Transformer sub
At the 2022 Monaco Yacht Show, the Dutch builder U-Boat Worx shared designs for the 1,250-tonne, 37.5-metre Yacht Submarine, the Nautilus.
Photography by U-Boat Worx
30 September 2022
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Once built, the Nautilus by U-Boat Worx will be equally at ease functioning as a yacht or a submersible.
Since Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea came out in 1870, people have been dreaming of a luxury yacht with dive capabilities. Since then, inventors produced a lot of impressive concepts. Unfortunately, not one of these designs has ever been realised.
Being the world leader in the market for small submersibles, U-Boat Worx has now finally succeeded in engineering a realistic combination of luxury and safety in a fully certified private submersible.
The diesel-electric Nautilus has a depth rating of 200 metres, with a surface cruise speed of 9 knots and an underwater speed of 4 knots. Once ordered, an owner can expect to have their Nautilus delivered within 30 months.
When functioning as a boat, the Nautilus offers a massive sundeck equipped with a freshwater pool, a bar, and a luxurious dining table. This al fresco arrangement is retracted before the submersible slips below sea level.
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A newly invented, completely pressure-resistant electrical tender is stowed under the Nautilus’s aft deck and will stay outside while diving. This tender, the Aronnax, may also be used for transporting five scuba divers underwater to the intended dive spot.
The Nautilus interior features a 50-square-metre dinner and lounge area with four circular windows. Each with diameters close to 4 metres.
The proposed design for the submarine has a master bedroom and four staterooms, as well as sleeping quarters for up to six crew. A fully equipped galley makes cooking an underwater meal simple and fun. Interior layouts are fully customisable by the client.
The superyacht submarine will be able to stay underwater for up to four days. At cruise speed, the underwater endurance is six hours.
When not in use, the Nautilus can be docked at any quay that can accommodate its 6.5-metre draft.
The Nautilus has a starting price of €25 million.
“People who have decided to buy a yacht will now have to consider if their vessel of choice can also dive down to 200 metres,” says U-Boat Worx Chairman and Founder Bert Houtman.
As an added bonus, the Nautilus easily combats seasickness. “If the sea becomes too rough,” says Houtman, “You simply dive and continue your voyage in comfort. With the Nautilus, the yachting market will never be the same again.”
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