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Scuba-Doo Underwater Scooter 313

Posted by michael from the scuba-duba-doo dept.
hawado writes "Just when you thought it was safe to go in the water, 'Fans of the Segway scooter now have a way to look just as silly traveling underwater as they do on land thanks to the efforts of an inventive Australian company.' 'The Scuba-Doo comes with everything you would want in a submerged Segway.' I just don't know what to say, but I am sure all you /.rs will have some really great comments. The company's web site can be found here."
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Scuba-Doo Underwater Scooter

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  • At nearly $14,000, I don't see this catching on to the independent consumer. Mostly just recreation dive companies, and resorts. I like the idea, however, the battery lasts 1.5 hours, and the air only lasts 1 hour. I think I would like the air to last longer than the battery, you know, just in case something catastrophic happens.

    Also, I worry about the company's legitimacy, have you been to their website. That is the worst photoshop work I have ever seen. Plus, they repeat what is on the front page on all of the their pages. Which, if you were counting, for individuals like myself, is only 3 pages total. I WANT MORE INFORMATION

    • Yes, it is designed (the ones I've seen) for dive companies. The lack of air is not a big deal, the usual length of these underwater rides is only twenty to thirty minutes. Also, the depths to which the operators permit the skooters to go is never more than 30 feet, so even if an accident were to occur, the tour operator is able to dive down and rescue the rider.

      But I'm still not sure what is so new about this.
      • Nothing, I remember seeing the plans for this thing in Boys Life magazine circa 1988...
    • Also, I worry about the company's legitimacy, have you been to their website.

      I thought the opposite when I noticed the site hasn't been slashdotted yet. Clearly they're putting up some decent cash for that much bandwidth.

    • Re:Not for Everybody, or is it? (Score:4, Informative)

      by vivian ( 156520 ) on Wednesday April 07, 2004 @10:28PM (#8799786)
      The real problem is that at 10 meters you dont want to be staying under water for anything more than about 60 minutes, due to nitrogen build up. You are still breathing pressurised air, as you do in scuba - it is not a pressure vessel like a submarine where you are breathing atmospheric pressure. Therefore you will be subject to the same dangers and limitations that a scuba diver faces. A dive computer can track the nitrogen better and gove you longer (and more exact) dive times, but the safety margin is then reduced. A 15 meter dive would rarely be longer than 45 min. 30 meter dive: 20 min or so, depending on your exact dive profile.

      Here are the dangers facing both a scuba diver and a scuba-doo pilot:

      1) Nitrogen buildup, which limits the duration and depth of a dive. Even with unlimited air, you have this problem as your tissues become saturated with nitrogen. The deeper you go, the faster you absorb nitrogen ( because the partial pressure of nitrogen is greaer). if you get too much, it is no longer posible to come up to the surface in case of an emergency, or you will get the bends. If you get too much nitrogen in your system, you effectively have a "ceiling" over your head that you cant go through, and you might as well be diving in a cave or something. Recreational diving tables are designed so that this never happens. (ie. you never have to do a decompression stop)
      although usually you do a 3 minute "safety stop" at 5 meters to reduce this danger still more.

      2) below about 18 meters, you will start to get the effects of Nitrogen Narcosis. This effectively is like having a couple of beers or a spliff or something, and affects both your judgement and motor skills. When I did my rescue diver course, I had this demonstrated to me with an excercise:
      Do some simple calcs on a slate just under the surface, and again at 18 and 30 meters. It took twice as long to do calculations at 18 meters compared to just under the surface. The deeper you go the worse the problem gets, and if you are not experienced with it it's easy to go dancing with the mermaids or go chasing those pretty alien lights down the abyss.

      3) It is still possible to get air embolisms if you hold your breath as you are surfacing. If you are holding 1 litre of air in your lungs at 20 meters will become 2 litres of air at 10 meters and 4 litres at the surface.

      That's why divers spend time in a classroom - not to learn how to put on their fins or something, but how to survive when in a totally alien environment. This training shouldnt be skipped, as all the same risks still exist.

      The dangers, especially the air embolism ones are still there even between 0 to 10 meters. infact, the airembolism ones are greater in this depth range, because the pressure(and hence volume) changes so rapidly over the short distance. At greater depths, say for going from 40 to 30 meters, the volume change is only about 20% (ie. 5 atm -> 4 atm) instead of 100% (ie. 2 atm -> 1 atm).

      Oh, and by the way, the Scuba-doo factory is just up the road from my house. The things look a bit like those BMW scooters that have an enclosed canopy.

    • Suba facts (Score:5, Informative)

      by goombah99 ( 560566 ) on Wednesday April 07, 2004 @10:29PM (#8799800)
      First this is for real, have seen them advertised many places.

      Second when you dive to a depth of 30 to 60 feet or so you can only stay down safely a bit less than an hour or you risk getting the bends (nitrogen saturation of your blood coming out in gass form in your joints and nerves). So the time limit is just fine.

      Third you dont have to be certified to use this. fourth, its failsafe in many ways that scuba is not. The number one danger in scuba is forgetting to exhale when ascending (descending is not dangerous). If you forget to exhale on ascent from 60 feet then when you get to the surface you have a few atmospheres of air in your lungs and they literally explode inside of your body. Since ther is a bubble of air around your head there is no time when you would feel like holding your breath. This machine automatically passively equalizes the air pressure for you as you ascend (your nose is also exposed too).

      Likewise there is no way to suddenly find the tank is empty. when the tank goes empty you still have a head bubbles worth of air left

      One of the little known facts about scuba diving is that if you run out of air then if stay calm you always have enough air in your lungs to swim to the surface from any depth. The reason is that as you go deeper you also have more air in your lungs. You only have to remember to exhale on the way up to let off the excess air pressure.

      this thing is attached to a bouy so you cant sink it or goo to deep go into a cave. And you have a lifeline to the surface if you are disoriented. When you get to the surface you have floatation.

      A final danger in scuba is too rapid of an ascent. when you try to go up your boyancy device will run away from you: as it expands you rise faster leading to further expansion and pretty soon you are apolaris missile broaching the surface as your lungs go "pop". On the scooter it controls this for you.

      On the other hand the joy of scuba diving is the freedom of 3-D orientation. Drift in a current head down. try to use as little effort as possible (e.g dont swim up but instead just control your breathing to control your veritical position). look behind you look all around. This sort of sucks the life out of the sport.

      • Oh and one more thing (Score:5, Interesting)

        by goombah99 ( 560566 ) on Wednesday April 07, 2004 @10:36PM (#8799836)
        I forgot the best safety feature of all. You can puke in it. This is not a joke. With suba if you need to puke then you have to stay calm and puke into your regulator. This takes unbelievable self control to pull off. The alternative, removing it from your mouth as you puke, leads to near certain death since the involuntary inhale after a gag reflex sucks pure seawater into your lungs leading to more gagging and no good way to expel it.

        And believe me in surging seas and murky conditions puking is something you find neccessary. Its not a fun thought.

        but with the bubble, no problemo. Nasty yes. but no though process required and no instant death if you screw up.

        • Nice - you'd be up to your neck in puke, and you'd be able to smell it all. At least when in scuba gear you can change to your octy while the fish clean up the chunky bits.

          Actually, it would be a lot more hygenic for the rental market. That's why I ended up buying al lmy own gear - I found a piece of diced carrot in one rental regulator when doing the breathe test.
          Mmm!

        • Re:Oh and one more thing (Score:5, Informative)

          by trewornan ( 608722 ) on Wednesday April 07, 2004 @11:07PM (#8800026)
          With suba if you need to puke then you have to stay calm and puke into your regulator. This takes unbelievable self control to pull off.

          You're joking right ? Puking through a regulator is no harder than puking any other way, and I know from personal experience.

          As an added benefit you would be amazed at how all the beautiful fish swarm round you afterwards.

