Editorial Director Mark Evans reckons scooters represent about the most fun you can have in your drysuit/wetsuit regardless of whether you are a recreational or a technical diver, and now a new concept puts a fleet of Suex rental units at your fingertips at two popular inland dive sites
Photographs by Mark Evans and Marcin Wojturski
Did you know?
There are two main types of DPV – those in which the diver holds onto a handle and is towed along behind, and those on which the diver can sit astride. The latter tend to be bigger and are less common.
You can’t help but smile when you pull the trigger on a scooter and feel that inexorable thrust kick in and start dragging you through the water. In reality, even at full power, you are only doing a few mph, but man, it sure feels like you are absolutely flying.
I can never stop the Bond theme playing in my head when I use scooters – yes, I am that big a kid! It is just that zooming around on scooters brings back childhood memories of Bond and co battling it out underwater with scooters as their steeds.
Forget the little handheld DPVs that you can buy in the supermarkets, I am talking ‘proper’ scooters, which attach on to the crotch ring on your backplate-and-wing and you ‘drive’ with a handle and trigger set-up. In this particular instance, Suex VR-X scooters.
Suex are one of the market leaders when it comes to scooters, and the VR-X is one of their best-selling units.
Made from technopolymers and polycarbonate, and depthrated to 100m, it is powered by a Li-ION battery – that can be recharged via an external charging system – it can offers run times of 150 minutes at cruising speed, and 100 minutes at maximum speed, which translates as 65 metres per minute.
It is a relatively compact size (it is just 72cm long and weighs 16.5kg) given what it is, and is easy to carry to and from the water’s edge.
Once in the water, the VR-X scooter will just float neutrally in the water, which makes handling it a piece of cake.
There is a simple twist dial to switch it on to either cruising power or full power, and to switch it back off again. The trigger and handle can be configured for left- or right-handed usage by just undoing and tightening a screw knob.
I totally understand why some divers get to a point in their diving life and want a change. They might be tempted by tech, such as rebreathers or sidemount rigs, they might succumb to the lure of underwater photography, or they might climb on the professional ladder. I maintain such divers should consider getting a scooter.
It doesn’t matter if you are a recreational diver on a single tank, diving on a twinset or sidemount, or using a CCR, a scooter will bring new dimensions to your diving.
Besides the aforementioned fun-factor every time you use one, scooters also have some practical advantages. They can bring dive sites that were out of reach through normal finning into range, you can cover far more area on a single dive, and when you encounter currents, etc., they are a true game-changer.
Did you know?
One big benefit to using a DPV is better air consumption. You will be working far less than if you were finning (especially in a current), and being able to travel out to dive sites from shore which otherwise would be inaccessible just by swimming adds to their appeal. During a single scooter dive, you’ll have the opportunity to witness more marine creatures, landscapes and wrecks than you could if you were taking the plunge without a DPV.
The one downside to scooters of this ilk can be the price – you’ll be looking at £1,500-£2,000 plus. However, Suex distributor Reel Diving has come up with a cunning plan to allow UK divers to get an introduction to scooters without that initial outlay so that can they can see the benefits of a DPV before deciding to shell out for their own.
Try before you buy
Reel Diving have put a fleet of Suex VR-X scooters into both Capernwray and Stoney Cove, two of the most-popular inland sites in the UK.
These are available for instructors from any of the Reel Diving Suex dealers (www.reeldiving. com) to utilise for their students who are learning to be DPV pilots, so if you are wanting to get qualified to use a scooter properly, find your nearest centre and liaise with them on getting in the water.
A whole host of instructors and instructor trainers descended on Stoney Cove a few months ago to find out more about Suex VR-X scooters, and get qualified as instructors on the units, and I joined them for a day.
I am already certified as a DPV pilot, so I was able to just ‘liberate’ one of the scooters and then joined some of the instructors for a couple of dives as they got used to using the VR-Xs.
The vis was what can best be described as ‘interesting’ – it was only a metre or so on the 6m shelf, and I was expecting it to clear up as we went deeper, but all the way down to 18m-20m it did not improve, which made zooming along on the scooters fun! Rocks, etc, suddenly appeared out of the gloom, which made you sharp on your reflexes!
When we eventually found our way out to the Stanegarth wreck, the visibility did clear up somewhat, to a more manageable four to five metres, and we did several ‘laps’ of this little vessel, as well as a few runs through the interior.
The VR-X is very easy to use, and it doesn’t take long to become familiar with its operation. Once you have the leash set to the right length, controlling the scooter is just a matter of tilting your hand right or left for steering, and pushing forwards or pulling back to go up and down.
In no time at all you can be barrel-rolling, etc, like an underwater fighter pilot in a dogfight.
Flying around ‘in formation’ with other divers on scooters had a real underwater Top Gun feel, and it would be a real blast doing this in 15-20 metre vis when you could have a bit more room to manoeuvre in
As we head into the winter months, when vis in Capers and Stoney improves dramatically as the water temperature drops, it would be a perfect time to go for a scooter run.
Handily, rather than have the loan scooters sat there gathering dust when they are not being used by students, they are also available for rent by certified scooter pilots.
For just £30 per scooter for the day, you can be flying around the quarries with your buddy, which is a fantastically cheap way to get to grips with these Suex scooters and feel the need for speed yourself.
FAQ: Diving with Suex Scooters in the UK
Q: What is a DPV (Diver Propulsion Vehicle)?
A: A DPV, or scooter, is an underwater device that propels divers through the water. Models like the Suex VR-X allow divers to cover more distance, reduce air consumption, and enjoy the thrill of underwater speed.
Q: What types of scooters are there?
A: There are two main types: handheld tow-behind scooters and larger sit-astride models. The handheld design, like the Suex VR-X, is the most common for recreational and technical diving.
Q: Why should divers consider using a scooter?
A: Scooters are fun, practical, and efficient. They extend dive range, allow exploration of sites that are hard to reach by finning alone, improve air consumption, and make diving in currents far easier.
Q: What is the Suex VR-X scooter?
A: The Suex VR-X is a compact DPV made from technopolymers and polycarbonate, depth-rated to 100m, with up to 150 minutes of run time. It’s neutrally buoyant, easy to handle, and can be configured for left- or right-handed use.
Q: Where can divers try Suex scooters in the UK?
A: Suex VR-X scooters are available at Capernwray and Stoney Cove, two of the UK’s most popular inland dive sites. Instructors and certified scooter pilots can rent them for training or fun dives.
Q: How much does it cost to rent a Suex scooter?
A: Certified DPV pilots can rent a Suex VR-X at Capernwray or Stoney Cove for just £30 per day – an affordable way to experience scooter diving before investing in your own unit.
Q: Are scooters suitable for all divers?
A: Yes, scooters can be used by recreational, technical, and CCR divers. However, proper training is recommended to ensure safety, particularly in strong currents or low visibility.
This article was originally published in Scuba Diver UK #80
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