If you want to channel your inner Jules Verne, take a look at the new 123-foot Nautilus superyacht from U-Boat Worx that cruises on the surface at 9 knots and underwater at 4 knots.
U-Boat Worx, a creative Dutch builder, just unveiled plans for the Nautilus at the Monaco yacht show. It’s a unique diesel-electric vessel that functions both as a traditional luxurious superyacht and as an equally luxurious submarine.
When it’s on the surface, the Nautilus has a massive sundeck with a freshwater pool, a bar and an al fresco dining area. The deck that all this resting on retracts before the yacht goes under water.
A new pressure-resistant electric tender is stowed under the aft deck and stays outside when the yacht submerges. The tender, named Aronnax, can carry five scuba divers underwater.
The Nautilus has four superyacht-quality cabins, plus a large master, and a fully equipped galley. There are sleeping quarters for up to six crew. Four circular windows, with a 13-foot diameter, are arranged on both sides of the lounging and dining area.
The vessel can dive down to a depth of 656 feet, and stay underwater for four days. At a cruising speed, it can stay down for six hours.
When it’s not cruising, the Nautilus can tie up at a dock that can handle its 21-foot draft. The craft weighs 1,250 tons.
Base price is about $24.4 million. If you order one now, you can take delivery in about 30 months.
“People that have decided to buy a yacht will now have to consider if their vessel of choice can also dive down to 200 meters,” said U-Boat Worx Chairman and Founder Bert Houtman. It’s also a cure for seasickness. “If the sea becomes too rough,” he said, “you simply dive and continue your voyage in comfort. With the Nautilus, the yachting market will never be the same again.” Read more:
