I just bought an Aeris Scooter

[wolfpack]

Aeris and Mako are the same, actually it came with a mako charger, too funny, I dive a wing with crotch strap and d-ring and I am hooking up the lanyard, how long should it be? If I am attached to the scooter, should I be looking down at the shroud? just how far away should the scoter be mounted from me using the line attached from the handles to my d-ring on my harnass ? Can't wait to use it, I'll try it out next weekend.

Second quesiton, I am 5'11" 160 lbs, what setting are most people running on the prop? I was thinking 3-5 to save battery life, since I am diving single 120's. Any thoughts?

Thanks!!

 

[JamieZ]

Your arm should be able to fully extend while in trim when riding the scooter. You dont want to feel any prop wash at all. If you do your not trimmed out properly or have 2 much dangling.

Speed depends on the enviroment your diving in. You shouldnt ride the scooter any higher then 7. You get less burn time and draw higher amperage which could burn out the motor.

Go to the Silent Submersion web site or the Gavin site for better info.

 

[RichLockyer]

What about a tendency for the nose of the Mako to pitch up? Would this be due to a weighting trim (body position) issue, attachment, holding method, or what?
I do tend to be a bit feet-heavy.

TIA.

 

[JamieZ]

If it happens only on start-up I would say its a natural reaction for your hand in the pistol grip position to kick backwards from the initial thrust of the scooter. If it is happening when your riding it, I would have to assume (because I've never dove with you) that its caused from improper trim. Feet below your waist position or your on top of the scooter which means your tow rope isnt long enough. You are using a tow rope with a crotch ring? Anyways hope this helps. I am by far no expert on the subject but love to ride them.

One other thing that might help. Put a ankle weight in the nose. This will make it about a pound and a half negative though. This is suggested as a crutch not a fix.

 

[RichLockyer]

Thanks. Actually, I am posting for wolfpack... he's out at Avalon all week and asked me to post.

It is during the entire dive... he has to keep forcing the nose down with his wrist.
I suspected the line too short or poor trim. He normally uses ankle weights with his drysuit, but this time I let him borrow my gators for this trip and he's now finding that he is quite foot-heavy.

He reports that it's not as fast as he had hoped... thinks he can outswim it and maintain a lead. I dunno, but he IS a real rocket u/w. I've only been with him one time when a current kicked his a$$, and there have been many times that I've blown through half a 120 trying to keep up with him on a run from... ohh say the Valiant to the Casino park.

I'm a pretty decent sprinter, but too many years of smoking took their toll and I can't do a long endurance swim at 70ft anymore...

...hence, we bought the pair of scooters

 

[RichLockyer]

Wolfpack just called me and let me know that you were 100% on the money. When he removed the ankle weights and bent his knees everything just fell together.

Dropped on the Valiant and spent about 20 minutes cruising around her with the scooter set to 3. Kicked it up to 7 and headed for the dive park, then dropped to 5 for a cruise around the park.
His support crew picked him up at the Casino Point light at 75 minutes total dive time, the battery had just gone into the red.

He still had 1000psi left

 

[JamieZ]

I'm a pretty decent sprinter, but too many years of smoking took their toll and I can't do a long endurance swim at 70ft anymore...

Some food for thought! Its not a terrible thing usining your scooter for a crutch but if your in a position where your scooter dies, you best be able to surface if you cant swim the distance back. You really dont want to scooter farther then you can swim unless there's no doubt that you would be able to surface or you have a buddy good enough to tow you or a backup scooter.

Tell your buddy speed will come with practice. Stay in trim and stay streamlined.

If you eventually still want more speed out of your scooters send them to Steve Gamble @ Gamble Scuba. He's got a couple of Tekna's that will run circles around a SS or a Gavin.

Have fun! I'm really glad I could be of help.

 

[RichLockyer]

Oh, I absolutely hear you on not out-scootering your swimming ability. Our primary goal is gas conservation and ease of physical loading... not so much increased range.

As far as a scooter taking a dump, if only one scooter dies, then under any conditions, one of us would always be able to make it back to the boat and then pick up the other.
Same if both scooters die... it would just be a harder swim, with one remaining in the water with both scooters.