Torpedo 2000, 2500, 3500 Owners

[MitchFtLaud]

I'm going to make a scooter purchase shortly and the Torpedo 2500 is my top runner.

I've been researching for a while and there is alot I like about these, but I haven't found much info on them from owners. So please, owners chime in with your thoughts and experiences.

If anyone wants to make compairsons to other scooters, please feel free, but kindly keep the compairisons down to scooters that sell for under $1000 new and under $700 used. This is my top pick compaired to the higher end Sea Doo's, Bladefish etc.

What I really like about these is the simple and seemingly reliable design. I plan on getting two 2500's so the wife and I can scoot around seperate and I want the twin kit so I can make a go fast scooter as well. Paired up it makes for a scooter that weighs about 92 punds, but should keep up with the high end boys for about an hour.

So, lets feel the love for Torpedo, or at least the nay sayers who can speak from experience.

Thanks to all who share your wisdom on this board.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I have a 2000. Longest run I have done with it was a 75 minute dive. Say 60 of that with the scooter actually in use. Lots of fun, no decrease in speed as the time went. Oh and I was towing 2 other divers at the same time. One on each hip dring. Results- saw the entire perimeter of the quarry. We did stay at about 20 feet ( just above the thermocline) Total linear distance covered about 3/4 mile. (rough guess since there was some zigzagging to see things). One of the divers I was towing is a new diver but very comfy in the water. She started with a 3100 psi fill and ended up at the end of the dive with just over 1400. Not an al 80 but an al63. I was using a LP95 started with 2600 ended with just over 1500. And none of us was the least bit tired!

 

[MitchFtLaud]

Jim, thanks for sharing your experiences with your scooter.

Mitch

 

[biker pat]

I'm going to make a scooter purchase shortly and the Torpedo 2500 is my top runner.

I've been researching for a while and there is alot I like about these, but I haven't found much info on them from owners. So please, owners chime in with your thoughts and experiences.

If anyone wants to make compairsons to other scooters, please feel free, but kindly keep the compairisons down to scooters that sell for under $1000 new and under $700 used. This is my top pick compaired to the higher end Sea Doo's, Bladefish etc.

What I really like about these is the simple and seemingly reliable design. I plan on getting two 2500's so the wife and I can scoot around seperate and I want the twin kit so I can make a go fast scooter as well. Paired up it makes for a scooter that weighs about 92 punds, but should keep up with the high end boys for about an hour.

So, lets feel the love for Torpedo, or at least the nay sayers who can speak from experience.

Thanks to all who share your wisdom on this board.

My friend and I have out last week testing some Torpedo's 3500. We scooted off the beach. The speed seemed not spectacular, but that is only an impression. Adjusting your Boyancy takes some time, but when you get it right the unit is easy to handle.I would not have wanted a faster unit. 20 minutes out, we dropped the units on a sand bed and connected our SMB's to them. We explored the area and surfaced from 8 meter to check our location. Actualy in 20 minutes we had reached open sea. We descended following our lines and headed back to the shore. 15 minutes into that we decided to surface again, from 5 meter to verify our location. We than both decided we would do the last part at surface level. So we both lifted our DPV's from the SMB line. The units lift very easy. Some extra air in our BCD's and we traveled the last 400 meters on surface. Conclusion a great morning out... we will do some modifications to the DPV's like mounting an compass, spare air and lifting device (for self rescue). For the price it is a great kit!! And am looking forward to take it out again on Saturday. What I miss is a battery status indicator. Thats all, so if someone has an idear how we could do this, just let us know...

 

[fdog]

The Tahoe Benchmark


All the best, James

 

[MitchFtLaud]

The Tahoe Benchmark


All the best, James

I'm not sure what was wrong with that scooter, but besides being a 2000 and not a 3500 it performed lousy. I've got a 3500 and an Apollo AV-1, the 3500 runs somewhere between speed two and three on the Apollo, closer to speed three. For under $1000 bucks it's the fastest of anything I've found.

I've had a chance to run the new 3500 next to an old one made in 2003, an Apollo AV-1, and will be able to run it next to a couple of other scooters soon including a Farallon MkII and plan on writing down what I find here. I just want more experience first, but from the handful of dives I've had a chance to do I'm pleased and although it's not a rocket, it's a solid puller.

I will share that last weekend though, seas off Ft. Lauderdale had killed viz and just for a test I snorkled out past the end of Commerical Pier by a hundred yards or so and let my 3500 take me. I didn't have to kick at all and it took me about 300 yards each way in strong current towing a float and I'm 250 lbs and over six foot tall.

 

[MitchFtLaud]

What I miss is a battery status indicator. Thats all, so if someone has an idear how we could do this, just let us know...

With Sealed Lead Acid batteries, the voltage keeps dropping and with it the speed. I'm just getting used to mine, but I've got a good ideal when it hits the end of the useful run. Nice thing about SLA is that it keeps going slower and slower and dosn't cut out, so you can limp back.

 

[MitchFtLaud]

Just wanted to throw out some half backed testing I did with a few scooters. The Torpedo 3500 is not a rocket as already mentioned, but can pull you around in a current stronger than you'd like to be swimming in. Speed wise next to an Apollo AV-1 it's about even with the middle speed. The Torpedo dosn't feel like it has as much torque as the Apollo while making quick direction changes, but seems to be just as fast as the middle speed in a straight line.

Here are some times on a short very twisty course I set up and had the wife time me on. Because of the very twisty course the short Apollo and Stealth Max with their handles in front manuvered best, in a longer and straighter course, I think the Farallon and Tropedo which are longer, have rear handles and are harder to turn sharp would have done better than they did.

Apollo AV-1 Fast 1:25
Farallon MkII 1:36
Apollo AV-1 Med 1:38
NewTorpedo 3500 1:49
Used 2003 Torpedo 3500 2:11
Maxx Stealth 2:11
Apollo AV-1 Slow 2:14

I'm sure if I ran the course again with the same scooters I'd see some variations in the results, so don't read too much into this.

Impressions, I like the Apollo better than the Torpedo, mostly for speed, but at well over double the price of the Torpedo it's no where near double the performance. If I had to buy each new, I'd have a hard time justifing the extra cash for the Apollo. If I could get a used Apollo I trusted or a new Torpedo for the same price, Apollo for sure.

 

[RonzoTheGreat]

sorry to breathe life back into this one, but does anyone have feedback about doubling up the torpedos?
i have the two and am considering the bracket ...
thanks in advance

 

[MitchFtLaud]

I got the bracket, and I give it only moderate marks. For starters, two together weigh a lot and is a huge pain out of the water. The bracket feels strong enough to use in the water, but it dosn't inspire confidence above water. In the water it's very negative, but has lots more pull, I'd say half again faster, not twice as fast. I got the bracket playing with the idea of DPV racing but both an Apollo or a Mako will outrun two 3500's paired up. Big problem though is it's harder to fly as the two handles are no longer in line with the thurst, feels like it is constantly trying to go to the surface. I figured out a kind of grip where I put my arms under the handles and grip palm up to have leverage to keep it pointed down, but it's not comfortable for long. I think a rope from the bottom pair of handles to a crotch ring may be just the ticket, but haven't tried that yet.