In conjunction with Nautilus Underwater Systems (USA) and GSE (Italy), UVI/Silvercrest Submarines is currently assisting in the completion and the final assembly of a five-person diver lockout submarine for a yacht owner. The VAS 525 Submarine has been designed to fit the requirements of both the existing super-yacht, and the wide variety of missions the owner has requested. These requirements include underwater tours, treasure exploration, and the ability to launch and retrieve divers from the submarine.
With the addition of Doppler sonar and navigational systems, manipulator arms, five large panoramic viewports, camera stations, and a long list of high-tech accessories, the VAS 525 Submarine is the smallest diver lockout submersible presently under construction. Length of the boat is 24 feet, height 6.9 feet, beam 5.9 feet and the dry weight 11,000 lbs. The maximum speed is 5 knots diving depth 525 fsw; endurance – up to 10 hours.
The submarine is expected to be completed in March 2001.