I'm in SoCal saw the site and read all the material and looked at all the
pictures. For the life of me I can't see HOW in the hell you could KEEP from
getting tangeled in kelp let alone fishing line like on wrecks and such.

I'd say they might be FUN BUT I'd never even try them let alone use them in
anything over 25 feet just in case. I can see many potential failure points esp
for the more aggressive Tech/Wreck style diving THIS group is all about.

I'm certainly not the most or even close to experienced here BUT it stands out
like a sore thumb.

L8R

Ben Mazin wrote:

> Since someone mentioned Jetboots, I thought I'd jump in.  My name is Ben
Mazin.  I designed, tested, and am now selling Jetboots.  I've lurked on this
mailing list for a while.
>
> Jetboots are a brand new (and in my mind, pretty innovative) way to move
around underwater.  They consist of two leg mounted propulsion units, a battery
pack (either hard or soft), and a control unit.  You can see pictures and get
more details on our web site: http://www.jetboots.com
>
> Jetboots weight 20 pounds (-8 to -12 lbs (ditchable) depending on the
specific setup), have a continuously variable speed control, and a burn time of
around 35 minutes at full bore.  Maximum thrust is around 40 lbs - enough to
move me (200 lbs) in a backplate and wings at around 2.5 knots.  These reason
we can make this work with such low weight and high power is the combination of
NiMH batteries and extremely efficient brushless motors.  This high tech
approach is also unfortunately reflected in the price.
>
> I do not think Jetboots can replace something like the gavin scooter for an
aggressive mission.  They just don't have the battery life (although we are
looking into battery packs that can be swapped underwater).  They may have
applications as a lightweight backup propulsion system for these types of dives
- I'll leave that up to the cave gurus on here to figure out.
>
> There are a lot of dives where Jetboots are great to have.  These are mainly
dives that require your hands - operating a camera, for instance.  Since they
are so light (and securely attached to your body) it is easy to forget they are
there (until you turn them on, of course).  I use them on all my open water
dives - flying through the water is its own reward.
>
> I know some of you will be skeptical, so I'd be thrilled if someone from the
list (we are based in Southern California) wants to come with me on a Jetboots
dive and write up a review for the list.  Email me (ben@je*.co*) to set
something up.
>
> As to the DIRness of Jetboots, all I can say is that they are very
streamlined, don?t negatively affect your buoyancy or trim, and don?t really
seem to get snagged on things (see the pictures of me going through dense
kelp).  The battery pack can be easily disconnected and dumped if something
malfunctions horribly.
>
> Ben Mazin
> President, MST
> (626)449-1960
>
> --
> Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'.
> Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.

--
You Don't HAVE to be NUTS to be a SysAdmin./WebMaster. BUT it Helps!
                    http://www.thecrusaderbbs.com
                   -----BEGIN GEEK CODE BLOCK-----
GAT dpu s+: a++ C UL++++ P+ L+++ E- W+++ N+ o-- K w O M- V--
PS PE Y PGP- t-- 5 X- R- tv+ b++ DI++++ D G- e h--- r+++ z+++
                   ------END GEEK CODE BLOCK-----



--
Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'.
Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.

Navigate by Author: [Previous] [Next] [Author Search Index]
Navigate by Subject: [Previous] [Next] [Subject Search Index]

[Send Reply] [Send Message with New Topic]

[Search Selection] [Mailing List Home] [Home]