![]() That was the starting point for the visual language, and we developed it from there.” “Set in space, you see a white spaceship which is long and round - with the control station at one end within a round structure. “The look and feel of the Hydrosphere was inspired by 2001: A Space Odyssey,” says Steve Gresham, Director of Gresham Yacht Design. ![]() In 2017, when Triton was showing its brand new 1650/3 LP model at the Monaco Yacht Show, the submarine’s sculpted form and smaller size attracted a delegation from Aston Martin - who revealed that they were interested in collaborating. ![]() So it makes sense that other luxury brands have taken notice. From the Galapagos to the Great Barrier Reef, the Arctic to the Azores, these portable, customisable craft are at the forefront of extreme luxury exploration. Triton submarines, as well as those created by U-Boat Worx and a handful of other boutique brands, have explored almost every ocean around the world. We can equip a submersible to do marine science, archaeology, salvage or leave these features out if the intention is to simply enjoy recreational diving.” “Because a Triton submersible is analogous to a Swiss army knife - it can be configured to do whatever a client is interested in achieving. “This experience is infused into every craft we deliver,” adds Lahey. In fact, many of the key people at the American brand had used or developed submarines industrially before joining Triton cutting their teeth in the fields of offshore oil drilling, salvage and marine science. The yacht itself is far more complex.”Īnd Triton knows yachts - as well as many other boats, vessels and even commercial submersibles. “Unlike more complicated items on a yacht - such as a helicopter - there is really nothing about a Triton that a typical crew member would find intimidating. “With just a few minutes of instruction, most people can enjoy driving a Triton,” says Patrick Lahey, President of Triton Submarines. The average cost of these high-end models tends to be somewhere between £1 million and £4 million - with most stored aboard their owners’ superyachts. With a handful of brands springing up since U-Boat Worx first took the plunge, individuals including Roman Abramovich, Paul Allen and even Vladimir Putin have all been seen at the controls of their own personal submersibles. But billionaires love their bubbly - and these big-money men make up most submarine sales. Because a researcher doesn’t need a champagne cooler built into his leather seat…” These luxury options differentiate a private sub from a research sub. “And all of our models are built to a bespoke level of luxurious interior - with handcrafted leather seats, Bluetooth audio systems, dual climate controls and mood lighting systems. “There’s hardly a sub that leaves the factory floor without a signature design request by the client,” says Heijdra. And, today, the brand operates with a steer towards luxury adding bespoke touches to almost every one of its craft. ![]() Houtman partnered with experts including a Canadian inventor and a Malaysian boatbuilder to successfully launch his first submarine. Heijdra, the Marketing Manager of U-Boat Worx, is well-versed in the brand’s ocean-going origin story. So, in 2005, he founded U-Boat Worx - and began his quest to personalise submarines for everyday use”. “But Houtman,” explains Roy Heijdra, “found that submersibles were the sole domain of military or institutional scientific users. ![]() As the bell rang, Houtman’s bank balance increased - his office time decreased - and he began searching for a new, luxurious (and preferably nautical) hobby. Their sub-aquatic story begins in the early 2000s when, after a successful career in software development, Dutch entrepreneur Bert Houtman listed his company on the stock exchange. Like the Silicon Valley spacecraft currently readying themselves for the stars, personal submarines are relatively new creations - and were born from the deep pockets and open minds of a select few. Bobbing just below the waves and diving deep into the ocean, personal submersibles can be found swimming at the intersection of exploration and luxury invention. The same can be said of the world in general - with centuries of adventuring pioneers discovering and documenting almost every inch of the earth.īut both of these worlds share a final, unfinished frontier. From hydrogen supercars to atomic wristwatches, brands have muscled their R&D departments into almost every opulent corner and crevice there is. There is little left to explore within the world of luxury. ![]()
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