BuddyBoat

The BuddyBoat™ is a small, lightweight personal watercraft designed for skin and scuba diving. The BuddyBoat provides a stable platform allowing divers to skim across the water with maximum efficiency and stay warm, out of chilly waters between dives.

BuddyBoat is made from lightweight, durable polyethylene plastic, impervious to rocks and sand. The combination hull/pontoon design combined with a low center of gravity gives it excellent stability and a shallow draft. The design also allows easy entry and exit in water of any depth. The user is comfortably seated rearward using his or her fins for propulsion. A water tight hatch on the bow provides access to a large storage area and there are ample tie-downs for dive gear and personal accessories. A backpack harness is available for transporting the BuddyBoat and your gear to the dive site.

BuddyBoat is designed and made by Divine Design Aquatics, Inc. They can be contacted at (707) 575-1625 or visit their web site at www.buddyboats.com. The BuddyBoat can be seen at the upcoming SCUBA Show 2000, June 3 & 4, Long Beach Convention Center, booth# 404.

Otter boxes are watertight, crushproof and durable. Two new sizes have been added to the Otter Box series, the 8000 and 9000. These sizes are specifically designed for cell phones, portable 2-way radios, portable GPS units, cameras and sunglasses. The Otter Box allows boaters, scuba divers, kayakers and other water enthusiasts to keep wallets and other valuables with them - and completely dry - even underwater.

Otter Box protects cell phones, cameras, sunglasses, hand-held computers, electronic keys, passports and documents, Palm Pilot™ schedulers and more.

Otter Box engineers have tested the affordable box to 100 feet below water in chilly Alaskan waters and tropical Mexican locales. Each box carries an unconditional lifetime guarantee. If users experience any problems, Otter Products will replace the box - no questions asked.

Otter Box comes in 13 colors and five sizes - from a small box to hold credit cards and keys to the larger size that can protect a 35mm camera and film.

"Our unique, watertight seal is combined with fiberglass reinforced molded plastic to make the Otter Box virtually indestructible," said Kent Monier, Otter Box product manager. "The stainless steel hinge pin will not corrode in or near salt water. The silicone seal creates a perfect watertight barrier keeping the contents completely dry and the closed-cell foam liner protects valuables from damage."

Otter Boxes are available in 13 colors - solid or 1/2 clear, durable nylon lanyard cords. For more information, contact Otter Box Products at 888-695-8820, or visit the webpage at www.otterbox.com.

The "Ultimate Hanger" is a new device specifically designed for hanging out diving suits for drying. Wetsuits and dry suits are an expensive investment and must be cared for properly. The Ultimate Hanger can be used with the extension tubes in any of 5 different positions to hang suits upright. Hanger dimensions are 24" long extendable to 36". Without the tubes, the hanger can be used to hang dry suits upside down. An optional attachment allows the hanging of dive gloves and hoods. The Ultimate Hanger also works well for outdoor and athletic clothing - any garment that must dry properly to maintain maximum effectiveness.

For more information, contact the Drysuit Hanger Company at (888) 484-2643 or visit their web site at www.uhangem.com.

Dive Innovations, Inc. has introduced a new concept in tank buoyancy control. The benefits of aluminum tanks are clear, they don't rust and cost less than steel. The drawback is they are usually positively buoyant and often pivot one's legs above their head while diving.

The new Tank Buoyancy Compensator (TBC) eliminates this tendency by locating a five pound weight at the bottom of the tank. The TBC provides a heads-up attitude while diving and aids in keeping the head out of the water while at the surface. The TBC will allow one to remove five pounds of weight from the waist, making the dive more enjoyable. The weight can be quickly dumped by pulling the red ejection handle. Constructed from tough, corrosive resistant materials, the TBC doubles as a protector for the bottom of the tank. It is available in a variety of colors and installs much like a common tank boot. The TBC friction fits (presses on) to all 7 1/4" diameter cylinders, most common are the 80 cu. ft. and 63 cu. ft. aluminum tanks. For more information, visit the Dive Innovations web site at www.diveinnovations.com or call 616-329-4130.

Like many other avid divers, inventor Andy Varrichione had the common problem of loosing sight of his dive buddy. To combat this problem he invented the I SEA U - a diver's rear view mirror. This device weighs a mere 2.2 ounces and attaches to the brow of the dive mask. Its unique attachment system is a set of slide clips which adjust to every mask and attaches the unit firmly as if part of the mask. The convex marine mirror mounts to an arm which retracts and snaps back inside the body of the I SEA U for easy storage. The unit is simple to remove if necessary. The mirror gives a wide view of what is behind the diver and to the side.

Further information is available at www.saverproducts.com.

SeaLife introduces a new dive camera set. Equipped with SeaLife's popular ReefMaster RC land/sea camera, external flash unit, attachable close-up lens with underwater filter, deluxe carrying case, special care kit and instruction booklet, divers will consider the pro kit a necessity for any underwater excursion. The new pro kit includes everything a diver needs to document their underwater adventures, all at a modest price. 

Waterproof up to 164 feet, the ReefMaster RC camera compensates for tricky underwater photographic conditions by including an oversized sports viewfinder and shutter-release, a special coral flash to combat underwater blue effect, and numerous automatic features. The camera also functions superbly on land, where its rugged, unbreakable rubber-armored housing provides a sure grip and added shock protection. Slide the inner 35mm camera from its housing, and users have a versatile compact camera for on-land snapshots.

Also included in the professional dive camera set, SeaLife's external flash unit provides additional light for brighter underwater pictures with more vivid colors. With an innovative flexible arm extending the flash unit over the camera, SeaLife has developed a unit that allows divers to aim the flash at most any angle. SeaLife's External Flash is positioned 12 inches away from the camera's lens, and a deflector covers the camera's built-in flash, to reduce annoying backscatter. In addition, the flash unit can function reliably at distances from two to eight feet from the subject.

For close-up shots up to two feet from the subject, the pro kit comes with a versatile SeaLife Macro 3X Close-Up Lens & Underwater Filter.  This color-corrected lens allows for high quality photos at close distances, and works well in water with low visibility.

Other accessories in SeaLife's underwater dive camera set include a deluxe carrying case with adjustable shoulder strap, special SeaLife care kit and Great Pictures Made Easy instruction and tip booklet. 

The SeaLife Professional Dive Camera Set is available at dive stores, as well as photo, marine and sporting goods stores. The ReefMaster RC camera requires 35mm film (ISO 200 recommended) and two AA batteries. SeaLife products are manufactured in the U.S. at Pioneer Research, 97 Foster Road, Suite 5, Moorestown, N.J. 08057. Tel. 1-800-257-7742.  Visit the SeaLife web site at www.pioneer-research.com.