It comes in models powered by pedals as well as electric motors. The underwater craft called The Scubster is also constructed of carbon fiber material, although it only dives to about 20 feet. Next year, a company called OceanGate plans to begin offering a submersible featuring a 7-inch-thick carbon fiber hull using Boeing manufacturing technology. The Dragon’s pressure hull is constructed with a proprietary composite material, specially designed to withstand the pressures of ocean diving. Salt water causes metal to to corrode, which obviously is a bad thing for metal submarines.īut what if most of the sub is made from something else? For example, what if it’s built with strong, lightweight composite materials that don’t rust or corrode? That’s a win. Why? One reason is strong, relatively new building materials that replace old-style metal. These amazing watercraft may sound expensive, but never before have personal subs been so low-priced and widely available. It’s a steal at only $80,000.Ĭomposite materials open new possibilities Another one, the Seabreacher X, jumps out of the water like a wild marlin on a hook. Some operate partly above and partly below the waterline, like the so-called semisubmarine, EGO-Compact. These underwater ships sport cool names like Scubster, the Triton and SEAmagine. There are more than ever before, say experts, thanks to emerging technology. The Dragon is just one of many personal submersibles now on the market. Operating the sub is relatively simple, designers say, requiring minimal training. Instead, right now, you can operate a DeepFlight submarine at a posh resort and be an explorer for a day. So does Red Bull co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz.īut DeepFlight doesn’t expect you to buy one. The technology seems all so James Bond – except it’s real. Options might include checking out an ancient shipwreck or snuggling up close to a gigantic whale. On your right, a joystick lets you steer in any direction you choose: forward, back, left or right.Įssentially, you’d be piloting your own underwater exploration mission. With the touch of a small lever near your left hand, you command this sleek, 16-foot sub to go into a deep dive. Your head might be surrounded by a transparent canopy, giving you a 360-degree view of an ocean wonderland. Or at the more tropical end of the scale, Tahiti is spectacular in its range of underwater flora and fauna including Blacktip reef sharks and Lemon sharks.Imagine yourself strapped snugly inside your own personal submarine. “Destinations we’ve known people to explore with their subs include the Antarctic, where the submarine allows you to avoid frostbite and see some unique sea life up close and personal, including penguins, seals and species with what is known as polar gigantism, such as giant sea stars and spiders. The Nemo’s completely transparent acrylic-sphere window was purpose-built with the undersea landscape in mind. Though personal submarine ownerships remains a niche market, Simpson can see a demand for from “clients who love adventure and are fascinated by the natural world.” “Yachts that carry their own submarine tend to be explorer style – robust superyachts, built for long-distance cruising to untouched destinations. Owners who love to explore, but don’t want to compromise on the sporty lines of their sleek superyacht, are opting more and more for a support vessel solution, on which a submarine and other specialist toys and tenders can be carried in tandem with the superyacht mothership, rather than on-board,” says Simpson.
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