WindPath Fractional Yachting Boat Club

WindPath offers exclusive America's Cup Coverage

noreply@blogger.com (WindPath Fractional Yachting) — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 20:46:00 +0000

The 34^th America’s Cup will be held in San Francisco California, right next to WindPath of San Fran, and we are pretty excited about it!

We have created a special portal site chocked full of America’s Cup video, photos, team information, venue information and more. Please visit http://www.windpath.com/ac34 and get ready for some amazing America’s Cup action!

Sinking Boat?

noreply@blogger.com (WindPath Fractional Yachting) — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 18:45:00 +0000

So I'm in Arizona at a conference for work when a buddy of mine sends me these pictures:

Now I'm accustomed to getting some pretty crazy images, but this guy below seems pretty relaxed for hanging out on a sinking boat...

Then I see the image of "The Vessel" (and I use the term lightly) in its slip:

Finally the last two images painted a very different, and surprising, picture:

The Love Love was built by French artist Julien Berthier to look as if it is sinking. The 6.5m (21ft) yacht was cut in half with a new keel and motor added so it remains in the sinking position while being fully functional. He describes it as "the permanent and mobile image of a wrecked ship that has become a functional and safe leisure object."

Berthier has taken the boat (or should I say half-a-boat) across the English Channel to London and has toured it around Europe, getting plenty of offers of assistance from unwitting good Samaritans, who would presumably be either very annoyed or rather bemused by the contraption.

I'm sure the Coast Guard will love this one if it makes it to the states!

noreply@blogger.com (WindPath Fractional Yachting) — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 19:24:00 +0000

Last week we pulled down our primary website because we wanted to give something back to you this holiday season. On Tuesday we posted the first of a series of videos entitled “The Road Less Traveled”, and today we released the second video in the series “The Greatest Gift”. If you are tired of giving the same old “stuff” to the people you care about, and want to do something really special this year please take a look. You can see it all at http://goboating.windpath.com

Yo-Ho-Ho and a bottle of rum

noreply@blogger.com (WindPath Fractional Yachting) — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 18:56:00 +0000

If you were online on Saturday (November 13th) and stopped by Google you might have noticed the really cool “doodle” logo for the day.

When I first saw it, for a second I thought they had somehow created two “International Talk Like a Pirate Days". No worries, its September 19th, and the original lies safely behind us this year.

When I clicked the doodle my memories were instantly thrown back to my childhood. You see Saturday was Robert Lewis Stevenson's birthday. As the author of Treasure Island Mr. Stevenson, who would have been 160 on Saturday, was largely responsible for hours upon hours of backyard treasure hunts, epic wooden sword duels, and hostile bunk bed boarding parties throughout my childhood.

The old shanty “Fifteen men on the dead man's chest- Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum! Drink and the devil had done for the rest- Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!” was first penned in the pages of this classic novel.

I can clearly remember fantasizing about life on the high seas, buried treasure and exotic ports of call after reading the novel and later seeing the movie (I wonder if Hollywood will ever do a new version of this one...).

Saturday night I raised a glass of rum to Mr. Stevenson for inspiring a youthful generation of modern day pirates born 200 years too late, and to his unforgettable characters like the marooned Old Ben Gun, the young and naive Jim, and the peg legged pirate leader masquerading as cook, Long John Silver.

Check out Treasure Island @ Amazon

Get the book here

Get the 1950 Disney movie here (I would pass on the 1982 musical remake, awful)

What is the Mesh?

noreply@blogger.com (WindPath Fractional Yachting) — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 20:47:00 +0000

Lisa Gansky's new book The Mesh, why the future of business is sharing (released September 23rd) goes straight to the heart of what WindPath and the shared boating industry as a whole is trying to achieve.

"The Mesh is reshaping how we go to market, who we partner with, and how we invite participation and engage new customers.... If you embrace the Mesh
you'll discover how your business can inspire customers in a world where access trumps ownership."

