Submarine trials by Gord Galbraith
Naval architect Gord Galbraith tests out the Super Aviator submarine by Clerc Watches and Sub Aviator Systems …
Being a naval architect, experiencing different vessels, seeing how they work and learning about new technology is always at the top of my wish list. So when I was offered the opportunity to test out the Super Aviator submarine by Clerc Watches and Sub Aviator Systems (SAS), I was excited and slightly terrified. With my previous underwater experience amounting only to a recreational dive in Mexico to a maximum depth of 40ft, ‘flying’ to a few hundred feet under water was going to be something new.
An easy ferry trip from my home on Vancouver Island, SAS’s North Vancouver base is the Nuytco Research factory. Nuytco is the manufacturing partner of SAS and its history in the underwater world is second to none. A world leader in the development and operation of undersea technology, Nuytco designs, builds and operates everything from atmospheric diving suits to submersibles and remotely operated vehicles and lights. The founder of Nuytco is Canadian entrepreneur Phil Nuytten, a deep-ocean explorer and scientist who has spent the past 40 years creating deepwater dive products that have opened up the ocean’s depths to exploration and industry.
As Nuytten took us on a tour around the engineering and production facility, you knew instantly that this programme has the depth of experience to be very successful. Walking around the factory was like a history lesson in deep-sea commercial diving and we saw the first commercial diving helmets, Exosuits and the deep-worker submersibles that have set the standard in the commercial diving industry. It was hard not to be in awe of what was being produced right on my doorstep in Vancouver; it was like being on the set of some sci-fi movie.
Describing the unique features of the Orcasub, the submersible that the Super Aviator is a working prototype for, Nuytten explained how it differed from other subs in its variable bouyancy, making it much like the more common bubble submarines. This separates it from its closest competitor which needs forward motion to be able to dive (if it is not moving it floats to the surface). The Orcasub is the best of both worlds as it has the capability not only to ‘fly’ under water and cover large areas for exploration but also to hover and move up and down on station like the more widely known bubble submarine.
Earlier this year, Orcasub announced a partnership with Swiss watchmakers Clerc. At first glance, a luxury watch and a submarine seem an odd pairing but CEO Gérald Clerc explains that the Super Aviator allows Clerc to test its watches. Founded in 1874, Clerc has recently become known for its dive watches that combine style and luxury with the functionality of a high-tech piece of dive equipment that can survive up to 500m under water. Normally, dive watches are tested only in land-based pressure tanks but the partnership allows Clerc to test its watches in water at real depths, in real conditions.
Clerc also plans to help SAS with the manufacturing of the Orcasub submarines, particularly in terms of luxury interior finishes, comfort and binnacle customisation.
Tour complete, it was time for flight school. As the co-founder of SAS, John J. Lewis, started to describe the underwater flight experience, control and safety equipment, I felt my heart rate start to climb as I realised I was actually going to be going deep under water in a serious piece of equipment. Listening intently and asking lots of questions, I learned how to reset my air, maintain oxygen levels, adjust cabin pressure, where to find the jettison weight release and the on-the-surface buoyancy bag, tether line deployment and proper communication protocol.
The next day was flight day and it was a clear beautiful west coast summer day in Vancouver. We loaded the van and headed to the launch site at Howe Sound, about half an hour outside the city. When we arrived at the launch site it seemed as if we were part of a Jacques Cousteau research project. The Super Aviator was on its launch trailer, the support trailer doors were all opened up, and tables, chairs, food and a selection of Clerc Watches were set up for the dive.
Down the ramp we went and then we were towed out to a safe distance offshore. With our support boat in constant communication, they gave us the green light and released our tow line. Captain John asked if I was ready and then dropped the nose of the sub straight down to the depths of Howe Sound – possibly one of the most thrilling experiences I’ve had. If it wasn’t for the bucket seat and the four-point seat belt, I would have been head first into my viewing bubble. As we descended, jellyfish, plankton, the odd fish and plenty of bubbles streamed past the glass domes. The further we went down, the darker it got, until we were in complete darkness. At 100m, John pulled back on the control lever and the sub levelled out. Leading us through a few banked turns, it felt as if we were on a plane even though we were only doing four knots. I took over for 30 minutes, flying around the depths freely, an indescribable sensation. John eventually took over the controls again and led us back to the surface.
Before embarking on this experience, I had discussed the technical pros and cons of this type of submarine with my colleagues at Gregory C. Marshall Naval Architect. Our initial thoughts were that the more conventional bubble submarine would probably be superior due to the visibility through the larger viewing bubble and the capability to look down and hover. But after experiencing the Super Aviator, it is clear that this is a unique vessel. It can travel faster and therefore cover a larger exploration area, it can hover as well as move up and down on the same spot, it is easy to operate and control, weighs less than a conventional bubble submarine (crane capacity etc.) and requires less height for storage on a yacht (typically a constraint with hull doors). The only potential con is its storage length, at more than 20ft long, something that could be problematic for many yachts.
