DPV and other fun stuff

[dotyj]

Hi all:

I got to practice using a DPV today in the pool. What a blast.

My friend Tim came along and he, an instructor, and I took turns using it. Boy do I need practice.

I'll have more practice with the DPV next weekend.

We basically took turns and I finally gave up when I'd used up so much air in my AL80 that I couldn't stay down. Buoyancy! Gotta work on that buoyancy! I'm getting there.

The three of us took turns with the DPV for nearly two hours.

Before using the DPV the instructor and I did some skills reviews. Only complaint from him? I didn't move my reg far enough away from me when practicing regulator recovery. Otherwise I did great.

I didn't like the instructor's alternate reg. It was really hard to breath, hard to pull free from it's clip, and had a really short hose. The up side? This is good practice. Not everyone (Me included, I have an Aqualung Octopus XLC alternate.) has a high end alternate reg.

Today was also fun because I got to dive in the pool with my friend Tim for the first time. I was able to show Tim what I can do for myself (Which is just about anything that doesn't require me lifting more than 20 lbs at a time..). I take longer to kit up than Tim does, but he has a lot more experience than I do.

Anyway, back the DPV. I don't recall the make and model but this unit has a two hour run time, weighs about 50 pounds, and can travel at up to 3 knotts.

I played with the DPV at it's lowest setting which was about at a comfortable swim speed. I found that if I'm slightly too buoyant, and I was, that the DPV tends to want to pull me up to the surface, even when I'm pointing it nose down. When my tank was full I didn't have that problem.

The hand holds were well built but for me were at a slightly awkward angle. Not a big deal. Because of my disability, everything for me seems to be slightly awkward. I'll live.

There were two throttle triggers, on on each hand hold. The one on the right hand hold wasn't working though. The LDS just took delivery of it Wednesday, they'll have it fixed soon.

I learned to watch that gear. I accidently got my bcd inflator too close to the prop and slightly tagged it. No damage done. I repositioned my body higher up on the DPV and problem solved.

My instructor (The first one) said after my pool time that I'll have one more DPV practice session, then at least one pool session to learn to use the drysuit before I do my OW dives.

My initial class fee of $435.00 may have sounded high, but I'm getting great one on one instruction and time to learn to use other equipment before I do my OW dives. It's been more than worth the cost.

 

[DiverBuoy]

Figuring out the type of unit ...

Where the handles on the side toward the front, or on the very back. Was the prop a "pull" style, mounted in front. Or was it the "push" style mounted in back? What color was the DPV? Did you have to wear special glove(s) or a band or ring to operate it?

 

[dotyj]

Looks like I should have at least described the DPV.

It was black with a four inch (or so) green band around the middle. It was maybe a foot in diameter. It was maybe two feet long. It weighed about 55 pounds. There was a carrying handle at the nose.

The hand holds were near the rear with a variable pitch prop surrounded by a shroud just behind them. Prop pitch was adjustable via a dial at the prop hub. The DPV was a pusher, prop in the rear. The cost was a bit over $2,500.00.

I didn't need gloves to drive the DPV but will when I do my open water dives.

The DPV was a lot of fun to use, but I woke with really sore abdomin(sp?) muscles. A couple of hours of additional practice and I'll have it figured out well enough. I'm actually pretty good with it now, but was too buoyant to maintain proper depth.

I still need to learn how to care for the seals. I don't want to be the first person using it to accidently flood the DPV.

 

[DiverBuoy]

Apollo/Dacor scooter

 

[dotyj]

Nope.

The hand holds were near the rear. The Apollo/Dacor looks easy to use though with the hand holds near the front.

 

[ericfine50]

Oceanic Mako or Aries Voyager
Eric

 

[dotyj]

Bingo!

That's the one.

http://www.oceanicww.com/PopupImage.cfm?PL=mako&SL=mak

Thanks.

 

[DiverBuoy]

dotyj,

with handles set so far back, wouldn't that cause the prop wash to beat up on you? I mean the tendency is to raise your arms in front of you so that the backwash would be right in your face? Hmm it is an interesting design.

Here's a link to another one that has the hand holds in the rear, but I've heard negative things about not enough power and poor battery life. The main difference in the design is the prop wash is redirected because it is a pull style:
Aqua Sub

This is a cool website showing pictures and discriptions of many of the best DPV's ever made (scroll down to see everything)
DPV Site

 

[dotyj]

Prop wash can be a problem. The idea is to bend your elbows and hug the thing just a few inches away from your chest. The handle angle wasn't very good in my opinion but I'd never used a DPV before and had nothing to compare it to.

I would think that hand holds at the front would work better.

I would also like to see some sort of mesh to protect gear and fingers and such from the prop. I tagged my inflator hose once. No harm done but it made a hell of a noise.

Maybe this weekend I can try one of the other DPVs we got at the LDS? I haven't looked at them yet though so don't know anything about them other than they're smaller and slower than the one I played with last weekend.

All-in-all though, I had a great time. I'm looking forward to more DPV time.

 

[dotyj]

Great site. I just briefly browsed it, I'm at work, I'll read it in more detail later. Thanks.

DiverBuoy once bubbled...

This is a cool website showing pictures and discriptions of many of the best DPV's ever made (scroll down to see everything)
DPV Site