        • Maybe not. I've puked in 50-60 ft of water without dying, and have seen someone else do it too. I don't remember it being that big a deal, except to the fish, who were delighted by the free meal. I can see how a rookie might panic though.

        • Re:Oh and one more thing (Score:3, Informative)

          by Tri ( 60119 )
          Alternatively, put the top of the mouth piece against your upper lip, make sure the mouth piece is pointing down, press the purge button, and puke to your heart's contents. You won't get puke into your reg, and you won't have problems when you have that sudden need to inhale after you puke. As a bonus, you still get to see to fish, and your reg stays clean. Or just use your alternate... ;-)
      • "If you forget to exhale on ascent from 60 feet then when you get to the surface you have a few atmospheres of air in your lungs and they literally explode inside of your body. Since ther is a bubble of air around your head there is no time when you would feel like holding your breath. This machine automatically passively equalizes the air pressure for you as you ascend (your nose is also exposed too)."

        Actually, just a few feet can cuase this, even in a place like a pool. You go from 60' to the surface, yo

      • Re:Suba facts (Score:2, Insightful)

        by Pig Hogger ( 10379 )

        Third you dont have to be certified to use this. fourth, its failsafe in many ways that scuba is not. The number one danger in scuba is forgetting to exhale when ascending (descending is not dangerous). If you forget to exhale on ascent from 60 feet then when you get to the surface you have a few atmospheres of air in your lungs and they literally explode inside of your body. Since ther is a bubble of air around your head there is no time when you would feel like holding your breath. This machine automatic

      • Re:Suba facts (Score:2, Insightful)

        by niew ( 133188 )

        First this is for real, have seen them advertised many places

        Didn't they used to be advertised as SCUBA "BOB"? (Shakes head at silly name...)

        I don't meant to be picky (and not to pick on your post) but I see the following a lot in the dive industry:

        Third you dont have to be certified to use this. fourth, its failsafe in many ways that scuba is not. The number one danger in scuba is forgetting to exhale when ascending

        I think that the number one danger is diving beyond your training... We creatures we

      • Mod parent down! (Score:3, Informative)

        by mrklin ( 608689 )
        Geez, are you the Steve Jobs of diving?

        As a certified (PADI Advanced) diver, I will say your post is filled with distorted facts, if not downright factual errors. I pray for your safety when you dive and hope you are not my dive buddy!

        For example:

        ---when you dive to a depth of 30 to 60 feet or so you can only stay down safely a bit less than an hour or you risk getting the bend

        Incorrect.

        Bends, more correctly known as decompression sickness, is caused by rapid decompression i.e. ascending too quickl

    • Um, not like the movies (Score:4, Informative)

      by SuperBanana ( 662181 ) on Wednesday April 07, 2004 @10:43PM (#8799883)
      I think I would like the air to last longer than the battery, you know, just in case something catastrophic happens.

      It's not a problem because, like pilots, you never plan on using all your air/fuel. You always have a reserve- most divers, for example, start surfacing(depending upon how deep they are) when they hit anywhere from 1500 to 500 psi(used to be 500 psi, everyone's encouraging a much larger margin). The divemaster would take this into account when timing a dive, for example.

      It's also not a problem, because as you use up the air, the tank becomes lighter and the whole thing(including you) becomes more buoyant, not less. The weight difference between a tank at 3000+ PSI and 500 PSI is quite significant in terms of buoyancy control, and is why you need to be slightly negative when you first get in the water if you're diving. If you're not, you're going to run a rather serious risk of uncontrolled ascent towards the end of your dive. It's one of the many situations that can lead to decompression sickness.

      It would not surprise me in the slightest if the unit was designed to be slightly positively buoyant at all times, so that if it stops moving forward, it slowly floats to the surface. That could be used in conjunction with a low-pressure switch to shut off the unit if the air pressure gets too low.

      Oh, and even if the thing did start sinking, guess what? You get out, blow bubbles and kick to the surface; it's not like you're in a sub that's gonna implode. By the way, blowing bubbles or exhaling is very important- if you don't, you're going to have a punctured lung. At the depths this thing is designed for, decompression sickness most likely won't be a problem.

