Engineering, Marine
Underwater glider by Subwing
A new invention that is rather a different kind of ‘water wings’ – a hang-glider made of carbon fibre ‘wing’ which lets scuba divers and swimmers ‘fly’ underwater pulled along by a speedboat.
Divers can hurtle through the water up to 25 feet below the surface – and hit speeds two to three times higher than even world-class swimmers.
Subwing was invented by Norwegian Simon Sivertsen when he saw some driftwood while on a family holiday to the Mediterranean. He was struck by the idea of using the wood as a float or wing to help him though the water and began making drawings of a prototype.
Subwing is designed for underwater sports activity. It gives you the opportunity to explore the sea in a way never done before, choose your own pace and glide directly above the ocean sand floor, do thrilling twists and turns, or simply cruise along at the surface
You can easily control the movement of the Subwing by tilting the wings in different directions.
By doing this you can easily achieve dives (up and down), sideways movements or spins. The Subwing is attached to a boat with a recommended rope length of about 15 meter.
The speed of the boat is about 2 knots. By using a longer rope, it is easier to achieve deeper dives. The only equipment needed is a diving mask. If desired, snorkel and fins can be used, but this is not necessary for a thrilling ride.
If you want to equalize the pressure in your ears, the rear triangle rubber grip is designed for controlling the Subwing by one hand. The fiberglass Subwing is medium heavy, made of epoxy and fiberglass.
The center swivel is made of a combination of rubber and stainless steel. The ropes that is attached to Subwing is made of Dyneema fibers, which is considered as the world’s strongest fiber used in ropes. The ropes are permanently glued into the stainless steel fastenings in the wings.
Subwing consists of the following parts:
– Two fiberglass wings with rubber pads for perfect grip.
– One detachable center swivel.
– One attached rear rubber triangle.
– Ropes attached to the wings. (You still need a rope to the boat)
The best speed is around two to three knots underwater but you can reach speeds of up to seven knots or 12kmph. Go any faster and the face mask pressure becomes too much and it is a strain on your neck. It is amazing to use and you can rotate, roll and even use it upside down.
