Triton Submarines adds two new cinema-style submersibles to its fleet

Triton Submarines, whose submersibles feature on board the likes of Octopus, La Datcha and Oceanxplorer, has unveiled two new additions to its lineup of deep-diving subs, promising an underwater viewing experience like no other.

The Florida-based manufacturer has revealed designs for the new Triton 660/9 and 660/7 AVA, which will be constructed to carry up to eight passengers plus a pilot, or six passengers and a pilot respectively. But, unlike conventional twin-sponson submersibles, an oblong acrylic hull offers passengers a cinema-style viewing experience with room to stand and even stretch a leg. What's more, the seating can even be configured to host a cocktail party, wedding ceremony or a private dining experience underwater.  

The hull itself has been designed with a refractive index similar to that of water, making it seemingly disappear from view once submerged for a totally immersive experience. 

In a departure from the previous generation of dual-hulled Triton subs, in which the pilot sits in the centre with only a tiny viewport to look through, the AVA model provides the pilot with full visibility and a seat in line with the passengers. This enhancement allows the pilot to better curate the dive and act as a guide by narrating the underwater experience.

Both submarine models can dive to depths of 200 metres below the surface, providing an extraordinary underwater experience to be offered from a superyacht toy box. The 660/7 AVA has an endurance of 10 hours while the 660/9 can stay underwater for up to 12 hours. 

Triton co-founder and president Patrick Lahey said: “The Triton 660/9 and 660/7 AVA is a complete departure from conventional thinking and another great example of a revolutionary design. We decided to throw out the rule book and no longer be bound by the constraints of traditional geometries.”

“With an interior width of over 3.6 meters, the interior space will feel more like a regular room than a submersible, and the viewing experience will be absolutely extraordinary,” said Triton principal designer John Ramsay.

Finally, the Triton 660/9 and 660/7 AVA models have refined features of older designs by improving the embarkation and disembarkation process for guests. To prevent an awkward fall into the submarine, a narrow metal section at the entrance has been removed and the main buoyancy tanks have been moved port, starboard and aft of the vessel and out of sight, lifting a larger portion of the AVA hull above the waterline prior to submersion.

Triton co-founder and CEO Bruce Jones added, “The elegant simplicity of the Triton 660/9 and 660/7 AVA ensures reliability by utilizing systems, which have already been proven on numerous other models in the formidable Triton range. We expect it to be a popular model as more and more people embrace the benefits of submersible ownership.”

One model has already been sold to a private yacht while another to a boutique resort.