Before the SEABOB, the yacht toy box was towables and jet skis. The water sled created by Cayago AG of Germany, with Porsche design input in its engineering, invented a category: a personal watercraft you ride like a sled, steering with your body weight through the Controlgrips, running silent and emission-free on the surface and underwater. Two decades on, it is still the reference.
The F5
The F5 is the sweet spot of the range. At 29 kg it is light enough to launch from a swim platform by hand, which matters more in daily use than any performance figure. The E-Jet Power System delivers up to 2.5 kW and 480 N of thrust across four power levels, for up to 14 km/h on the surface and 13 km/h submerged, with around 50 minutes of runtime. The safety cut-off limits recreational diving to 2.5 metres; electronic control can configure depths to 40 metres for scuba use.
Above the F5 sit the F5 S (4.0 kW, 680 N, 20 km/h on the surface) and the F5 SR (4.5 kW, 745 N, 22 km/h, with integrated cameras and a Wi-Fi module as standard). Charging is 8 hours on the standard charger, 1.5 hours with the Quick Charger, which is the accessory every owner ends up buying.
Specifications
| Manufacturer | Cayago AG, Germany |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 1,152 x 507 x 372 mm |
| Weight | 29 kg (14 kg buoyancy in water) |
| Power | 2.5 kW, 480 N thrust, 4 levels |
| Top speed | 14 km/h surface, 13 km/h submerged |
| Runtime | Approx 50 minutes |
| Charging | 8 h standard, 1.5 h quick charge |
| Price | From EUR 7,845 net ex works (dealer listed) |
The verdict
Imitators have come and gone, but none has matched the SEABOB's combination of build quality, dealer network, and residual values. The F5 is the right choice for most yachts: the S and SR are meaningfully faster, but the F5's weight and simplicity win on a working swim platform. European dealers list it from EUR 7,845 net ex works; US dealers list it at USD 9,980.
What we have and have not done
This review is based on published specifications and dealer documentation. Yacht & Ocean has not tested this product. Prices are dealer-published, not the manufacturer's list.
The range above it
The F5 sits in the middle of a considered range. Above it, the F5 S runs 4.0 kW and 680 N of thrust for 20 km/h over the surface at 34 kg; the F5 SR adds 4.5 kW, 745 N, 22 km/h, and integrated cameras with a Wi-Fi module as standard. The F5's own figures, up to 14 km/h over water and 13 km/h submerged, are plenty for the way these get used: towing a snorkeler along a reef, or a slow submerged run with the 2.5-metre safety cut-off keeping inexperienced riders near the surface. The depth can be configured to 40 metres for scuba use.
The design input came from Porsche, and it shows in the details: steering by body weight through the Controlgrips, 29 kg that can be launched from a swim platform by hand, and a Quick Charger that cuts the 8-hour standard charge to 1.5 hours. European dealers list the F5 at EUR 7,845 net ex works, the F5 S at EUR 10,780; US dealers list the F5 at USD 9,980.
The practical case is as strong as the fun case. At 29 kg with 14 kg of buoyancy in the water, the F5 can be launched from a swim platform by hand, no crane, no davit scheduling, no crew evolution. It charges from a standard outlet, runs silently with no emissions, and steers by body weight, which means guests can be competent in minutes. On a yacht where every toy competes for garage space and crew attention, the one that needs neither wins.
Photography: Rhk111 via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).
