| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Builders | Hawkes Ocean Technologies |
| Operators | Virgin Oceanic |
| Preceded by | DeepFlight Super Falcon |
| Completed | 1 |
| Active | 1 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Submarine |
| Displacement | 750 kg (1,650 lb) |
| Length | 4.6 m (15 ft) |
| Beam | 3.0 m (9.8 ft) |
| Speed | 5 knots |
| Capacity | 3 |
| Crew | 1 |
DeepFlight Merlin is a personal submarine by Hawkes Ocean Technologies, part of the DeepFlight line of submersibles. The positively buoyant [1] submersible was designed by Graham Hawkes. [2] The Merlin was the first winged open-cockpit submarine (a wet sub) available on the market, [2] [3] and first three-man submarine in the "aero submarine" class, [4] representing a major advance in scuba diving technology. [5]
It travels up to 5 knots, [2] has an operating time of one hour, [2] and an open cockpit, [2] requiring the use of scuba gear by occupants, [2] and giving them 360-degree views of the space around them. [1] The sub carries three, two passengers and one pilot. [6] The occupants have "windshields" to protect them from the water stream. [7] It is capable of hydrobatic maneuvers[ clarification needed ] and 360-degree turns. [8] It weighs 750 kg, is 4.6 m long, 3.0 m wide, 1.2 m tall, and runs off battery power. [9] It is available as either a single-seater or two-seater. [9] The design work on the sub started in July 2009. [10]
The first example of the Merlin, the Necker Nymph , was sold to Richard Branson's Virgin Hotel Group. [11] It cost US$670,000 [7] and is operated by Virgin Aquatic [12] from the 32-metre yacht Necker Belle , [13] which is based at the Virgin Limited Edition resort Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands. [14]