      The only real problems I see are a)serious potential for reef damage(it's bad enough with divers whacking things with their flippers, this thing crashing into a reef would be devastating) and b)improper training(SCUBA is very safe, but only when you know what you're doing. When you don't know what you're doing, it becomes very dangerous, which is why you can't rent equipment(or even buy it, from some shops, unless they know you're a student) without proof of certification or enrollment in a class.

    • No it is not for everybody. A lot of people are not near water of decent depth. Some people don't like to swim. Some Water sources don't have much to see (just green). Some people are afraid of water. Some people don't like technology. Some people don't have arms, Some people have severe problems that dont allow them from the bed. Some people are to small, Some people are to Big.
      No it is not for everyone.

  • Design Flaw? (Score:5, Funny)

    by fake_name ( 245088 ) on Wednesday April 07, 2004 @09:46PM (#8799477)
    I don't like the way you start to drown as soon as you fall off. :-)

  • hrm... (Score:3, Interesting)

    by CmdrMooCow ( 213594 ) on Wednesday April 07, 2004 @09:47PM (#8799486) Journal
    Sounds like a lot of fun....

    Just wait till someone swaps the engine in it....
    I wonder how fast that can go and still be "safe".

    Underwater bike races! whee.

  • Are these new? (Score:5, Interesting)

    by ObviousGuy ( 578567 ) <ObviousGuy@hotmail.com> on Wednesday April 07, 2004 @09:47PM (#8799488) Homepage Journal
    I've ridden on very similar underwater skooters like this years ago. They've got these in just about any snorkel/scuba sites that are primarily tourist areas. Hawaii, Micronesia, Polynesia, the Caribbean, etc. all have tourist excursion packages that include riding these things.

    Next week will we be hearing about snuba?

  • Right after the site gets slashdotted.... (Score:5, Funny)

    by LGagnon ( 762015 ) on Wednesday April 07, 2004 @09:48PM (#8799492)
    ... you're all free to say "Scuba-Doo, where are you?"

  • Difference between this and the Segway (Score:4, Funny)

    by macshune ( 628296 ) on Wednesday April 07, 2004 @09:48PM (#8799494) Journal
    Well, this costs as much as some new cheaper cars. It also, arguably, looks cooler than the Segway and travels underwater without the usual scuba gear / complicated breathing apparatuses. if i was rich, bored and wanted to have underwater paintball fights / play submarine bumper-tag, i'd buy one!

    [sean connery] Sho Q, what do you have for me thish time? [/connery]
    • Similarities between this and the seaway.

      * Extremely dorky
      * Overpriced
      * Saves people the arduous task of using their legs
      * Gets lots of awkward stares

      Differences

      * Likely to get you killed
      * Makes money

      Hence, I would like to suggest the Segway XTREME! The Segway XTREME is powered by Nitrous Oxide, with a 0-60 time of 3.9 seconds. Spring-loaded spikes burst forth from the handlebar at the first sign of a crash. Plus there is a 20 foot metal rod attachment for those of you living in storm country or near

  • Just wait until... (Score:4, Funny)

    by mcnut ( 712202 ) on Wednesday April 07, 2004 @09:48PM (#8799495) Homepage
    a) someone runs their battery dead and drowns. b) someone runs into something, breaks the seal on the helmet and drowns. c) someone takes it to a depth at which the glass bursts under the pressure and drowns. d) someone gets run into by a frigate,yacht or even a jetski because they are too close to the surface, runs out of battery power whilst they are unconcious and drowns... I just don't see the fun in drowning...
    • Well, they apparently mean for this to be taken out to the reef. I doubt anyone would actually be allowed to do this unless tethered to a boat. When I went diving there, we were told several times that you were NOT TO TOUCH THE REEF, since it was both very sharp (you could get hurt) and very fragile (you could hurt it).

