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The dolphin-esque Seabreacher is a sweet toy, which can do flips, jumps, and cruise underwater with no sardines necessary.  (Source: Innespace)
Meet the dolphin boat, man's new best friend

The wealthy always have some nice toys.  From enthusiast PCs to hotrods like the Lightning Car, cost is no object for such pleasures.

An innovative new mode of transportation is making quite a splash among the spending elite, but may someday be within the reach of mere mortals.  The inspirations is quite simple -- looking at fighter jets such as the F-16, one cannot help but notice their curvy snout bears a bit of a resemblance to dolphins and porpoises.  

Taking this idea and some of the same high-tech materials from the fighter jets, California startup Innespace, formed by designers Rob Innes and Dan Piazza, created a submarine that looks like a dolphin and can both act as a submarine and jump out of the water and perform stunts.  Using the concept for a VASH (variable attitude submersible hydrofoil), which was invented by Thomas "Doc" Rowe and Dennis "Dusty" Kaiser in 1987 with his Dolphin, Noland 1 crafted this unique vehicle.

Looking like a jet ski on steroids, the $52,200 dream watercraft has a top speed of 45 MPH.  Using a high-tech 15 ft long sealed fiberglass enclosure molded in the shape of a dolphin, it keeps its passengers dry.  It also features a snorkel to supply the air needed for its hungry 1,500cc, 215HP marine engine, a feature which allows long underwater jaunts.  The half inch thick polycarbonate cockpit shares the same design with the F-16 fighter jets.

The engine is an Atkins Rotary Marine engine.  It is paired with an able Hurth V-drive transmission.

Unfortunately for those interested in toy, for now production is currently only at 20 units and is extremely exclusive.  Single seat and double seat models are available.

Mr. Innes, its creator, says that for the fortunate few who can get their hands on one, the experience is unmatched.  He describes, "You can drive it just like a boat with the canopy open at full speed of 45mph on the surface.  It can do 20mph below the water. If you go below snorkel depth you run out of air for the engine and you stay under for 20 seconds before the craft will automatically surface. But with the snorkel system in use you can stay under for longer."

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What this needs
By masher2 (blog) on 9/5/2008 11:11:31 AM , Rating: 4
Is a set of LiIon batteries, to allow you more than 20 seconds of deep-water diving. Imagine a 10-minute crawl past a scenic coral reef.




RE: What this needs
By TechLuster on 9/5/2008 11:17:25 AM , Rating: 2
Yeah, I might give up the (much) higher performance of an internal combustion engine for an electric motor that would allow extended underwater excursions. Finding a way to charge it might be a pain though.


RE: What this needs
By mmntech on 9/5/2008 11:44:33 AM , Rating: 2
Actually, electric motors are ideal for that application since they produce more torque. Allows the prop to cut through the water easier. Therefore, you'd probably have more power versus a gasoline IC engine. As you said though, it's charging the batteries that's still the problem. That's the Achilles Heel of all electric vehicles.

I remember seeing these dolphin subs on Daily Planet last year. It's a science news show that airs on Discovery Channel in Canada. They're pretty neat to see in action.


RE: What this needs
By masher2 (blog) on 9/5/2008 11:46:13 AM , Rating: 3
I smell a hybrid version of the Dolphin in the future.


RE: What this needs
By FITCamaro on 9/5/2008 12:10:15 PM , Rating: 1
It's range wouldn't be very far. Takes a lot more energy to move through the water than it does roll along a highway or road.


RE: What this needs
By masher2 (blog) on 9/5/2008 12:33:08 PM , Rating: 3
It's range would be greater than the gas-powered version. . . both above and underwater.


RE: What this needs
By masher2 (blog) on 9/5/2008 12:33:59 PM , Rating: 2
My god, I appostrophized a possesive "its".


RE: What this needs
By ggordonliddy on 9/5/2008 1:54:19 PM , Rating: 3
quote:
My god, I appostrophized a possesive "its".


You also spelled "apostrophized" and "possessive" wrong, but we'll possibly forgive you if certain promises are made.


RE: What this needs
By therealnickdanger on 9/5/2008 2:48:14 PM , Rating: 3
No compromise! Burn him!

