Sea Scooters

Sea Scooters

Sea scooters are medium-sized devices that propel the user along underwater via a propeller driven by an electric motor. While unit designs vary from brand to brand, the basic operating principle involves the use of a motor, a battery pack, a trigger and switch system plus a plastic housing with sealed chambers to prevent water ingress.

There are up to two accessible chambers from within the sea scooter body where the user can get into for maintenance and preparation purposes. Many designs use an air box which can be accessed after removing a cone. The air box controls the buoyancy of the device, which can be set to neutral by putting in weights such as rocks or metal weights to test the buoyancy level. Removing the airbox gives you access to the battery housing which can be popped off. There is an included air pump and the battery inside.

Most commercial sea scooters are rated for use for not deeper than 30 metres. Going any deeper risks compromising the silicone and O-ring sealants due to the pressure and will break the components. Furthermore, many commercial sea scooters will not have enough power to propel a fully-equipped diver with rebreathers. That said, these are perfect for taking the kids to an adventure in the reef where you don’t need much depth to enjoy yourself.

Putting on scuba and snorkeling boots is a good idea when exploring rocky areas with your sea scooter. As reefs can be rife with sharp corals and rocks, it’s best to wear some extra protection to prevent injury. Furthermore, dive lights make it so that you can see your surroundings clearly especially when you hooked up an action camera on your head or onto the sea scooter to record your adventures.