We've all seen our fair share of speed boats, as well as submarines. But what if you can come up with a product that combines the two? A submersible boat for use both below and on the water? It sounds like something from a futuristic movie, but in reality, a prototype for this kind of watercraft is being developed and researched.

The company behind the concept is Marion Hyper-Submersible Powerboat Design, and they are very proud of their Hyper-Sub Submersible Powerboat. It is dubbed as: "a revolutionary new vessel with a design flexible enough to open the seas to industry and to individuals in ways never before thought possible." The craft is built with capabilites to not only take on the high seas, but also to transform into a "self-charging, autonomous, one-atmosphere submarine." During testing in 2008, the Hyper-Sub prototype spent two months of testing in the water, and performed well.

In essence, you would be able to use this vessel to cruise on the water, as well as under the water, but looking at the photos, this does not seem like it will be a slow moving craft. It actually looks quite fast - even standing still. The protoype "Fathom", has a seating capacity for 5 people, including the pilot, is powered by twin 440 horsepower inboard Yanmar diesel engines, with a fuel capacity of 262.5 gallons. It comes with all the bells and whistles you can imagine - GPS, chart plotting, radar, forward as well as downward sensing sonar, and of course - autopilot. And that is just on the water surface.


When diving the propulsion system is electric over hydraulic, with twin main hydraulic thrusters capable of a maximum 60 hp. The vessel also boasts bow and stern steering thrusters for underwater maneuverability. It seems the vessel will be available in three different models once in production, with the 'HS-250 Sport' designed with individual owners and charter operators in mind, with strong surface and submerged performance and has a 180 degree view through an all acrylic canopy.


The HS-600 is intended for more of an industrial use - targeted to the salvage or governmental operations. It features an all-aluminum hull.

The HS-1200 is also a very rugged configuration, but offers deeper diving capabilities. It is not clear exactly when these vessels will go into production.

Marion Hyper-Submersible Powerboat Design, LLC is a Florida Limited Liability Company formed in 2005.