These subs are electric, powered by rechargeable battery (the battery life is motr than 72 hours), meaning they are fairly quiet and ecologically sensitive. Prices start at around USD 1.8 million and go up to around USD 9.8 million, depending how deep you want your sub to go. For now, the Orcasub is still waiting for its first order, but I imagine it will be only a matter of time before its production begins. After one underwater flight in this, anyone would be under its spell.
An easy ferry trip from my home on Vancouver Island, SAS’s North Vancouver base is the Nuytco Research factory. Nuytco is the manufacturing partner of SAS and its history in the underwater world is second to none. A world leader in the development and operation of undersea technology, Nuytco designs, builds and operates everything from atmospheric diving suits to submersibles and remotely operated vehicles and lights. The founder of Nuytco is Canadian entrepreneur Phil Nuytten, a deep-ocean explorer and scientist who has spent the past 40 years creating deepwater dive products that have opened up the ocean’s depths to exploration and industry.
As Nuytten took us on a tour around the engineering and production facility, you knew instantly that this programme has the depth of experience to be very successful. Walking around the factory was like a history lesson in deep-sea commercial diving and we saw the first commercial diving helmets, Exosuits and the deep-worker submersibles that have set the standard in the commercial diving industry. It was hard not to be in awe of what was being produced right on my doorstep in Vancouver; it was like being on the set of some sci-fi movie.
Describing the unique features of the Orcasub, the submersible that the Super Aviator is a working prototype for, Nuytten explained how it differed from other subs in its variable bouyancy, making it much like the more common bubble submarines. This separates it from its closest competitor which needs forward motion to be able to dive (if it is not moving it floats to the surface). The Orcasub is the best of both worlds as it has the capability not only to ‘fly’ under water and cover large areas for exploration but also to hover and move up and down on station like the more widely known bubble submarine.
Earlier this year, Orcasub announced a partnership with Swiss watchmakers Clerc. At first glance, a luxury watch and a submarine seem an odd pairing but CEO Gérald Clerc explains that the Super Aviator allows Clerc to test its watches. Founded in 1874, Clerc has recently become known for its dive watches that combine style and luxury with the functionality of a high-tech piece of dive equipment that can survive up to 500m under water. Normally, dive watches are tested only in land-based pressure tanks but the partnership allows Clerc to test its watches in water at real depths, in real conditions.
Clerc also plans to help SAS with the manufacturing of the Orcasub submarines, particularly in terms of luxury interior finishes, comfort and binnacle customisation.
Tour complete, it was time for flight school. As the co-founder of SAS, John J. Lewis, started to describe the underwater flight experience, control and safety equipment, I felt my heart rate start to climb as I realised I was actually going to be going deep under water in a serious piece of equipment. Listening intently and asking lots of questions, I learned how to reset my air, maintain oxygen levels, adjust cabin pressure, where to find the jettison weight release and the on-the-surface buoyancy bag, tether line deployment and proper communication protocol.
The next day was flight day and it was a clear beautiful west coast summer day in Vancouver. We loaded the van and headed to the launch site at Howe Sound, about half an hour outside the city. When we arrived at the launch site it seemed as if we were part of a Jacques Cousteau research project. The Super Aviator was on its launch trailer, the support trailer doors were all opened up, and tables, chairs, food and a selection of Clerc Watches were set up for the dive.
Down the ramp we went and then we were towed out to a safe distance offshore. With our support boat in constant communication, they gave us the green light and released our tow line. Captain John asked if I was ready and then dropped the nose of the sub straight down to the depths of Howe Sound – possibly one of the most thrilling experiences I’ve had. If it wasn’t for the bucket seat and the four-point seat belt, I would have been head first into my viewing bubble. As we descended, jellyfish, plankton, the odd fish and plenty of bubbles streamed past the glass domes. The further we went down, the darker it got, until we were in complete darkness. At 100m, John pulled back on the control lever and the sub levelled out. Leading us through a few banked turns, it felt as if we were on a plane even though we were only doing four knots. I took over for 30 minutes, flying around the depths freely, an indescribable sensation. John eventually took over the controls again and led us back to the surface.
Before embarking on this experience, I had discussed the technical pros and cons of this type of submarine with my colleagues at Gregory C. Marshall Naval Architect. Our initial thoughts were that the more conventional bubble submarine would probably be superior due to the visibility through the larger viewing bubble and the capability to look down and hover. But after experiencing the Super Aviator, it is clear that this is a unique vessel. It can travel faster and therefore cover a larger exploration area, it can hover as well as move up and down on the same spot, it is easy to operate and control, weighs less than a conventional bubble submarine (crane capacity etc.) and requires less height for storage on a yacht (typically a constraint with hull doors). The only potential con is its storage length, at more than 20ft long, something that could be problematic for many yachts.
These subs are electric, powered by rechargeable battery (the battery life is motr than 72 hours), meaning they are fairly quiet and ecologically sensitive. Prices start at around USD 1.8 million and go up to around USD 9.8 million, depending how deep you want your sub to go. For now, the Orcasub is still waiting for its first order, but I imagine it will be only a matter of time before its production begins. After one underwater flight in this, anyone would be under its spell.
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