I remember seeing this on Discovery a year or two ago as well, very cool! I would rather have one that looks like an orca, but I probably won't be in the market for one of these, oh for about... never.


RE: What this needs
By Guuts on 9/6/2008 12:46:13 AM , Rating: 2
Oh, come on! A shark-shaped one would be much more fun! Hehehe!


RE: What this needs
By theendofallsongs on 9/9/2008 10:13:59 PM , Rating: 2
And the big difference between a shark-shaped sub and a dolphin-shaped one is... ?


RE: What this needs
By modus2 on 9/6/2008 1:25:15 PM , Rating: 3
Unfortunately it would likely have quite a limited range/endurance fully submerged. Saw a piece about this "submarine" a while back on discovery, it relies on a rather hefty positive buoyancy and needs to be forced underwater. Essentially it would surface within seconds after engines where stopped. To implement a real ballastsystem with watertanks would presumably push the price far higher.


RE: What this needs
By Yossarian22 on 9/7/2008 12:11:34 AM , Rating: 2
Well, duh. Its a single person submarine, what do you really expect? Low range is basically a given.
A hybrid version would travel just as far, if not farther, than its gas powered brother. Even if it somehow didn't (refusing to make the sub heavier) it would make up for it by being able to stay under water longer than I can hold my breathe.


RE: What this needs
By Captain Orgazmo on 9/5/2008 7:26:06 PM , Rating: 2
I guess you could call diesel-electric submarines "hybrids", and they've been around for more than 60 years. Hmm... never thought of that before.


RE: What this needs
By kattanna on 9/5/2008 11:19:44 AM , Rating: 2
i'd settle for a small personal reactor powering the thing that then can also take seawater and make air for prolonged dives to depths on a personal basis.

thats the one thing thats kinda annoying now about scuba diving, with a tank you really cant stay down all that long.


RE: What this needs
By Seemonkeyscanfly on 9/5/2008 11:24:26 AM , Rating: 2
20 minutes.... 10 Minutes would go by to fast. I've heard about this before. They said you could reach a speed that could take you 15 feet out of the water. Which would be cool but I would think that would be hard on the craft.

Anyone have a link to footage of one running?


RE: What this needs
RE: What this needs
By Seemonkeyscanfly on 9/5/2008 11:52:42 AM , Rating: 2
Thanks masher, now I just need to find $54,000.00 and a big lake. :) I looks like a roller coaster ride. Just you are in control.


RE: What this needs
By feraltoad on 9/9/2008 12:24:40 AM , Rating: 2
What kind of mechanism is in place to keep you from bashing your head open like a melon on the cockpit after landing a jump. I guess helmets are in order?

Goooose!!!!!!!!!


RE: What this needs
By FITCamaro on 9/5/2008 12:07:40 PM , Rating: 2
What it needs is enough space for two so you can have some...uh....fun underwater.

Imagine. A romantic evening under the sea with a happy ending.


RE: What this needs
By Seemonkeyscanfly on 9/5/2008 1:16:00 PM , Rating: 5
In 20 seconds? Dude build some endurance man...


RE: What this needs
By FITCamaro on 9/5/2008 7:58:35 PM , Rating: 2
Ouch.

Ok add in about an hour or two of air.


RE: What this needs
By akosixiv on 9/6/2008 7:30:35 PM , Rating: 2
no problem. drop in a couple of scuba tanks. turn off the engine. Or perhaps add in a long extension to the snorkel. 15-20 feet underwater, unlimited time, its cold down there.

=)


RE: What this needs
By HinderedHindsight on 9/5/2008 1:28:40 PM , Rating: 3
Under the sea? Are there going to be fish playing instruments, a singing crab, and an annoying mermaid involved?


RE: What this needs
By saiga6360 on 9/5/2008 4:14:43 PM , Rating: 2
I'd be more worried with an encounter with a real dolphin with amorous intentions.


RE: What this needs
By albundy2 on 9/6/2008 2:31:56 AM , Rating: 3
lol, "THE MILE DEEP CLUB"


Seems dangerous...
By TechLuster on 9/5/2008 11:14:22 AM , Rating: 3
...for both the pilot and anyone else in the water nearby. I could see lawyers hanging out near these waiting for the inevitable accident. And let's not even start on what these could do to marine life.

