9
Switch Connectors
These small "banana connectors" need to be kept splayed out or they will not
have as good a connection or hold as well. This also needs to be done to the HID
light banana connectors or they will get intermittent.
Things come apart, screws back out and so forth, due to vibration from a
misaligned vehicle or from a boat with a bent shaft or misaligned motor, which is
99% of the scows they use as dive boats. I never personally have this problem,
but I see it from some of you. If the scooters vibrate too much in transport, the big
bananas may come apart, but they don't unplug as they are held down by the
lower bulkhead being too close to them for them to unplug by themselves.
I also have something that is not apparent in the photos that some of you may
want to use on your scooters. I put a short piece of clear tubing over the banana
connectors. You have to unscrew them, then unscrew the inside, slide the hose
on and then the back and then the inside and screw it all back together. The
hose should be slightly curved and just barely reach the level of the lid spacer.
The wires then go through the normal access hole. This makes it impossible for
the bananas to come unplugged.
Tow Cord
A proper tow cord length is a must with these scooters, as well as the positioning
of the length of the two sides. Also it is suggested that you have DIR gear
configuration if you want to get the most speed, use the least current, and be the
most efficient.
The length of the tow cord must be such that the scooter is as far out in front of
the diver as possible and the diver's right hand is merely relaxed on the right
handle, and so that the left hand can easily reach the shroud. This will allow the
full effect of the scooter breaking the water and crating a "shield" around him so
that the stages and such do not add significantly to drag if rigged and carried in
the DIR prescribed method. This positioning will also prevent the scooter from
'reverse thrusting" against any part of the diver. If you can feel the prop wash,
you are riding the scooter improperly.
For tight areas, you may want the scooter in a little closer, in which case you can
take a wrap around each handle, or make your cord shorter by the length of a
double ender and just add or remove the double ender as needed by clipping into
the double ender or just the main clip without even removing the double ender.
This way you can "shift gears" for changing conditions. Most of the time, you will
want the scooter as far out in front as is comfortable. If you are new to scootering
you may find that you feel more comfortable in the beginning with the scooter
closer to you, but you should strive to keep it out as far as possible. Once you
are more comfortable riding it, you will not want it in close anyway as this does
not allow you to relax the way you can with it outstretched.
Gavin Scooter User’s Manual and FAQ (
George Irvine 2002)
