What is a Personal Submarine?
A luxury personal submarine is built for recreational use. Also called a private submersible, or personal mini submarine, it’s usually fairly compact at just a few meters in length and can be small enough to fit into a yacht’s tender bay, offering excellent views under the water while cruising the high seas. Personal luxury submarines have been used to conduct scientific research, in filmmaking, for ocean exploration, breaking world records, and more, which is why they offer excellent fields of view of the underwater world. Several superyachts in the global fleet carry private submersibles on board, taking their yacht toy inventory to the next level.
There are various submersible options with various depth ratings—amongst them are the two-seater DeepFlight Dragon, which can dive to 100 meters; U-Boat Worx’s three-person C-Explorer 3 submarine that can submerge to 300 meters; SEAmagine’s three-person Aurora-3C that has a depth rating to dive to ocean depths of 495 meters; and Triton Submarine’s 1650/3LP three-seater, which is capable of reaching ocean depths of 500 meters. Private submarines range in capacity from one person submarines to those for three people, however, there are some five person submarines, and even those up to eight people as the interest in underwater personal submarines grows. For those interested, there are also private submersible pilot training courses you can take, if you’d like to switch gears from navigating the high seas to the great depths below.
What are Personal Submarines Made of (Construction Material/Hull Design)?
Personal submarines have to be built to withstand the immense pressure that comes from operating at great depths underwater — the deeper you travel, the greater the pressure. While the various personal submarine manufacturers have different hull configurations, most are somewhat spherical in shape with design features like acrylic pressure considerations. Triton Submarine’s 1650/3LP has an acrylic pressure hull, while DeepFlight Dragon’s hull is made from composites, reportedly stronger and lighter than steel, that can be found in some of NASA’s projects.
Regardless of the personal mini submarine you choose to buy, they will also have vertical thrusters as part of their design features in order to propel you.
Private submarines are usually classed through a classification society like Lloyd’s Register, the American Bureau of Shipping, or DNV-GL, so they’re rigorously tested and certified for safety. Some luxury personal submarines can come with HD camera systems to record what incredible discoveries they witness so the users can re-watch and share as much as they like.
How Do Submersibles Work?
A personal submarine operates using a combination of systems for buoyancy, propulsion, pressure management, and navigation. Submersible pumps play a crucial role in managing ballast and other essential functions. Here’s a detailed breakdown of how private submarines are operated:
1. Buoyancy Control
Submersible pumps are used to move water in and out of ballast tanks. To descend, pumps draw water into ballast tanks, increasing the submarine’s overall weight and causing it to sink. To ascend, pumps expel water from the ballast tanks, reducing weight and making the submarine buoyant. They are also used for fine tuning buoyancy – submersible pumps can precisely control the amount of water in ballast tanks, allowing for neutral buoyancy. This helps the submarine hover at a specific ocean depth without ascending or descending.
2. Pressure Management
The submarine’s pressure hull is designed to withstand the intense forces exerted by the water at depth. Materials like acrylic or composites are commonly used, allowing for a strong, transparent structure. The depth rating is also key in determining the submarine’s ability to reach certain ocean depths depends on the hull’s strength and the effectiveness of its pressure management system.
3. Propulsion System
Submarines use various propulsion systems depending on their type:
- Nuclear Submarines: Powered by nuclear reactors, these submarines produce electricity to drive electric motors and propellers. Nuclear reactors also generate heat for power and propulsion, allowing the submarine to stay submerged for long periods.
- Diesel-Electric Submarines: Use diesel engines to charge batteries when surfaced. When submerged, the submarine switches to battery power, making it quieter but limited by battery life.
- Propellers and Thrusters: Submarines use propellers to move forward and backward. Thrusters may be used for fine maneuvering, including lateral movement.
4. Life Support Systems
Submarines are equipped with systems to sustain human life underwater:
- Oxygen Supply: Oxygen is stored in tanks and released gradually into the air. Some advanced submarines use systems to produce oxygen by electrolyzing seawater.
- Carbon Dioxide Removal: Scrubbers remove CO₂ from the air, ensuring breathable conditions.
- Temperature and Humidity Control: Environmental controls maintain a comfortable and safe environment inside the submarine.
5. Navigation and Control
Submarines use advanced systems to navigate underwater, where traditional GPS signals may not work:
- Sonar (Sound Navigation and Ranging)
- Active Sonar: Sends sound waves and measures their return to map surroundings.
- Passive Sonar: Listens for sounds from other vessels.
