New 'Penguin' semi-sub- explore under the sea without getting wet
by Victoria Wollaston Mailonline/Sail-World Cruisng on 10 May 2013
Penguin in action SW
Here's a great new toy for your super yacht or a green marine pastime for when you are not sailing. It's a bizarre semi-submarine that lets you explore the ocean floor without ever getting wet, from a company strangely called EGO.
The South Korean firm EGO has produced the product engagingly called 'Penguin' (formal name EGO-SE 450), with two floating hulls on either side of a central cabin sitting just below the water. The cabin has three very large windows for underwater viewing.
Penguin is electric powered. In the central cabin is a joystick steering panel, two seats and windows so you can see underwater without any specialist diving equipment.
To get to the cabin of Penguin you climb down a companionway. On the left of the hull are the joystick controls and a small LCD screen. The screen is attached to a high-resolution camera that sits on the top hull and helps the driver to see where he or she is going. The middle table can be used for drinks, or you can buy extra cup holders that fix to the walls.
Penguin is powered by a propulsion system, run by electric thrusters on both sides of the vessel. The thrusters can be adjusted to balance and control the rolling and pitching. They can also be stored in the 'thruster houses' when not in use. The Penguin can travel at up to four knots, for a minimum of five hours.
She has a trimaran structure and this puts the centre of gravity at the lower part of the cabin. The Penguin steering controls are in the central cabin, but it also has a remote control that lets owners steer the vessel when sat on top of the hulls
On the underside of the cabin a sonar system can check the depth of the water you are sailing in. The system will then send an alarm if water is too shallow.
But don't get too excited - no prices have been announced yet. The boat will be shown off at the Korea International Boat Show from 30 May to 2 June 2013.
Penguin's specifications:
Length overall (incl. pulpit) 3.86 m
Hull length (incl. platform) 3.86 m
Beam at main section 3.3 m
Draft (incl. props at full load) 1.68 m
Maximum Allowable Payload 330 kg (Salt water)
Propulsion Type Electrical
Propulsion Horizontal 2 x 3 hp Thrusters
Maximum speed (at half load) 3 knot
Cruising speed (at half load) 2 knot
Running Time 8 hour
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