I finally ended up buying the
Sea-Doo Explorer
It was a great deal and I really couldn't pass it up.
What I like so far: It feels like a very well thought out DPV with heavy duty construction and quiet operation. Shifting between the 3 speeds is very easy and can be done with one hand. The 3rd speed is very fast-good for getting to your dive spot but way to fast for cruising a reef. I find the 1st and 2nd speed are adequate most of the time. The battery charging system is very simple and convenient: Just pop the nose cone off, pull out the battery and place in charger-no disconnecting leads etc.
What I don't like so far: Now I understand why the
sea doo seascooter vs supercharged and
seadoo gti seascooter
at 18 pounds are popular with shore divers. The Explorer at 32 pounds may be lighter that most higher end DPVs but it's still pretty heavy to carry if you need to go anything but a short distance to your shore entry point.
Battery indicator light could be larger.
Extra batteries are pricey.
Overall: So far (with only a few dives on it) it has really exceeded my expectations especially at this price
