The IAQUA Dive Scooter is the prime IAQUA product. It took around two years of development to create a state of the art multi-functional electric water craft.
In dive scooter history there have been many types of scooters. What pops into mind are torpedo like shaped machines that were used in James Bond movies in the 1970's.
Those scooters were already battery driven, with a propeller or jet drive / housed propeller (impeller), handles, and some sort of switches and indicators to turn on/off and adjust speed.
For waterlevel use and snorkeling there was a very common gasoline driven snorkel scouter in the 1980's. Many clients report that they actually used that water sled when they were young. Besides that there are numerous devices that run on top of the water and can also pearce through the waves.
Dive industry produced numerous electric driven scooters that had improved hydrodynamic efficiency, small size, exchangeable batteries, and even good looking colorful design in mind (SCUBAPRO, SEADOO, Yamaha, and many more).
A device called "DELFJET" represented a very powerful version of such a dive scooter and contained first modern and crazy expensive space technology Lithium Ion batteries. Unfortunately the company had no success and was nearly bankrupted. CAYAGO (Rotinor GmbH) has purchased the DELFJET leftovers, gave the DELFJET a facelift and gave it another name (SEABOB).
SEABOB F7 received in approx. 2007 the last upgrade. SEADOO and YAMAHA also redesigned their scooters and switched to LI-ION technology. The SEABOB 5.12 was very heavy but very fast also. SEABOB Rave Jet, ACS, VX2, 4.12 and F7 where all variations of the original SEABOB 5.12./ (original DELFJET). Some models had more power or exchangeable batteries (actually nobody used this feature much).
CAYAGO (the SEABOB company) managed to reduce weight further by switching to the industrial standard "18650" battery cell type in approx. 2011.
The hull was still foam filled and came in modern plastic design, similar to seadoo jet skies. There are few aluminum frame parts. The so called "F5" series is up to this day the core product of CAYAGO. F5S and F5SR are rather derivations of the F5, and contain the full amount of battery cells, hence more power and capacity. With introduction of the SEABOB F5SR an integrated camera was presented.
SEABOB F5/F5S/F5SR share the same base construction. SEABOB was very successful with this product, because it was simply fun and much lighter than the former 65 KG F7. However, constant technical draw backs were reported, and it is not an easy task to provide service all over the world.
Main problem seemes to be that a SEABOB and similar products could not be eaay/ entirely diagnosed and repaired, due to dangerous good transport regulations and the rather unique battery of each brand.
Neither CAYAGO, IAQUA, or SEADOO (and many other brands more) invented the dive scooter (propelled or semi jet driven DPV).
The dive scooters we see today (IAQUA, SEABOB, AMAZEA, ALTIVS …) are simply the result of combining modern technology into a more or less hydrodynamic hull!
IAQUA redesigned the existing/ old former dive scooter technology, and applied 2018 electronics. This made dive scooters not only even better every year. with now always updated state of the Art technology, it also reduces costs every year.
Genuine experienced industrial production is the reason for not only improved technology but also reasonable prices! … especialy when compared to cometitors with outdated 1.0 technical design.
When IAQUA intorduced the first Dive Scooter concepts (2017/18 models), CAYAGO and others simply ignored first reports from dealers about the interesting competitor that has the potential to posibly make existing competitors soon obsolit.
In Sept. 2018 CAYAGO applied in German court (DÜSSELDORF) for a so called preliminary injunction (PI), that suggested that IAQUA shall not import their STINGRAY model into EU. Seeming to suddenly fear IAQUA, CAYAGO's first move was to sell the patent rights from former holder CAYAGO GmbH Austria to the just new founded CAYAGO TEC GmbH Germany. This it waht was written down within the PI applecation ... not a secret.
CAYAGO claimed that IAQUA is simply a Chineese online seller that is intending to sell a SEABOB copy into EU. This has meanwhile not prooven to be true. IAQUA is a manufacturer that also produces DIVE Scooters that do NOT match SEABOB Design and technology under their name! If there is any infringement is up to courts to decide and then such details would have to be corrected.
Furthermore CAYAGO proclaimed the good reputation and solid CAYAGO history. There where sworen statements and in our eyes questionable evedence that supposed to prove that IAQUA simply copied the SEABOB.
CAYAGO did not mention that they actualy have been selling an technicaly altered DELFJET and supposed to have patented some relevant technicla aspects. Also the F5 design series was ON PURPOSE very close to the original DELFJET / SEABOB F7 design, in order to be reconized by the customer (quote CAYGAO CEO!.)
