Few things are worse than being invited to a destination wedding, but U-Boat Worx, a company known for its private submarines that seem perfect for Bond villains, has plans to build a massive sub designed specifically for hosting large parties under water, like a destination wedding that could actually be kind of fun.
The last time we checked in with U-Boat Worx, the Dutch company had revealed a unique looking submarine called the Nexus, which is built around a bulbous “transparent elliptical pressure hull” that provides up to nine passengers an amazing vista of depths of over 198.12 m below the ocean’s surface. Our only complaint with the Nexus, besides never being able to afford one, was the relatively cramped quarters inside. Passengers didn’t get much leg room, but that’s a problem that U-Boat Worx is solving with its new UWEP.
Nexus is a much cooler name for a submarine than UWEP, but it’s actually an acronym for Under Water Entertainment Platform, which is self-explanatory, but still not all that cool. Thankfully, the submarine itself is. The UWEP measures in at 35.05 m long, 7.62 m wide, and 7.01 m tall, creating over 149 sq km of useable floor space inside that can be reconfigured for parties, floating casinos, and even wedding receptions accommodating 12o passengers. Although, that number will also have to include the ship’s crew as well as any needed staff for the event, such as caterers.
Powered by a 1.2-megawatt-hour battery hidden beneath the venue’s floor that will keep the sub running for up to 18 hours on a charge, the UWEP can hit a top speed of almost 5 km/h underwater and dive to depths of around 198.12 m. Importantly, it will also provide guests with views of the murky depths through 14 windows that measure almost 4.57 m in diameter each. Should something catastrophic happen to the sub during an excursion, it also carries an emergency power system that keeps critical systems powered and running for 96 hours — a full four days — keeping occupants safe until rescue.
Massive underwater spotlights ensure there’s still something to see outside the UWEP’s windows when the sun goes down, but for guests needing a breath of fresh air or wanting to take in the night sky, the submarine’s top doubles as a spacious lounge deck complete with safety railing. Of course, I wouldn’t advice exploring the top deck unless the submarine has surfaced.
Although the UWEP feels squarely targeted at the world’s billionaires, many of the company’s submarines are purchased by companies and venues like tropical resorts, who use them to take tourists on paid excursions, which helps to considerably offset the cost that U-Boat Worx doesn’t disclose. But will we now also see a well-funded Instagrammer take the whole van life idea to new depths by converting one of these into a submersible home?