      At the very least, you wouldn't have to worry about C or D (much), since it's about 30-40 feet to the bottom, which you can see quite clearly.
    • The general populace to learn some basic physics and/or look at the links before posting
    • The odds of breaking the glass due to pressure is virtually nil. You may have noticed in the pic that there is no membrane sealing the head in. It uses atmospheric pressure to keep the water out. Well, how does it do that? By exerting the same amount of pressure as the water. This means that the pressure is the same from both sides of the window. For the stresses to get high enough to actually matter to the window, you would have to do some pretty cool things, and probably wouldn't survive resurfacing

  • I think it is legit (Score:2, Informative)

    by Relyt ( 96115 )
    I have seen pictures of this elsewhere, I believe in a magazine. So I get the feeling that they do indeed exist, and the company is legitimate.

    However, that does not make them any less stupid...
  • A drowned Segway? That sure is "everything I want."

    At least we wouldn't have so many concerns about Segways taking up too much space on sidewalks. To use these, they'd have to build waterways on the sidewalks.

  • Picture (Score:5, Funny)

    by gooru ( 592512 ) on Wednesday April 07, 2004 @09:52PM (#8799533)
    After seeing that picture, I sure want to go buy the product. She just looks so happy, as if she'll suffocate with joy riding this thing.
  • Until now, Snorks [80scartoons.net] had to swim or ride seahorses to get from point A to point B. The underwater Segway will fill the niche in-between, and ultimately result in Snork cities being completely built around this wonderous new technology.

  • Mystery Machine (Score:3, Funny)

    by Prometheus+Bob ( 755514 ) on Wednesday April 07, 2004 @09:53PM (#8799545)
    Oh yeah, I remember this. This was in the episode with the underwater ghost dude, right?

  • yeah (Score:5, Funny)

    by User 956 ( 568564 ) on Wednesday April 07, 2004 @09:54PM (#8799551) Homepage
    Australia, eh? Swim in the wrong place with this "Scuba-Doo" and a shark'll turn you into a nice "Scuba-Snack".

  • Yawn. (Score:2, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward
    As somebody who's just starting out on a scuba course, I'm not particularly interested. I'd rather be in my own mask, wetsuit, fins, etc., and exert myself a bit more, in exchange for a better all round view of what's in the area.

    With this thing, you're limited in your visibility; I'd be surprised if you could turn it to look straight down. Also a bit difficult to turn around in a hurry to look at a school of fish (or a shark, or a mantray, or similar) that's just swum behind you.

    Thanks, but no thanks.

  • Great idea... Except it sucks. (Score:5, Insightful)

    by mikemacd ( 84328 ) on Wednesday April 07, 2004 @09:58PM (#8799585) Homepage
    As a trained diver I can evaluate the personal risks involved in my sport and decide wether or not to engage in it. I think that this device will encourage untrained people to do things which can end up with them being DEAD or crippled.

    It is too easy to get your eardrums blown in or your lungs burst, or drown unless you've had the appropriate training.

    There are already DPV's (Piver Propulsion Vehicles) on the market for those who dont want to fin their way around the bottom. I think that this product will cause plenty of problems.
    • Amen, I looked through the ScubaDoo site and the scariest thing there was the comment "No lengthy courses, get underwater sooner and enjoy the wonderful experience." YIKES!!!! The purpose of those "lengthy courses" is to teach you how to stay alive and unbent. Numerous /.'ers have made comments about the risk of drowning, the much greater danger is the risk of Decompression Sickness AKA the Bends. The company site gives no info on max depth or limiters on rate of ascent/decent. The first time some vaca

  • Voice activated... (Score:3, Funny)

    by LostCluster ( 625375 ) * on Wednesday April 07, 2004 @09:59PM (#8799600)
    If you ever lose it... you just have to yell out the following command to make it come to surface:

    "Scuba-scuba-doo, where are you?"

  • I know what this is. This is a big joke. (Score:3, Funny)

    by Stopmotioncleaverman ( 628352 ) on Wednesday April 07, 2004 @10:01PM (#8799607)
    Look. All someone's done is taken the front of a Stormtrooper mask, cut some chunks out of the sides, painted it yellow, and stuck in an incredibly photoshopped woman.

