Personal Submarine for 845k

joeldg writes "CNN is carrying a story on the gemini three-person submersible. 'Forget the yacht, mansion and private jet. This is Gemini, the family submarine described by inventor Robert Leeds as the world's first underwater sports car.' However, the submarine only goes about five knots, so speed is not its primary focus. It can handle three people for three days at depths of up to 50 meters. Not quite a James Bond sub-car, but cool nonetheless. The official site has lots of pictures."

Comments

bah.. that's old news

[MoceanWorker]

Aphex Twin (aka Richard D. James and many other pseudonyms), purchased a submarine a while ago..

The article can be found here

What's more is that the submarine was much cheaper.. he only got it for 50 grand!

Quote.. "A Submarine. I don't know any models, but I just heard from the place where I can get ammunition for my machine gun -- they're selling off Russian submarines, and apparently they're really cheap. Someone said they were like 50 grand, but I don't know how accurate that is. I'd love it. I reckon I'll get one. It'll probably be a lot of hassle to do it, and you'll probably have to hire like a crew to work it for you. I don't know if you could properly operate it on your own -- maybe you could, I don't know. I don't know anything about submarines. I just know I'd like to have one. It would be wicked for parties, and stuff like that."

Though the article says he was "considering" purchasing it.. he has purchased it..

The article/interview was written sometime in 1999..

Re:Screw that.

[grosa]

Moller International have been doing some serious test flights of their M400 skycar since early this year.

The thing can hover untethered now, although they still require a tether for insurance. you can read here about how their reworking some of the design concepts while they wait for new engines to be built, and see some hover test pictures here

Re:beware the terrorists booohhooo!

[Man Eating Duck]

I was a sonar operator in the navy.

Radar, of course, doesn't work underwater, as you probably know. Sonar does, but it's really difficult to pick up a craft this small on active sonar (Not enough "surface" to give a good echo). You *could* maybe detect it passively, but I suspect this sub is very quiet, being electrical and all.

The Deep Flight Aviator Kicks this Sub's Ass

[Anonymous Coward]

I assume you're joking. Comparing the Deep Flight Aviator to the Gemini is like comparing a Ferrari to a Volkswagen Beetle -- and I know, because I've worked with Graham Hawkes on the Deep Flight project for over 7 years. The DF Aviator could quite literally run rings around the Gemini.

I got a chance to pilot the Aviator last March in the Bahamas, and ride in it for 2 hours while exploring a wreck for a BBC documentary. The Aviator can hit between 8-12 knots, and is rated to a depth of 1500 feet -- 10 times the depth of the Gemini. It can pace whale sharks or whales easily for hours, and is the perfect platform to search for the giant squid.

In addition, while heading back to the dock after our recon of the wreck, Graham dived the sub down, then yanked back on the joystick and powered the sub up at a 45-degree angle, full speed -- and we came roaring out of the water like the Seaview at the beginning of "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea." Try doing THAT in the Gemini. :-)

Want to see some pictures of the Aviator in the Bahamas? Go to www.jaywade.com; he was one of the photographers during the Bahamas excursion, and has some great shots of the sub on his website.

-- Just call me "Admiral Nelson."

Re:20,000 leagues

[Teancum]

Actually, if you read the book here, you will see that is was something similar. The only difference is that Jules Verne didn't know about nuclear energy.

To Quote:

"Here, Professor, I ought to give you some explanations. Will you be kind enough to listen to me?"

He was silent for a few moments, then he said:

"There is a powerful agent, obedient, rapid, easy, which conforms to every use, and reigns supreme on board my vessel. Everything is done by means of it. It lights, warms it, and is the soul of my mechanical apparatus. This agent is electricity."

"Electricity?" I cried in surprise.

"Yes, sir."

"Nevertheless, Captain, you possess an extreme rapidity of movement, which does not agree well with the power of electricity. Until now, its dynamic force has remained under restraint, and has only been able to produce a small amount of power."

"Professor," said Captain Nemo, "my electricity is not everybody's. You know what sea-water is composed of. In a thousand grammes are found 96 1/2 per cent. of water, and about 2 2/3 per cent of chloride of sodium; then, in a smaller quantity, chlorides of magnesium and of potassium, bromide of magnesium, sulphate of magnesia, sulphate and carbonate of lime. You see, then, that chloride of sodium forms a large part of it. So it is this sodium that I extract from the sea-water, and of which I compose my ingredients. I owe all to the ocean; it produces electricity, and electricity gives heat, light, motion, and, in a word, life to the Nautilus."