Sea Scooters or PWP's (Personal Water Propellers) , or DPV's (Diver Propulsion Vehicles) are small hand held water crafts used by swimmers or divers to move through the water, typically between 2 and 5 MPH. Not only will they save effort, air, and time for divers but they are a blast for casual recreation and will even give you a bit of a work out while skimming around in the water. It is not difficult to keep your head above the surface while in operation if that is what you desire.
It can be confusing trying to find the right sea scooter with so many now on the market. This article will attempt to relate the information we have found useful when shopping for a Sea Scooter. Our experience is recreation related so if you plan to be deep sea diving, or going deeper than the average snorkeler please do further research with regard to safety and SCUBA certification. Changing your elevation quickly underwater can be deadly if you lack the experience and training involved.
That said, lets get on with the fun stuff. There are basically three categories of Sea Scooters in our opinion, Scooters suited for children, adults, or professionals.
Rechargeable battery powered Sea Scooters are the most common, however there is at least one gas powered model currently on the market. They range in price from less than $100 U.S to a few thousand depending on the power, construction and depth rating for a given model.
The first model we will examine is best suited for children and the least expencive.
The Sea-Doo Seascooter Aquanaut Youth Water Scooter
, Retails for around $100. It is shorter in length, therefor easier to manage for small hands and is categorized as a "Pool propulsion vehicle for children between ages 5 and 10" The Aquanaut Youth Water Scooter runs at up to 1 mile per hour with a 100-pound maximum capacity.Moving up in power and price we reach the "adult" category.
The 'Blue Dolphin' Water Scooter Seascooter
retails for around $120 and offers the following- Suited for pool, lake or sea
- Run up to 3 miles per hour and 82'/25m in depth with aerodynamic three-fin design
- Enjoy 90 minute run time per charge
- Play safely with safety features for ages 12 years old and up
- Carry up to 220 lbs
Next in line is the Deco Stingray Water Scooter
. It retails for around $150. It moves at around 3 MPH, ( I know... I thought the same thing, but 3 MPH feels much faster in the water, an experienced kayak enthusiast moving about 4 MPH knows it takes a lot of work) It weighs 31 pounds which is quite heavy for the 150 Watt motor.- 150 Watt motor with 12V rechargeable battery
- Delivers up to 1 1/2 hours of run time for fun at the beach or the pool
- Can take rider to depths of 65 feet
- Carries up to 220-lb. rider
My personal pick and the scooter I currently use is the X-Treme - X 155 ,
(mine on the charger at the moment gearing up for a day at the beach tomorrow.)
X-155 Electric Powered Sea Scooter - Dual Battery - 250 - 300 Watt Motor - $210-$230
"The X-Treme X-155 dual speed aqua sea scooter. The fun will never end with one of these close by this summer. The X-155 Sea Scooter comes complete with a dual battery system (24 volts), battery charger, branded X-Treme Logo duffle carry bag, and is ready to take you up to 100 feet below the surface any time you are ready.
The Sea Scooter is just plain fun. This unit can be used in swimming pools, at the lake or even in the ocean for serious divers if you choose to go down deep, but best of all it's also great for kids playing in the water. The X-155 sea scooter is also simple to use, just hold it in front of you, pull the first trigger on the handlebar and let it take you away, pull the second trigger to activate the 300 Watt speed setting for maximum power and if you want to go under water, just point it in that direction and it will take you right down.
The X-155 Electric Powered Sea Scooter Sea Scooter is the ONLY sea scooter on the market today that is built with an all metal gearing system. Each end of each gear shaft is fitted into a stainless steel bearing. X-Treme takes there quality very seriously and to prove that, just view the images below that show the metal gear system used in the X-155 compared to the plastic gearing system used in ALL other brands of sea scooter on the market today. Plastic gears will fail, it's guaranteed but metal will not and to back that up, we are offering a lifetime warranty on the gears." - From X-Treme Scooters Website.
It has a faster speed than the more expensive Sea-Doo models (later in this article) , offers a good battery life (1.5 Hours) , and has a lot of power for such a little machine at 250-300 Watts.
It clocks in at around 4 MPH which feels ample.
The highest in wattage I have seen advertised is the :
Underwater 350W Sea Scooter Water Propeller DPV 100 ft deep
- Around $350- Powerful 350W high speed sea scooter, dive down up to 100 ft.
- Deluxe Heavy Duty Carry Bag, Battery, Charger are included.
- Operating time: up to 90 minutes (extended battery) Depth rating: 100 feet Manual can be downloaded by clicking contact customer service.
- Diver weight limit is 300lbs. Speed Up to 4.5 MPH.
- Highly maneuverable-weighs just 16 lbs including battery.
The Sea-Doo Seascooter VS Supercharged Water Scooter
- $499* Dive propulsion vehicle for professional and recreational divers
* Propels user at speeds of up to 3 miles per hour; rated for depths of 100 feet
* Rated No. 1 overall water scooter by Diving Science and Technology (DSAT)
* Variable-speed control; rechargeable battery runs for 1.5 hours per charge
* Measures 24.1 x 15.1 x 12.2 inches (W x H x D); weighs 18 pounds; 180-day warranty
Divers I've spoken with who use them, love the construction quality and the longer warranty when testing a new model.
The most avid of them recommend the Sea-Doo Seascooter Explorer
for deep diving - $699.95 -
- Dive propulsion vehicle designed for both recreational and professional divers
- Propels user at speeds of up to 3 miles per hour; rated for depths of 160 feet
- High-temperature and overload protections, safety lock, and auto shutoff function
- 3-stage speed control; rechargeable battery runs for 2 hours per charge
- Measures 23.5 x 14.6 x 12.2 inches (W x H x D); weighs 32 pounds; 180-day warranty
Compare many of the models mentioned above and read more user reviews below:
I just got word from X-Treme on the new X-160
I Sell X-Treme Sea Scooters with Free Shipping At Very Fair Prices
The New More Powerful X-160
WATCH FOR THE ALL NEW X-Treme : X-160 Sea Scooter ARRIVING JULY 1, 2008 WITH 300-350 DUAL SPEED MOTOR & LARGER BATTERY SYSTEM.
I expect the price upon release will be about $100 less than the
Sea-Doo Seascooter VS Supercharged Water Scooter
Which would be around $250- $300 -
I will post actual price after release July 1 !!
I personally use the X-155 which will be replaced by the X-160
If you are interested in purchasing an X-Treme brand Sea Scooter direct from the factory, please comment here or send me an E-Mail - Luke@CrewPC.Com
with the subject line "Sea Scooter Price List"
*Spare Batteries & Parts For X-Treme Sea Scooters Also Available
I will be happy to reply with current stock, prices, and further information.