    I mean, her arms appear to be coming from her breasts, if her head's attached to her body like that then she's got incredibly bad scoliosis, and the bottom half of her bikini appears to have been drawn onto her body by an epileptic kid using a pre-alpha version of MS Paint whilst in the middle of a tonic seizure.

    Her face also appears to be, for reasons unknown, forced against the front of the plexiglass screen with some incredible force.

    Clearly some huge conspiracy :)

  • Also known as BOB (Score:5, Informative)

    by Isao ( 153092 ) on Wednesday April 07, 2004 @10:03PM (#8799622)
    As seen and rented here [homestead.com], here [see-keywest.com], here [galvestoncruises.com], etc.

    I've done it - snuba is more fun, but this can be less intimidating for inexperienced people.

  • For those of you who didn't RTFA (ok, all of you), a picture [theregister.co.uk] is worth a thousand words.

  • Which of these can I order with it?
    - CD changer
    - MP3 player
    - iPod mount point
    - cup holder
    - GPS
    - climate control (well, for head and shoulders...)
    - ashtray
    - demister

  • Fishing (Score:4, Funny)

    by Maskirovka ( 255712 ) on Wednesday April 07, 2004 @10:10PM (#8799668)
    It's only a matter of time until someone gets caught on a fishing line.

    "Woa johnny! Look at the size of that thing- you must got yourself a big yellow whaleshark! Hang on there while I give the ole engine some juice to tire the bugger out."

    • It's only a matter of time until someone gets caught on a fishing line.

      I might also add that with your head encased in the plastic bubble it would be much more difficult to find and pull said hook from your ass.

      Say...they should feature Cartman operating one of these in a Southpark Episode!

  • all techy, no tech (Score:5, Informative)

    by DiveX ( 322721 ) <slashdotnewcontact@oasisofficepark.com> on Wednesday April 07, 2004 @10:14PM (#8799692) Homepage
    these things have been around for a while, and I think they are a bad idea. I am a current SCUBA instructor as well as a pretty experienced cave and technical diver. There are so many limitations to this thing that makes it completely impractical. Transport is one issue in terms of getting it into and out of the water.

    for one thing, inexperienced pilot will have this hard bodied device with which to crash into delicate coral. this will have to be used in a body of water with typically little current, else it become quite easy to lose the group.

    It cannot go deep for long since it is still open to ambient pressure, so decompression comes into play as well as gas supply. For every 33 feet (10m) one descends, the pressure increases by one atmosphere. If that tank were to last the diver 60 minutes on the surface, then at 33 feet it would last only 30 minutes, at 60 feet it would be 20 minutes, and so forth.

    It might be ok for a few shallow water, shore-based resorts that can charge the units at the dock. Even a fairly cheap diver scooter will be just around 800-1200, and those can only go to about 100-150 feet if you're lucky. In order to go more deep, you have to get more specialized units (www.gavinscooters.com) that can handle the pressure (I've taken mine to 350) and has the battery burn time. Even those units only cost ~$3500. These units are simply torpedo looking devices that tow the diver. The biggest advantage is that it reduces the workload for the diver, thus dropping air consumption and helping one cover more ground.

    This device has no similarities other than someone trying to compare two unlike things with a vague attempt at seeming technologically advanced.
    • This thing sounds like the idea of the compressor on the surface float that some resorts use. Our scuba instructor told us about it and how it was a horrible idea but neglected to spell it (Hooka? Hoocka??) Basically it gives you that deep-down sense of security that your lungs can't explode on a rapid ascent since you don't have a tank, but you still have the pressurized air so rapid ascents can and do kill. Oh and the resorts can get away without properly teaching people how to use the Hooka thing.

      I

  • Well, it was a good idea... (Score:5, Funny)

    by batmanuel ( 535555 ) on Wednesday April 07, 2004 @10:16PM (#8799710)
    and I'd have made a million from it if not for you meddling kids..I mean /.'ers finding all these flaws.

