TIME WAS, TO EXPLORE THE DEPTHS

of what Jacques Cousteau famously called “the silent world”, a (very) rich man’s game. Made-toorder, private submarines are typically launched from yachts – all of which is as expensive as it sounds. at’s what U-boat Worx wants to x with its Nemo. At 2 500kg, this 155cm-high sub is the lightest ever made, so it can be towed by SUV for launching shoreside

– a world rst. Under the canopy? Two seats, a three-knot motor and the ability to dive 100 metres, plus it’s full of smarts such as “auto-heading” and “auto-depth” for greater control and stability. While it bene ts from the economies of scale that come with being the only production-line sub in existence, the price tag is still a punchy R18.8 million.

But what did you expect? It’s a submarine. uboatworx.com