Anyway, if used in a safe/controlled environment, I'm sure they'd be incredible fun.




RE: Seems dangerous...
By JasonMick (blog) on 9/5/2008 11:22:13 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
Seems dangerous...

...and a jet ski's not??

quote:
And let's not even start on what these could do to marine life.


These are meant primarily for lake use. Maybe they could be used in the shallow ocean areas, but the fragile fiberglass body wouldn't take well to ocean waves, I'd think. Unless the boat has an unprotected propeller cage it would do no more damage than the scores of jetskis and motor boats already out there on lakes.

As far as slow moving sea mammals of different sorts, the biggest protection would be cover the propeller cage. As far as a full impact 45 MPH crash between say a manatee and the fiberglass sub, it might kill the manatee, but it would also probably do significant damage to the sub, possibly killing the pilot as well, so I think people will take precautions


RE: Seems dangerous...
By cochy on 9/5/2008 11:28:05 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
...and a jet ski's not??


With a jet ski you can at least see where you are going. Not much visibility under water.


RE: Seems dangerous...
By masher2 (blog) on 9/5/2008 11:45:33 AM , Rating: 2
About 20 meters of visibility normally. But -- assuming you're not doing something stupid like trying to dive next a pier or in shoalwaters -- you're not going to have much to run into other than possibly another dolphin sub.


RE: Seems dangerous...
By redsquid5 on 9/5/2008 3:16:13 PM , Rating: 2
At 20 mph, thats about 30 feet per second, so two seconds of visibility in good clear water... I've done a lot of diving and high speeds underwater are a very bad idea, visibility usually sucks.
But what's worse is if you dive at high speed, the sub floods, the engine dies and there you are trying to get out as fast as you can.
Except that you can't dive in this, it turns out. The info states it is only capable of "flying" underwater a few feet for a max of 20 seconds.
I can just imagine the lawsuit when one of these bisects a swimmer. ewww.


RE: Seems dangerous...
By 91TTZ on 9/5/2008 11:47:08 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
These are meant primarily for lake use. Maybe they could be used in the shallow ocean areas, but the fragile fiberglass body wouldn't take well to ocean waves, I'd think. Unless the boat has an unprotected propeller cage it would do no more damage than the scores of jetskis and motor boats already out there on lakes.


Waves aren't an issue since they don't cause much stress on the body. Jumping it will cause a lot of stress. Also, fiberglass isn't fragile. It's what most boats are made out of.


RE: Seems dangerous...
By JustTom on 9/5/2008 11:58:25 AM , Rating: 2
Why do you think it is limited to lakes? Nothing I can find on Innerspace's website mentions it being restricted to lakes. I don't think the body is that fragile, since it actually leaps into the air at high speeds. Even its name, Seabreacher, implies ocean use.


RE: Seems dangerous...
By Seemonkeyscanfly on 9/5/2008 11:26:56 AM , Rating: 3
I want one so I can chase after sharks.... Do you think it has a laser attachment option???


RE: Seems dangerous...
By amanojaku on 9/5/2008 11:45:11 AM , Rating: 2
Doesn't matter. If it doesn't, a Dremel tool is your friend. The really cheap can try duct tape and rubber bands. Oh, and Velcro. :-D


Video links
By johntmosher on 9/5/2008 11:53:20 AM , Rating: 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifQVxHqRIk0&feature...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMgRqxNqYD8
It looks like this thing is little more than a jet ski with a cover and a snorkel that allows it to go only a foot or two deep.
It looks cool but it has nothing to do with a submarine. But it if you feel like spending 52,000 on a jet ski.




RE: Video links
By masher2 (blog) on 9/5/2008 11:58:39 AM , Rating: 1
This is the sub I want -- 213 ft. long, luxury accommodations, and a flying bridge.

Even has its own minisub which can detach while underwater, with room for up to 8 people:

http://www.ussubs.com/submarines/phoenix_1000.php3


RE: Video links
By Seemonkeyscanfly on 9/5/2008 12:08:50 PM , Rating: 3
Want to go halvsies? At just an estimated 78 million it should not be a big deal, but just do have the time to ride it that often. It would be a shame to let it just sit.