  • A Diver's Perspective (Score:2, Informative)

    by kravlor ( 597242 )

    If the bad Photoshop work and the poor website wasn't enough to set your fraud alarms off, some basic physics can be used to show that this vehicle is completely unsafe if it were to really exist. Being a certified diver myself, perhaps a bit of information can make my point.

    Have you ever sank yourself down to the bottom of the deep end of the pool? Odds are you felt some discomfort in your sinuses. This is because of the increased pressure exerted on your body at depth. Remember the ideal gas law? PV = n

    • Re:A Diver's Perspective (Score:3, Informative)

      by Anonymous Coward
      Well I was just gonna mod you down but I decided to reply instead... Having personally used a similar device on a recent trip to the Florida Keys [galvestoncruises.com] I can tell you that the device is real and I suffered none of the "squeeze" you are blathering about.
  • 'The Scuba-Doo comes with everything you would want in a submerged Segway.'
    • Four-channel audio system
    • Cup holder
    • Shark repellant
    • Fully-functioning Taco Bell (tm)
    • Computer that knows everything like I seen this one time in the movies
    • Cat scratching post
    • Condom despensing machine--hygiene is important
    • Roll of quarters for above
    • Standard Bond, James Bond devices--oil slick, jet pack, etc.
    • Folds up into an attractive briefcase when you get to work/porn store

    did I miss anything?

  • One Scuba-doo $13,246
    One wet suit $400.00
    The photographs of thousands of untrained drivers caught in the undertoe easily spotted by this garish yellow device... Priceless

    Somethings in life require training... for everything there are credit cards.

  • top-10 list of bad ideas (Score:5, Insightful)

    by jdkane ( 588293 ) on Wednesday April 07, 2004 @10:26PM (#8799778)
    Their motto should be "Throwing unknowledgable persons into a machine to scoot around a delicate underwater environment." Yes, real smart.

    I once took a diving course, as have others who are reading this. There are a number of things to learn regarding safety. This Scuba-Doo machine obviously tries to handle all that worry for you. However I don't believe an unknowledgable person should be sent underwater just for recreational purpose, even if a machine *may* handle the main safety features automatically. The person will be better off if they learn about their underwater environment (the fundamentals) before attempting to enter it in any way, and how to react properly in certain situations. Save the $14,000 and instead spend a few hundred bucks on a diving course which will provide you with much more enjoyment and hands down give you a safer experience (by way of knowledge).

    This machine is impractical (does not remotely resemble classic diving) because you can only use it in a very basic environment ... and even then it looks like a good reef-destroyer.

    • And if I may expand on my already-jaded point about this product (this just came to mind) maybe they should start producing a Chainsaw-wielding Robotic Submarine [slashdot.org] to compete in the underwater tree market -- instead of just inadvertantly destroying delicated underwater environments for the sake of the entertainment value for the common consumer.
  • This will probably sell enough for them to continue in business, just like the Segway has. There are enough people that will buy anything to be trendy, these are the ones with more money than brains.

    If you really want to know why this is a terrible idea, read some of the posts from certified divers, and anyone who dives without being certified is going to be a bad statistic someday.

  • These vehicles will ultimately HURT the reefs (Score:5, Informative)

    by poopie ( 35416 ) on Wednesday April 07, 2004 @10:50PM (#8799929) Journal
    Coral reefs and most underwater ecosystems where this contraption could be used are *very* fragile and endangered.

    Have you even seen the damage done by a cruise ship dragging anchor across the ocean floor?

    Have you even seen a 3000+ year old reef destroyed by some offcourse barge?

    Do you know that most of the reefs at popular dive destinations are DYING?

    The last thing we need are a bunch of inexperienced divers crashing these underwater vehicles into table corals, soft corals, and otherwise speeding up the demise of our fragile coral reefs.

    Think I'm exaggeratting?

