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The Hyper-Sub
The first submersible speedboat transforms from wave rider to deep diver in seconds
By Jessica Cheng & Day Greenberg
Nautical engineers have long dreamed of a craft that could race across wave tops like a speedboat and seconds later dive beneath them like a submarine. But crossing the two breeds presents a catch-22],†Marion says.
He has designed four add-on kits for the sub that outfit it for applications ranging from day cruises to Coast Guard missions. The only thing left for the team to do is verify that all the sub’s components meet the standards set for both over- and underwater vehicles. Marion expects to start mass production next year, with the subs going for $2.5 to $4 million.
How it Works
1 To submerge the boat, the pilot opens the hull gates and pumps 30,000 pounds of water into the ballast chambers.
2 The front ballast chambers fill first, sending the boat into a five-degree, 60-feet-per-minute dive.
3 Once underwater, the pilot deploys dive fins, angles them downward with a joystick, and engages the thrusters to dive faster.
4 To raise the boat, the pump system fills the chambers with 400 cubic feet of air from pressurized tanks, reseals the hull, and resurfaces in 30 seconds.
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