That means that the F5 design is new but also based on form faollows funcion and previouse design, which is why similar designs were rtated from EU courts as permissable
In our opinion the hydrodynamic dive scooter were invented since JAMES BOND and many others shwed of the concept. Even the Düsseldorf corut mentioned that the "Space Shuttle design" is similar to SEABOB front view. All existing DIve Scooer products are a "copy" of priviouse scooters and therfore only in detail unique ... if at all.
The only difference is the state of the art terchnology that is applied.. In that aspect IAQUA is since 2018 the leading brand! CAYAGO did not display anything significaly new since the presentation of the new SEABOB F5 concept in 2011 on Mallorca and 2012 at GERMAN Boatshow. In 2012 the new SEABOB F5 design was revealed, but its technology is still based on the same DIVE Scooter princibles of a propeller or jet driven device!
However, the German court granted the PI. . IAQUA reacted by simply altering the design and created the even more unique SEADART design, which has been equipped with new technology every year.
IAQUA could have IP right defended their "STINGRAY" but agreet with CAYAGO to stop the STINGRAY design without admitting any offence. CAYAGO accepted!
Resulting CAYAGO claims during PALMA bpoatshow 2018 a Spanish Court even decided that there is no evedence that a SEABOB Copy was sold.
However, IAQUA and other companies are able to changing the design or a attacked product name faster than CAYAHO is able to put forward such business interupting legal messures.
Important to know is that IAQUA never agreed with CAYAGO that the STINGERAY design was a copy, let alone that a Court came to that final conclusion. IAQUA simply agreed to the courts PRELIMINARY opinion and then the case was closed.
From that moment STINGRAY design was not available in EU. In reality IAQUA has already discontinued STINRAY in mid 2019 due to the successor SEADART and its different vatiants/ yearly models.
Never the less, IAQUA filed for a so called anulliation of the CAYAGO F5 community design, since it lacks to be a new design ( DELFJET, SEABOB 5.12,m F7 and many similar designs were first!).
An IAQUA STINGRAY is perfectly legal in EU. The Spanish STINGRAYS have been imported legaly BEFORE the CAYAGO PI, which is addressed only to IAQUA company and not to importers that have imported a STINGRAY beffore. Therefor it was not illegal to have imported STINGRAY, a product with a registered EU design!
You may wonder why we explain this IP battle in Detail.
Well, it is simply unbelivable how a better, more advanced, more cost effective,, and actually more demanded product can be seemingly blocked in EU, simply by hiering skilled (obviousely Swiss) leading IP lawyers, that lay out an obviousely anti competitative IP strategy, with the aim to stop the sales efforts of a competitive brand.
This happens on costs of local delers that legaly imported the competitive product and on costs of cleitns that demand an alternative products.
CAYAGO is furthermore said to be attacking dealers, distributors, and IAQUA, claiming that even the changed design is still a "copy" wthout relevant proof. The STINGRAY and the SEADART design are EU registered designs- SEADART was rated by 7 different IP lawyers to a 90 % probability of not beiing rzueld infringing by EU courts. So far all courts habe rated and confirmed SEADART design to be not infringing any design rights!
Also CAYAGO is said to be claiming that technical patets are beiing infringed. It is behind a normal persons understanding eactly what comon technology supposed to infringe within a dive scooter that operates like every other priviouse invented dive scooter. Nothing on a DPV is revolutionary new in such a way as if it would enable a company to claim a monopol on Dive Scooter production!
Important News: The case against TOYMASTER (CAYAGO - IAQUA) was dismissed by the criminal court of PALMA! CAYAGO appealed.
The FINAL JUDGEMENT (download) CAYAGO vs IAQUA contains a resolution with a clear argumentation / only final judgement of an EU court! This is the only court that has actualy took into account all the evedence, heared BOTH sides. The judge permitted a CAYAGO inforced witness (a copetitive dealer) and several physical inspections of the IAQUA STINGRAY model by a CAYAGO appointed specialists! Never the less, the case was dismissed and products have to be returned.
IAQUA (TOYMASTER as an importer of IAQUA ) was proven NOT GUILTY!
Water sport industry is changing, and we believe that all kind of water toys will be revolutionized and will benefit in modern technology and advantages of industrialized production. This will result in lower Prices and more reliable products. This is called technical Evolution and free (!)market economy