    Freighter damager 1200ftX200ft swath of Florida reef [sun-sentinel.com]

    60% of great barrier reef hit by bleaching [ananova.com]

    Great barrier reef 50 years from death [bbc.co.uk]

    Sewage killing Tobaggo's reef [newsday.co.tt]

    Bottom trawling fishing destroys large portions of deep water coral reefs never explored [eu.int]

    • Well, at least one noteworthy one:

      The Seychelles reefs [disasterrelief.org] are just about gone. What was once arguably the best reef to dive in the world outside the Great Barrier is now a graveyard.

      And this knowledge isn't from reading an alarmist's evaluation of the situation, it is from seeing it with my own eyes on dives I did last year on Mahe, Praslin and La Digue. A conservative estimate would be that 90% of the reefs are dead. Probably closer to 95%, but as I didn't dive every square inch, I can't say there aren't

  • What a monster (Score:3, Insightful)

    by bigberk ( 547360 ) <bigberk@users.pc9.org> on Wednesday April 07, 2004 @10:52PM (#8799938)
    Anyone else get the feeling, all the snorkelers and scuba folk will be swimming along, enjoying the reefs when a fleet of these bloody "SUVs of the sea" show up and start pummeling the reefs and freestyle divers?
  • The first image on their site is the worst job of photoshopping an image I have ever run across and they want you to spend $14000 on an underwater craft?

  • Man! (Score:2, Flamebait)

    by Distan ( 122159 )
    Man, that is a prettty gay looking contraption.

  • Scuba-Doo / BOB (Score:3, Informative)

    by nspitze ( 122888 ) on Wednesday April 07, 2004 @11:42PM (#8800189) Homepage
    I worked (as a certified scuba instructor) for an operation that ran these same underwater scooters for hire. The scooters that we ran were tethered to a maximum depth of 8 feet.
    A lot of people right off the cruise ship that had never seen the ocean had a great time doing it. As a scuba diver, I got in and wanted to get out.
    It's great if you've never been salt water wet, otherwise, snorkeling or scuba beats it anytime.
  • I wonder if at any point the makers thought that naming something ever-so-close to everyone's favourite WB [wb.com] cartoon dog [warnerbros.com] (now a pair [imdb.com] of [imdb.com] major motion pictures by the same studio) would be just asking for trouble?
  • Unfortunately it took my girlfriend giving me this in order for me to fulfil my thought...
    "a comparative test drive between an under-water propeller driven, blue and yellow one-person SubBug, and a giant manta ray." - Douglas Adams, Salmon of Doubt, "Riding The Rays." Douglas gets a free trip to Australia to write about it. Conclusion - "Your manta ray is going to be a lot faster and more manoevrable, and you don't need to change its tank every twenty minutes. But the big points that the Sub Bug wins are fo

  • Who else read "Scooby Do Underwear"? (Score:3, Funny)

    by Pvt_Waldo ( 459439 ) on Thursday April 08, 2004 @12:02AM (#8800362)
    When I first saw the headline I thought, "WTF Scooby Do Underwear? Segway?" I had this vision of people riding around wearing it on their Segways...
  • http://www.gizmo.com.au/pics/1967_03.jpg

  • Well, that's a trademark lawsuit waiting to happen (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Phat_Tony ( 661117 ) on Thursday April 08, 2004 @01:24AM (#8800651)

    They may claim they had Scooby-Doo in mind when naming this, but unless they are actually a division of Bombardier (which it doesn't appear they are), they might expect a lawsuit from them, do to the similarity to products like these [seadoo.com] and these [ski-doo.com]
  • There are many different ways to get around the surface, and for most people, the segway isn't the most effeiceint way.

    There are very few ways to move around underwater. there is a large tourist market for this, for it allow people to go underwater with little training and less chance of death.

  • When moving into the underwater realm, do it with style! "Real" underwater scooters have more power than necessary for beginner divers, and they're loads of fun. Originally used by cave divers and technical divers on deep wrecks, they are creeping into the use of recreational divers. Check out the pictures of SS [silent-submersion.com] and Gavin. [gavinscooters.com]

    There's nothing like strapping yourself to an electrical torpedo from the crotch...

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