For many superyacht owners, having a helicopter, motorboat and scuba gear on board has become commonplace, so they’re turning to cutting-edge technology in search of the hot new toy: personal submarines. Triton http://tritonsubs.com/, an industry leader in personal submersible’s, offers thrillionaires with a passion for the ocean the opportunity to take their superyachting experience to the next level. Whether they dream of exploring the icy depths of Antarctica with family, or filming the warm waters of coral reefs – a few fundamental factors, common to the purchase of all submersibles, demand the consideration of all potential buyers.
By their very nature, personal submersibles reflect both the individuality of their owner, and a significant investment. The Triton range http://tritonsubs.com/products-services/all-subs/ includes submersibles designed for scientists, explorers, filmmakers and private owners alike, but how do you determine which manufacturer and model will meet your needs? A few tips:
- UNDERSTAND YOUR HOST VESSEL’S CAPABILITIES – A limiting factor for many potential owners is the capacity of their host vessel to carry, launch and recover a submersible. Having a clear understanding of your vessel is vital to ensuring safe integration and operation.
- MISSION PLANNING -What you want to achieve with your submersible and where in the world you want to do it will play a significant part in defining your requirements.
- SAFETY – Safety should be every buyer’s number one priority. Enquire as to which industry standards each submersible has been designed and ensure it has been manufactured under witness of a third-party Classification Society who can provide certificates and pressure-test endorsements.
- TRAINING – High fidelity training for both Pilots and Maintainers is essential for ensuring safe, confident operations. Ask your manufacturer for their training syllabus, which should contain teaching for all aspects of operation, launch and recovery processes, maintenance, and emergency operating procedures. Enquire as to the number of Pilots trained and certified annually and the experience of the Instructors.
- AFTERSALES SUPPORT – Post-delivery, it is important that a submersible benefit from reliable support and assistance. Examine the proposed support regime and whether maintenance, repairs or upgrades can be carried out at-sea or via return-to-base.
- EXPERIENCE – A track-record of customer satisfaction and timely, on-budget submersible builds should be evident. Dive logs, down-time statistics, customer testimonials and televised documentaries are all examples which can provide prospective buyers with confidence.
- BUDGET – The submersible market caters for budgets ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars. Depth and capacity are the two biggest price drivers, however, a myriad of additional factors are often overlooked. Having a clear budget in mind from the beginning, and comparing manufacturers’ offerings on a like-for-like basis will help prospective owners identify value-for-money.
The ocean is no place for compromise, and Triton has explored more locations than any other submersible manufacturer, made numerous record breaking dives, participated in ground breaking scientific expeditions, discovered countless new species and filmed some of the most elusive creatures on the planet.
Photo Credit Nick Verola