- Lisa Gansky

get The Mesh at Amazon

The Mesh is all about sharing in the modern connected age. How social media and the internet, as enabling technologies, are rapidly creating a new business landscape of sharing. From cars to planes to handbags, and

of course boats, businesses and consumers are getting smarter and realizing that there is much more value in sharing these high cost sporadically used goods then in owning them.

WindPath Fractional Yachting embraces the principals discussed in the Mesh.

Boat share disasters

noreply@blogger.com (WindPath Fractional Yachting) — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 13:59:00 +0000

Want to know how to sink a boat, and a business, like a pro?

In this third video in the Splice Boating launch we take a look at what NOT to do with your shared boat. I expose 5 real world examples of shared boating disasters in the hopes that we can all learn from past mistakes.

http://www.SpliceBoating.com/launch

Break out another thousand

noreply@blogger.com (WindPath Fractional Yachting) — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 19:52:00 +0000

B.O.A.T = Break out another thousand

Heard that before? What a tuff image for such a great
activity, but the fact remains boats are expensive to
purchase, operate, and maintain...

Until now.

Today we launch Splice Boating, and with your help
we are going to change the way people look at boats.

I put together a short 5 minute video for the launch,
check it out here:

http://www.SpliceBoating.com/launch/

Splice Boating will offer something for everyone,
whether you are dreaming of the day you will get
that first boat, are already a boat owner, or own a
marine related business, Splice Boating was built
for you, check it out here:

http://www.SpliceBoating.com/launch/

Best,

Ian

P.S. This video will not be online indefinitely so please
plan accordingly, once the launch is complete I will be
pulling it down. I only share this because last time I
pulled down some free content there were some people
who were upset they did not have the opportunity to take
a look and I don't want that to happen again... So here's
the link:

http://www.SpliceBoating.com/launch/

Newport, Splice, and an iPad

noreply@blogger.com (WindPath Fractional Yachting) — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 17:36:00 +0000

Ahoy,

The long anticipated launch of
Splice Boating is just around
the corner. Next Thursday (yes
a week from today) splice boating
will go live.

Visit the Splice website and jump
on the list (if you haven't already)
to be sure to be one of the first to
get access. We will have a limited
amount of space and interest has been
high, don't miss out!

Check out WindPath at the Newport
International Boat Show today through
Sunday, our team is on North Commercial
Warf under the WindPath tent and
looking forward to Speaking with you!

While the WindPath iPad giveaway
madness has ended (congrats to our winner,
Brian Jacobs of Seattle, WA) we are
planning some other very cool stuff for
our friends in the near future, you will
be hearing about it soon.

Best,

Ian Treibick
President
WindPath Fractional Yachting
http://www.WindPath.com

P.S. We will be giving away some really
valuable stuff during the Splice Boating
launch, be sure to jump on the list so
you do not miss out:
http://www.SpliceBoating.com

Holy Carp! Flying Fish in Illinois

noreply@blogger.com (WindPath Fractional Yachting) — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:40:00 +0000

Renaming Your New-Old Boat

noreply@blogger.com (WindPath Fractional Yachting) — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 15:07:00 +0000

Here are seven ways to avoid the wrath of the gods, according to Bernie Weiss

Since the beginning of time or, at least, since before the days of iron men and wooden boats sailors have sworn that there are unlucky ships, and that the unluckiest of them all are those whose names have been changed.

This would lead you to believe then that renaming a preowned boat is never to be taken lightly.

IT'S A "LEGEND THING"

The principal god of the sea is Poseidon, as the ancient Greeks called him, but is better known as Neptune, which is what the ancient Romans renamed him. Neptune nee Poseidon is said to live on the ocean floor in a palace made of coral and kelp, whence he assures safe passage over the seven seas by all who respect his protocols. Failure to do so inevitably incurs the wrath of Neptune provoking a series of events that are at once mysterious, unpredictable, and unfortunate. They range from prolonged stretches of foul weather and mal de mer to fires down below, personal-injury "accidents," collisions at sea, and, of course, the sending of your vessel to Davy Jones's locker (or Neptune's palace).

