Mega Yachts and Submarines
While most mega yachts today have custom helicopters with landing decks, service bays and dedicated crew, only a couple of these yachts can boast a deep diving submersible with a similar calibre of support infrastructure. Nobody would consider putting a helicopter aboard a yacht without the proper support mechanisms and trained crew yet, it is often done with subsea vehicles.
Show it off
Individuals that own a mega yacht want to celebrate their wealth. Don’t hide the submarine in a tiny compartment below deck, DISPLAY IT PROUDLY!!
During the Cannes Film Festival parties onboard the motor yacht Octopus, A-list celebrities and guests would be offered tours of the ship. Nearly every single person that took the tour exclaimed that the submarine was the single best feature of the entire yacht. This submarine was displayed prominently in the aft section of the yacht, but many are not.
If you put a sub (or better yet two subs) onboard a mega yacht, celebrate it, display it, light it like you would a Bugatti in your car collection. Store it in an air-conditioned space sheltered from UV light damage. Your clients will beam with pride and be more likely to continue using your services.
Prominent placement with abundant space to work, and show guests around
Make it easy to launch and recover
Design it so that launch and recovery is easy to accomplish quickly, safely and with efficient use of crew.
We have heard mega yacht owners say to guests that it was a shame his sub wasn’t used more often. This was because it was difficult to launch and recover in anything more than flat calm weather. It is rarely flat calm where explorer yachts tend to go. Yachts like OceanX have this worked out; they can launch and recover quickly and safely in all kinds of weather, while using minimal crew.
Well designed launch/recovery system allows safe operation in rough conditions with minimal crew.
Make is so the crew can support the vehicle
Provide sufficient storage space for service equipment and spare parts storage nearby.. Keep a tidy yet well stocked workshop adjacent to the sub so that the crew can keep it dive ready, rather than having to search through shelves in the engine room for a specific part.
We have seen advertisements for subs stating subs take up the same amount of space as two jet skis. While this may be true of the footprint alone, it is misleading at best. Proper maintenance and operation require a considerable amount of space and support equipment.
The InDepth Group and our partners work almost exclusively with underwater technology. We have had the opportunity to work on projects such as submarine/ROV/AUV builds, refits and integration, Marianas Trench dives, multiple ship-wreck finds and countless deep-sea science projects all over the world. We are currently focussing on mega yachts with subs, ROVs and AUVs.
Auxiliary equipment
When we show up for a system audit or crew training, there is always an array of expensive equipment. Often some of this equipment is improperly installed or, even worse, incompatible equipment has been purchased. The capabilities may have been exaggerated by a commissioned salesperson, or someone who didn’t understand the equipment recommended it.
If you are planning on purchasing auxiliary systems, please speak to someone in the industry that uses these systems and can help you make informed decisions. These can include subsea tracking systems, sonar, through water communications (voice and/or data), lighting and video systems, etc.
Make it easy to maintain
Leave enough space around your sub so that it can be shown off easily, and that technicians have sufficient space to work on it. Have enough clearance around it that guests can walk all around, and the hatch can open for guests to climb inside with a crew member. Have plenty of rinse water available, with an excess of capacity for drainage. These sound like simple rules to adhere to however, plenty of installations do not. Sometimes this is because the sub was not original equipment and was installed in a converted tender garage. While it is better than not having a sub, it is less than ideal
Non-guest area, with less-than-ideal space for maintenance, yet they make it work and still have enthusiastic passengers
If you are considering a submersible, an ROV, or any other underwater technology, The InDepth Group along with our partners would be happy to discuss your goals and help you to achieve them. Contact us at info@theindepthgroup.com for more information.
Happy crew on harbour trials of new 2300m submersible, courtesy of Triton Submarines