How to choose your personal submersible

We’ve covered some of the coolest ways to get around, but most of these involve machines that operate on dry land. What about cool machines underwater?
But let’s forget the “cool machine” part for a while and focus on what makes the underwater world so special.
First, it’s beautiful. No cars, no houses, nothing else than pure nature. Well, that was before BP’s leak. Anyway, it’s so beautiful down there that James Cameron, one of the world’s most famous divers, decided to make a film about it: Avatar. That’s right, most of the flora and fauna you see in the movie are actually sized-up specimens of animals you could encounter while diving at a coral reef.
And if you like exploration, the fact the ocean remains largely unexplored (95%), and that its deepest point, the Mariana Trench (10,911 m), was only reached by two men, Jacques Piccard and Lt. Don Walsh, should appeal to you. More men have walked on the Moon.

So, now that you’ve set a few million dollars aside and contracted the underwater exploration virus, it’s time to look at your options.

The Cayago Magnum is probably the simplest, but also the coolest way to explore the ocean floors. The electric water scooter, featuring a 10hp engine containing 30 high energy Li-Ion accumulators, will allow you enjoy 4 hours of aquatic fun. And just because no high-tech gadget is complete without a screen, a LED cockpit will show you information regarding the remaining operation time, diving depth, water temperature and diagnostics data from the surface via an integrated infrared interface. The Magnum is locked at 2,5 meters for apnea diving, but will allow you to reach a depth of 40 meters if you’re using SCUBA equipment.

I’m surprised this thing hasn’t been featured in a James Bond movie yet. But who cares, it could be yours for 78,000 €. Better hurry though, because only 100 of those will ever be produced.

For those who would like to visit a ship reck but remain dry, a fully-fledged sub is required. Meet U-Boat Worx‘s C-Quester 3. U-Boat Worx is a Dutch company specialized in tiny private submersibles. Their 3-person sub is really stuff straight out of a Blake and Mortimer comic-strip. With its huge, 360 degrees plexiglass dome and winglets in the back, it actually looks more like a spaceship than a sub. The C-Quester 3 can dive down to 100 meters, which is deeper than most SCUBA divers will ever dive. 8 hours endurance, 4 days life-support, touch screen controls, this sub has it all. Oh, and if you really want to push the extravagance, you could also order the “luxury” option, which includes better seats, and - oh bliss! – an iPod-driven sound-system. Yes, slowly following a Manta ray while listening to Sting’s Fragile, that’s what life should be like, and it could be yours for $756,000.

You must’ve noticed in the video that domes like the ones on the C-Quester have a major disadvantage: they produce a heavy distortion. Add this to the fact that water makes things appear 33% bigger, and you might get a headache after a few minutes. Nautilus Submarine‘s VAS is your solution. The retro-styled sub features distortion free windows, a top speed of 6 knots, real stairs (as opposed to a ladder), a video system, a minibar, a lavatory and a diver lock-out which will allow a diver to exit and enter the sub while underwater. The sub’s maximal depth is 170 meters, which is, according to the U.S. Navy, the maximum operating depth of a mixed-gas diver. You know, just in case you didn’t read the manual entirely and they have to come and fetch you. The €2 million toy is the ideal accessory for a yacht, don’t you think?

But come on, yachts are so 2009. Let’s ditch them and build an aquatic palace underwater, not on the surface. This is what U.S. Submarines must have had in mind when it designed the Phoenix 1000. This 65 meters (213 feet) monster is the stuff of dreams.
The total interior area of the submarine is in excess of 460 square meters. The significant volume, coupled with very large acrylic viewports, and the potential for relatively large open spaces, results in a vehicle as luxurious as the finest ofmotor yachts. The Phoenix is capable of making trans-Atlantic crossings at 16 knots, and yet can dive along the route and explore the continental margins of some of the most fascinating waters on earth. And unlike surface yachts, when the water gets rough, the submarine can submerge into a perfectly smooth and quiet environment.

Aft of the superstructure, or optionally, above the control cabin on the bow, is an area for a docking minisub. Utilizing a special docking collar, the additional vehicle is capable of leaving the Phoenix while submerged and making excursions down to 610 meters. With both top and bottom hatches, the minisub could also bring passengers from the surface to the submarine lying at depth. Additionally, in the unlikely event of an emergency at depth, the minisub could be used to take passengers and crew to the surface.
Sounds good doesn’t it? The catch is that we don’t know if the sub really exists. U.S. Submarines’ website indicates that it is just a design waiting for an owner ready to pay $78 million to commission it, but rumors tell us that a magnate residing on the Arabic peninsula already owns one. Captain Nemo?

The last item on our list may not be the biggest, more luxurious, or expensive private submarine you’ll be able to find, but it’s the one I like the most, mostly because it is the brainchild of Reynolds Marion, an engineer who spent his whole life designing the Hyper Sub. Powered by twin 440 hp inboard diesels for a total output of 880 hp, the powerboat-sub hybrid 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 76 meters, and offers umbilical SCUBA support. With seating for up to four passengers plus a pilot, the craft’s 180-degree acrylic canopy provides panoramic undersea views.

Unfortunately, submarines are expensive. Let’s not forget that they have to be built to comply with very high safety standards. After all, pressure at just 500 meters is the equivalent of having 528 kgs of pressure per square meter. But maybe it’s precisely the rush of knowing that one is traveling in an environment comparable to the harshness of outer space that makes submarines so fascinating. Technology will surely decrease the cost of underwater travel, and who knows, maybe Virgin Oceanic will do for this industry what Virgin Galactic did for space travel.