- Inertial Navigation Systems (INS):
- Tracks movement and position without relying on external signals.
- Periscope and Photonic Mast:
- A periscope is used for observation when near the surface.
- Modern submarines may use photonic masts with cameras and sensors for enhanced visibility.
6. Safety Features
Submarines have multiple safety systems to handle emergencies:
- Escape Pods: Some submarines have compartments that can detach and bring the crew to the surface.
- Emergency Ballast Release: Allows for rapid ascent in case of an emergency by quickly expelling water from ballast tanks.
- Hull Integrity Monitoring: Sensors detect stress on the pressure hull to prevent catastrophic failure.
Submersible pumps are integral to emergency ballast systems. In case of a malfunction, they help expel water quickly to return the submarine to the surface. Many personal submarines also include redundancies, such as secondary pumps or manual overrides, to ensure safety if primary systems fail.
7. Diving and Surfacing
The process of diving and surfacing involves precise control of buoyancy, propulsion, and internal systems:
- Diving: Ballast tanks are flooded with water. Hydroplanes (wing-like structures) adjust the angle of descent.
- Surfacing: Compressed air expels water from the ballast tanks. The submarine ascends as it becomes positively buoyant.
What are the Key Factors to Consider When Buying a Used Personal Submarine?
When considering buying a used private submarine for sale, you’ll want to ask yourself a few questions:
- What is your goal with your personal submarine? Do you want to head into the shallows and explore reefs and the world around you? Or do you want to deep dive to shipwrecks like the Titanic – the deepest and furthest most personal submarines can go?
- Are you hoping to do research with your personal submarine? Some yacht owner’s welcome scientists and oceanographers onto their yachts to further scientific research and be part of something groundbreaking.
- How will you transport the personal submarine? Is it going to be stowed on your yacht, or will you take it out only when you want to explore? They aren’t like boats you can hook up to a trailer – you need specific machinery to launch the personal submarine safely.
- Depth rating – depending on the above goals, you’ll want to purchase a used personal submarine that has the right depths available. Some may only be able to go down a couple hundred meters, while others can go thousands or even to “unlimited” depths.
What are the Different Types of Small Submarines Available?
There are a number of small submarines available if you’re in the market. From U-Boat Worx’s Nemo, to SEAmagine’s Ocean Pearl, and Triton’s 660/2, there are more companies than ever desigining small personal submarines for use on your superyacht and beyond. Most small submarines will be leisure submarines, however, a number of small personal submarines are designed for exploring depths thousands of feet below the surface. This is why it’s so important to decide what factors are important to you when purchasing a used submarine for sale.
How Much Does a Personal Submarine Cost?
Depending on the size, brand of the underwater personal submarine, and depths they can achieve, most one person submarines will start at around $1 million with larger five person submarines costing millions of dollars more.
Thanks to their rigorously tested acrylic pressure hulls, technologically advanced vertical thrusters and beautiful design features, private submarines are becoming one of the favored toys of the superyacht set.
How Much Does a Two Person Submarine Cost?
Similar to the above, the price of a two person submarine will depend on a few factors. What is the depth rating of the personal luxury submarine? What design features do they come with? Have they broken any world records?
However, most will start with a price tag of at least $2 million and can rapidly increase from there.
What Is the Deepest Personal Submersible?
The Triton 36000/2 “Full Ocean Depth” underwater personal submarine is currently the only personal submarine that has an unlimited depth rating in the ocean. Capable of reaching the furthest depths in under three hours, the Triton 36000/2 can safely take up to two people into these previously unexplored underwater worlds.
Why Consider Buying a Personal Submarine?
You should buy a luxury personal submarine if you are fascinated by the ocean and are a keen explorer, ready to push the boundaries of what’s possible in marine travel. A personal submarine enables its occupants to observe more of the ocean than is possible from the yacht’s high sea surroundings, offering access to deeper water far beyond a diver’s access, which is an opportunity and a privilege not many people get to experience. Owners can be trained to operate their own subs through pilot training, depending on which you purchase, so if you’re looking for a special experience, you can cruise along at a few knots in your own personal mini submarine.
From world record holders to advancements in oceanographic research, personal luxury submarines continue to gain popularity for allowing their users to travel previously uncharted waters. From one person submarines designed for those that have completed their pilot training, to five person submarines allowing you and your guests to explore the depths below, why not explore your own personal submarine options on YATCO now? Read more in YATCO’s Personal Submarine Guide.
