bit of their compressed gas by exerting themselves. A sea scooter will allow you to descent/ascent effortlessly, conserving key breathing gas, and giving you more time on the bottom. Because underwater scooters work so effortlessly, it’s important to pay careful attention to your depth and not ascend/descend too quickly.
Cave and Wreck Dives. Underwater scooters work particularly well for cave and wreck dives. They enable the diver to navigate compact areas easily and exert less energy during exploration.
Snorkeling. Underwater scooters aren’t just for scuba divers either. They work great for skimming the surface while snorkeling and allow you to cover far more distance than you could with regular fins.
Photography. Most underwater scooters come with a GoPro or camera mount included. They are a great option for underwater photographers, as they allow you to focus more on taking photos or video and less on swimming. You can also cover far more distance with a scooter and even keep pace with marine wildlife.
How to use an underwater scooter?
Underwater scooters are fairly simple to use. You simply grip the handlebars, which act as both the throttle and steering mechanism. Most scooters will have 2 or 3-speed settings, so you can easily control your speed in the water. As a safety feature, if you release the dual throttle on the handlebars, most scooters will shut off automatically. A grille also protects you from coming into contact with the propellers. The max speed of the fastest underwater scooters is around 5 mph, which may not sound like much but is quite impressive in the water.
When using the scooter it’s important to keep in mind the amount of battery power you have left. Keep a close eye on the battery power indicator, and don’t push the machine’s limits, especially on deep dives. Of course, it’s always a good idea to dive with a buddy in case you run into any trouble or have a malfunction. Underwater scooters can be deceptively powerful, and cause you to descent/ascent too quickly if you don’t monitor yourself carefully.
Most importantly though, get out in the water and enjoy yourself! Underwater scooters are a ton of fun for anyone who enjoys exploring the incredible world beneath the waves.
Featured image source
I’ve loved being in the outdoors for as long as I can remember. I grew up fishing, canoeing, and camping throughout the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia. It’s what lead me to start this site and share my passions for fishing, diving, kayaking and more. Nowadays you can find me writing about my passions or (preferably!) preparing for my next outdoor adventure.
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