RE: Video links
By karielash on 9/5/2008 1:00:18 PM , Rating: 2

78 Million is a steal, I remember the days when that was considered a lot of money.


RE: Video links
By Ringold on 9/6/2008 9:39:08 PM , Rating: 2
It looks like the website is dated, poking around I have seen nothing new since roughly 2004, a good bit of material from 2003.

That said, assuming they could keep the price reasonable and avoid government-style massive cost overruns.. I can't help but wonder about the business opportunities of paid day trips. I know there are some subs already that take tourists, but like the site says and like I've heard from friends they're old, slow, and generally sorta lame. These sound luxurious. With luxury comes a ticket price premium.

Anybody want to give me the vast financing at attractive rates pending successful scouting of locations and a business plan? :)


RE: Video links
By Spuke on 9/5/2008 4:33:30 PM , Rating: 2
1000 foot operating depth!!!!!! Good God! I want one!


The supply is all taken up
By littleprince on 9/5/2008 11:57:17 AM , Rating: 2
The south american drug cartel has an order of 10 already for the 2 seat version, 2nd seat not needed.




RE: The supply is all taken up
By saiga6360 on 9/5/2008 4:15:46 PM , Rating: 2
The DEA wants a 'sea turtle' version


Pretty cool Ad
By JustTom on 9/5/2008 11:41:45 AM , Rating: 2
Meh
By Suntan on 9/5/2008 12:44:08 PM , Rating: 2
I don't know. It looks like it would be a lot of fun for about the first 20 minutes, but then be quite boring for the rest of its life... ...sort of like riding a jet ski out in the middle of the lake.

-Suntan




seaquest
By JoshuaBuss on 9/5/2008 12:49:56 PM , Rating: 2
This reminds me of the ridiculously awesome mechanical 'dolphin' ship that was on that seaquest tv show

man, i wanted one of those




By winterspan on 9/5/2008 6:18:55 PM , Rating: 2
The "Hammacher Schlemmer" magazine had this on the cover of their mailorder catalog way back in the mid to late 90's i believe. I was in grade-school at the time, and I was fascinated by such an amazing vehicle.

I think it got pulled from public sale after the 9/11 terrorist attacks for fear that it could be used as some type of terrorist weapon in a harbor. It's awesome that they are bringing it back!




Dolphins
By highlandsun on 9/5/2008 6:19:57 PM , Rating: 2
Y'know, I always figured that releasing a pair of dolphins with cameras strapped on to them into Loch Ness would be a good way to settle the Nessie question once and for all. But hey, why send a dolphin when you could see for yourself? Gimme a sub like this with some real underwater endurance....




Cool
By BruceLeet on 9/5/2008 6:50:27 PM , Rating: 2
They need universities to play a role in development, duration of diving, structural strength, engine development/efficiency, defense systems, recyclable air systems but make it $ cheap. They could take it as far as acrobatic competition with systems in place for weight distribution, create/license things for your tuition...why not?

This could turn into a sport and develop a whole new kind of tropical tourism, the adrenaline being attacked by a great white (hence defense systems, give them a good shock) would be intense.

Exploring reefs/atolls in a dolphin-underwater-vehicle instead of diving sounds like a proper vacation. DUV...not catchy enough...or DSV for Submersible.




Masher2 smells hybrid dolphins
By phxfreddy on 9/7/2008 10:30:25 PM , Rating: 2
...reminds me of the old joke that goes

"how do you smell mothballs?"

Use tiny little tweezers




On curves.
By KaiserCSS on 9/5/2008 12:38:10 PM , Rating: 1
The F-16 comment links to an article about the F-22, by the way.

I don't really find the F-22 to be a "curvy" fighter aircraft, although I do agree the F-16 is perhaps one of the sexiest aircraft the US has ever produced. The Russian Sukhoi designs are also rather feminine. At any rate, the nose cone's geometrical design not only makes the aircraft more aerodynamic, it helps to facilitate the propagation of pulse-Doppler RADAR waves, depending on the units scan angle and sweep range. It's not really an "inspired" design, it's a necessary design.

Maybe it's just me, but I'm having a hard time equating dolphins to 4th generation fighter aircraft.




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