empressdiver
Contributor
Since your girlfriend will rely on the scooter more than most divers, dependability is a key factor. So I would stay away from any of the Sea-Doo scooters or any other cheap knockoffs - they are just not built for serious or demanding conditions.
If the scooter works out well, you may want to sell it and upgrade in the future. The easiest used serious scooter to sell is probably the Oceanic Mako. As outlined earlier, it has a good motor, etc. You can buy one for $800-1000. I wouldn't go much higher.
I would stay away from the Tekna scooters. They are the predecessors to the Oceanic Mako and were made in the 80's. The typical problem there is structural cracks in the plastic body and bulkheads from material fatigue which are difficult to see and can't be repaired.
There is also the used Dacor scooter and one or two identical scooters under different brand names like the Apollo. These don't perform quite as well as the Mako but are much better than the Sea-Doo units. Max price for these is about $500.
You can also buy a used Farallon scooter which are approved for use by the US Navy. They have a solid aluminum hull, which avoids the issue of structural cracks of the plastic bodies, and a depth rating of at least 300 ft. This is probably the least cost entry into the full capability scooters.
I have an older Farallon Mk II and a Mk III and I'm happy with them. I rebuilt the motor and replaced a driveshaft seal, etc. on the Mk II with low-cost generic parts available at a local electric motor shop, and a set of O-rings from a local hydraulics supplier.
If the scooter works out well, you may want to sell it and upgrade in the future. The easiest used serious scooter to sell is probably the Oceanic Mako. As outlined earlier, it has a good motor, etc. You can buy one for $800-1000. I wouldn't go much higher.
I would stay away from the Tekna scooters. They are the predecessors to the Oceanic Mako and were made in the 80's. The typical problem there is structural cracks in the plastic body and bulkheads from material fatigue which are difficult to see and can't be repaired.
There is also the used Dacor scooter and one or two identical scooters under different brand names like the Apollo. These don't perform quite as well as the Mako but are much better than the Sea-Doo units. Max price for these is about $500.
You can also buy a used Farallon scooter which are approved for use by the US Navy. They have a solid aluminum hull, which avoids the issue of structural cracks of the plastic bodies, and a depth rating of at least 300 ft. This is probably the least cost entry into the full capability scooters.
I have an older Farallon Mk II and a Mk III and I'm happy with them. I rebuilt the motor and replaced a driveshaft seal, etc. on the Mk II with low-cost generic parts available at a local electric motor shop, and a set of O-rings from a local hydraulics supplier.
