Shark Shield: Has anyone used it personally and does it work?

http://www.sharkshield.com/Content/Home/

There are some testimonial videos here, which looks good, but I'm hoping to see if someone has a first hand experience....

This topic has been discussed before - if you use the search feature, I'm sure you'll find useful info on it.

If you can't find it, let me know.

Hi Yakers:

         Spike had them on sale at a good price.
                                                         Ernie
                                                         

Hmmmm... when I searched "Shark Shield" I got only my own post....

This topic has been discussed before - if you use the search feature, I'm sure you'll find useful info on it.

If you can't find it, let me know.

go to this link and type "shark shield" and hit "advance search"


http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?action=search2

Hi Yakers:


Shark Shield Source of Supply
http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,21280.0.html

I've found it works flawlessly in the lakes....

Does it work......So far nobody in Norcal has been bitten by a shark while wearing one so they have a 100% succes rate.  Happy Diving 

Does it work......So far nobody in Norcal has been bitten by a shark while wearing one so they have a 100% succes rate.  Happy Diving 

It's true....


  But I have Shocked Myself....   

                                                                   ouch

good luck on that....

since this got bumped up I'd like to add that, if you don't personally have a shark shield & you see a big fat shark, it is very nice to have a friend paddle up that does have a shark shield onboard.

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,11728.0.html

As we're certain you know by now, there are fails, and then there are epic fails. This case most definitely falls into the latter category, as Sea Change's shark-deterrent system (affectionately dubbed Shark Shield) was actually bit into by a great white when tested off the coast of South Africa. Reportedly, the device sends out electronic fields that are meant to deter sharks from coming near surfers, but according to the company's CEO, the botched trial was "due to a problem with the electrode's configuration." Furthermore, he noted that the thing is only "guaranteed to work when it's stationary, not when it's surfing in the wave or paddling." Needless to say, the effectiveness of these type devices have now been called into question, and regardless of whether this thing actually works as advertised, the lack of total protection -- you know, while actually surfing -- is enough to make us steer clear.

[Via UberReview]

Since this got bumped up, I'll add my opinion after researching the topic on this site and on other sites. 

I'm very willing to pay the money for this device if it can do what it is supposed to do, because some other solutions I'm thinking about will cost money too (I have brain-stormed about building a simple cage).  But while the manufacturer's video testimonies are very convincing, there are reports of failure which is troubling.  I remember reading a report where a shark bit into the Shark Shield unit itself.

So the question for me was, what % of total usages do the failures represent?  I still cannot find that answer.  I understand nothing is 100% guatanteed, but for something like this to be useful it really need to achieve somethinglike 99.9%; even a 90% success rate is no good as far as I am concerned.

If I have a chance I would suggest to the company to do tests in a more controlled environment such as an aquirium which would be more economical, and test the product do maybe 10,000 times (not the 4-5 times I see in the video), to see how many times the shark penetrates the shield.

they have been extensively tank and open water tested over the last decade and a half. There have been various models, and yes some of the prototypes failed.

The overwhelming majority of NorCal divers have never seen a white shark. I'm waiting for a riptide, swb, boat shield.