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TheSubskimmer is adiver propulsion vehicle which is a form ofrigid inflatable boat (RIB) with an outboard petrol (gasoline) engine. It is equipped to inflate and deflate itself as it runs. When submerged it seals its engine and runs with battery-electric thrusters, which are on a rotatable cross-arm, and is deflated. Thus it transforms between a fast light surface boat and a submerged diver propulsion vehicle. The central box contains the pump to deflate and inflate the tubes, and a miscellaneous kit. The batteries, being heavy, are in a thick tube along its keel. Its outboard motor has a long snorkel so the Subskimmer can run on motor just submerged to try to avoid detection. Its thrusters are on a rotatable cross-arm which contains navigation kit.[citation needed]
The Subskimmer project was started in the late 1970s bySubmarine Products Ltd. ofHexham inNorthumberland inEngland, the first boats being sold in their original form in 1983/84.[citation needed]
There are 3 photographs of a working Subskimmer demonstrated inPortsmouth, in the 15 September 1983 edition of theDaily Telegraph newspaper; the caption states its range as 6 miles (9.7 km) at 2 knots (3.7 km/h) underwater and 100 nautical miles (190 km) at 20 knots (37 km/h) on the surface. Submarine Products Ltd also built an orange search and rescue version of Subskimmer called Seasearcher with high intensity submersible spotlights fitted.[citation needed]
When Submarine Products Ltd closed down, Subskimmer (as at 1989) was made by Defence Boats Ltd, based inHexham.[citation needed]
At December 1992 it was being made (renamed Kraken 90) by Serrico, who were based atSaint-Georges-du-Vièvre inNormandy in France.[citation needed]
In 1993 KSA (Underwater) Ltd inAlston inCumbria, England bought all rights to the Subskimmer.[1][2] KSA (Underwater) Ltd gave some marketing rights to Alpha Champ Marine Products Ltd, who defaulted on payment for the rights and all agreements with them subsequently lapsed. Alpha Champ Marine Products Ltd ceased to trade in 2007 and was dissolved in 2009.[citation needed]
In 2009, Special Products division of Marine Specialised Technology Limited bought KSA (Underwater) Ltd along with all rights to its product range including Subtug and Subskimmer Submersible Craft, and moved all production to its manufacturing facility in Liverpool where it already designs and manufactures surface craft for military and commercial applications.[citation needed]
As of December 2014, it appears that Subskimmers are being made in Indonesia for its armed forces.[3]
Subskimmers are used by:
The word "subskimmer" has been found on theWWW used also (incorrectly, as it is aregistered trade name) to mean:
