10 Coolest SubmarinesPublished on 3/2/2011 under Fun Tech – by Gracie Murano – 67,422 views
Hyper-Sub
Not even James Bond would scoff at the beautiful Hyper-Sub. After all, how could he not want to step foot onto a $3.5 million submersible powerboat? This craft designed by Marion HSPD, will finally be heading to the production line. Of course $3.5 million may be a tough price tag to cope with, but you’re getting a rather powerful little toy in exchange.
On the powerboat side, it’s a heavy-duty, 31-ft. surface-cruiser with an enclosed cabin. Powered by twin 440 hp inboard diesels for a total output of 880 hp, the Hyper-Sub has a maximum surface speed of 40 knots and a maximum surface range of 500 miles. In dive mode the Hyper-Sub can plunge up to 250 feet, and offers umbilical SCUBA support.
This is another personal submarine, and it is yellow. Unfortunately, it is not big enough so we all can live in it, as it only seats two people with upright seating. It is good for going 1,000 feet under the water, and the life support is good for six hours. It also features a 120 volt and 24 volt battery bank, two 3 horsepower main thrusters, two 3 horsepower vertical thrusters, four external halogen lamps, VHF communication radio, GPS, as well as a climate controlled sphere. I’m not certain what that means, but I’m guessing you can make it very warm or very cool in there.
I don’t know how far you could go with this guy from the shore, but man, I would love to see it for myself. After all, they only cost a low price of…two million dollars? Well, I knew that this type of hobby wouldn’t be cheap.
Technically this isn’t a submarine. This is not to say that the EGO semi-submarine does not travel underwater. In fact, the cockpit is always that way. However, the upper part of the boat remains above the water all the time. This reduces the risk factor of traveling underwater, and makes it very easy to control. The company website says that “you don’t even need to know how to swim”. I say that it probably wouldn’t hurt.
The clear view gives the user a terrific view of the aquatic life, which is perfect for those who want to see fish up close without getting wet. Best of all, the EGO is eco-friendly as it is mostly electric-powered. On a 6-10 hour charge, the user is able to get about four hours worth of cruising time. The EGO semi-submarine is made by a company called RAONHAJE, and the product’s official website does not have a price. All I have to say is: “if you have to ask, then you can’t afford it”
Called the Seabreacher X, this incredible shark-shaped water submersible boasts “a 260 hp supercharged engine, propelling the vessel to a top speed of 50 mph on the surface and 25 mph below.”
The Seabreacher X can sustain high speed dives and then breach the surface, launching the entire vessel clear out of the water. The new fully vectored thrust system mimic the tail articulation of real aquatic animals like sharks and dolphins. The custom tuned exhaust system also gives the vessel a more throaty growl as it tears across the surface.
Graham Hawkes’ latest creation, Deep Flight Super Falcon is a $1.5 million battery-powered winged submarine that looks just like a plane, except it “flies” underwater.
It has a single rear-mounted propeller, looking much like an electric fan, drives the vessel, and a 48-volt lithium phosphate battery provides power. Its thick pressure hull is a carbon-epoxy mixture, and the two passengers aboard ride seated in cockpits fore and aft, observing their watery surroundings through thick Plexiglas canopies.
According to Hawkes, the craft “flies” just like a jet plane, with electric motors controlling for roll, pitch and yaw. It can fly downward at a maximum of 200 feet per minute, upward at twice that speed and keep flying for a maximum of five hours at 4 knots – about 4.6 mph. John McCosker, [California Academy of Sciences] chair of aquatic biology, said the agile submarine will enable him and his colleagues for the first time to follow along with the travels of “whales and dolphins and even super sharks – maybe even the mysterious giant squid.”
Designer Taizo Doi has given us one more reason to ponder over the million dollar question – Is there anything more beautiful and inspirational than mother nature? And if we cast a good look at Taizo’s concept of a future submarine, we are left with no option but to bow before the beauty and skill of nature. It seems Taizo wanted to design a vessel that would allow humans to explore the sea as any aquatic creature would do it, and hence he took inspirations from the beautiful jellyfish. The jellyfish-like design of the submarine allows a comfortable space for the passengers and lets them have a 360° view of the beautiful sea. Its true, the best way to enjoy the beauty of nature is to be a part of that beauty.
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