The £12,500 (Rs 12.64 lakh) underwater jet-ski allows you to cruise at 10 mph
London: Engineers have launched an underwater contraption, enabling watergoers to swim like a dolphin — similar to the jet used in the 1965 James Bond film Thunderball.
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Quite futuristic: The Seabob F7 can dive to more than 130 feet, operate for an hour, and the craft’s speed is controlled by hand controls to flick through its 10 gears
The cutting-edge watercraft, Seabob F7, uses a revolutionary electric jet that generates 700 newtons of thrust, propelling divers at speeds of up to 9 mph (15 kmph). The jet system is the first in the world to feature an impeller — a special kind of rotor — powered by an electric motor, which sucks in water then lets it out from the back.
It can dive up to more than 130 feet — the maximum depth for recreational divers — and can operate for an hour. Flicking through its 10 gears, a diver can control the speed.
It is steered using the driver’s weight to angle the craft, while an onboard computer informs users of power usage, depth, water temperature and speed. Though the basic model starts at £12,500 (Rs 12.64 L), buyers can spend almost double for a high-end one that comes with a special charger and case. The machine is the brainchild of Stuttgart-based firm Cayogo.
The company’s website describes the craft as ‘absolute epitome of strength, technological intelligence and perfect function’.
“The Seabob offers all-round, high-performance. This is because its hydrodynamic shape gives it unexpected agility in the water. Steering and diving couldn’t be easier — all you need to do is just shift your body weight.
Apply a little pressure and the Seabob will obligingly begin to dive, man and machine forging ahead with power and purpose. The electric jet stream system has been patented and uses an electro-motor with a protected running impeller in a jet channel,” read a company release.