If the recently launched Super Yacht Sub 3 by famous Dutch submersible manufacturer U-Boat Worx was more like the Rolls Royce of the seas, this compact high performance submersible should rather be compared to a Ferrari – it even has a Ferrari red paintjob. Dubbed the “HP Sport Sub 2”, this ultra-compact sub can fit onboard any superyacht. According to Founder and Chairman Bert Houtman, this remarkable submersible design is “suitable for all superyachts from 30 meters and up”. That is not all; the small size of the sub makes it possible to be towed behind a luxury sedan.
The design is attractive, but above all, safe and functional,” says Houtman. “We’ve adopted a very different look compared to traditional submersibles, but without compromising safety and ease of use – the ability to easily board the craft at the surface, for example.” Featuring a new acrylic-steel pressure hull design, the submersible measures 285 cm (9.3 ft) long and 235 cm (7.7 ft) wide, giving it the same length and width dimensions as the Super Yacht Sub 3. However, it has a much more streamline design and measures only 136 cm (4.5 ft) high. The luxury underwater craft has a 100-meter (330-feet) depth rating and weighs only 2,200 kg. It can carry a pilot and passenger below the water for periods up to six hours.
Thanks to the 2 x 2.7 kW brushless electric thrusters providing horizontal propulsion and 4 x 2.7 kW thrusters providing vectored vertical propulsion, the submersible can reach speeds of 3 knots (3.5 mph, 5.6 km/h) on the surface and 2 knots (2.3 mph, 3.7 km/h) when submerged in water. However, upgrading the horizontal thrusters to 2 x 5.5 kW units will increase speeds to 5 knots (5.7 mph, 9.3 km/h) on the surface and 3 knots below the waves. Looking at the pictures, if you have started comparing it with the LaFerrari, well let me tell you, even the pricing is quite similar. It is priced at $1.35 million that includes a battery charger, training course and a DNV-GL certification. Production models are scheduled for delivery to select superyacht owners for the third quarter of 2015.
