TESTCENTRE
Drive your dive : buying a powerful DPV
Seacraft GO ! Scooter
COMPANY : NAUTILUS DIVING PRICE : £ 4,095 TEL : 0333 4440104 WEB : WWW . NAUTILUS . UK
Underwater scooters have been around since the earliest days of scuba . Like many technological innovations , these Diver Propulsion Vehicles ( DPVs ) owe their origins to the military , who used them – and still do – for covert operations .
As a youngster exposed to the on-screen factual adventures of Jaques Cousteau and the fictional ones of James Bond I was always fascinated by these futuristiclooking devices . Back then they seemed even more unobtainable than 007 ’ s gadget-laden DB5 . While the Aston Martin still remains a pipe-dream , DPVs have become part and parcel of the modern diving scene . From entry-level through to more cutting-edge technical models , they make easy work of cave , wreck and reef exploration alike .
Marine Tech S . A . is a Polish company that manufactures DPVs under the Seacraft banner ; they are are distributed by Nautilus Diving in the UK . While Seacraft ’ s flagship Future model will set you back a hefty £ 8k , the more compact and affordable GO ! uses the same technology as its larger sibling , at around half the price .
Transport and containment
With its streamlined , torpedo-like appearance , the Go ! surprisingly weighs in at under 10kg . It ’ s powered by Seacraft ’ s patented magnetic propulsion technology , which eliminates both the conventional drive shaft and gear transmission hardware found in other units . Its compact dimensions ( 520mm long by 280mm wide ) makes it very transport-friendly and it ’ s easily stowed away , even on a rib . While depth-rated to 130 metres , the GO ! has actually been tested to 200m . It ’ d be fair to say both figures are far in excess of those required for the majority of divers .
Particularly interesting for regular air travellers is the scooter ’ s innovative battery system . Consisting of six individual Li-Ion battery segments , and approved by the IATA ( International Air Transport Association ), these can be removed and carried as hand luggage .
The scooter also comes complete with a lightweight but deceptively sturdy transport container . If you ’ re not flying with the unit , there ’ s only one other reason to open it up , and that ’ s to adjust ballast / trim ( even charging is carried out via an external port ). This would primarily be for changing between salt and fresh water use , or when mounting accessories such as lights ; sliding trim weights are supplied for this purpose .
Powering up
A chunky red switch powers up the DPV , illuminating its LED display , which sits centrally between the two trigger handles situated on top of the rear cowling . The right side of this LED shows the battery charge
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