Moreover, according to legend, data about every seagoing vessel is recorded by name in a waterproof ledger of the deep, a meticulous record maintained by Neptune himself. This record is said to be cross-indexed by hull number, TIN, documentation number, and state registration. Thus, Neptune is intimately acquainted with each and every seagoing vessel. To change a vessel's name is to blemish his records.

OPTIONS TO CONSIDER

Suppose you have acquired a boat - one you can afford because it needs some serious refit or cosmetic work well within the limits of your capabilities. This would, of course, be a preowned "project" boat. But what if the name that came with the boat absolutely offends you and must be changed?

TO AVOID THE WRATH OF NEPTUNE, I RECOMMEND ONE OF THE FOLLOWING OPTIONS:

Ask the previous owner of the boat to officially change the name before you assume ownership. By so doing, any subsequent punishment administered by Neptune will be suffered by the prior owner, not yourself.

If you already own the boat and its name must be changed, simply translate it into another language. For example, Sea Witch in English (a terrible name) sounds far more romantic when translated to French: Sorciêre de la Mer.

Can the letters in the name be rearranged to create a more acceptable name? A friend in my yacht club changed Mission Impossible to Ibis Nolo Pessimism. Put your anagram skills to the test. In this case, the test results produced a mysterious, nonsensical legal phrase. But it worked. In the four years since the name change, Ibis Nolo Pessimism has provided nothing but pleasure to its second owner.

Select a new name with the same general theme as the old. I noticed recently that the former Floating Alone, owned by a bachelor mortgage broker who lived aboard in a marina, has been renamed Tee for Two by its new owners, a golf pro and his mate.

Keep the old name, but augment it with a prefix or suffix. One of my friends acquired Amy and, not liking the name, added Lee to the end of it. Her new-old boat's old-new name is now Amy Lee.

Use only part of the old name, and respell it if necessary. In a local yacht yard I observed that a vintage wood schooner named Seriously, Dear was undergoing a major refit and would soon emerge as Sirius. When a local lobsterman's Mary M was sold, the new owner kept only the hull and engine, and rebuilt the interior for recreational use. The new-old boat was renamed Merriment.

A boat previously named after the owner's spouse can be safely renamed after your spouse if she has a similar disposition and if the name is similarly styled. Thus, the new owner of Saucy Sue morphed her name into Daring Daphne. Incidentally, I have never encountered a recreational vessel named after a male, although macho behavioral characteristics - Bold, Adventurous, Intrepid - are commonly observed on boats' transoms. In contrast, military and commercial vessels frequently honor men with their names.

So think creatively, change the name according to one of the above options. And most important, get on with your project.

By Captain Bernie Weiss,
reprinted with permission, originally published in BoatWorks Magazine. Summer 2006

50 Years of the Offshore Oil Field, a History

noreply@blogger.com (WindPath Fractional Yachting) — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 18:51:00 +0000

As the BP disaster oil flow slows to a stop we may finally be able to begin to determine the extent of the damage to our planets oceans, coast lines, and global ecosystem.

This morning I received an interesting presentation entitled “50 Years of the Offshore Oil Field”, it does a great job of showing the evolution of the offshore oil drilling and processing apparatus throughout its history.

Did you know that we have successfully extracted oil from wellheads under 10,011 feet of water in the Gulf of Mexico? The BP Deep Horizon was drilling approximately 5,000 feet underwater when the explosion occurred.

Download the 50 Years of the Offshore Oil Field PDF presentation.

It's Hot Outside iPad Giveaway Madness

noreply@blogger.com (WindPath Fractional Yachting) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 15:23:00 +0000

Well, it's hot outside. Real hot. Hot enough that it might even be making people go a little mad.

Do you know what the best cure for heat induced madness is?

BOATING!

But, you know, not everyone knows how easy it can be to get out on the water.

Help us spread the word and get a chance to win a Apple iPad in WindPath's

Its' Hot Outside: Go Boating! iPad Giveaway Madness

Learn more here:
http://apps.facebook.com/sweepstakeshq/contests/46480

Seriously, we are giving away an iPad, what are you waiting for, more heat? Go now!
http://apps.facebook.com/sweepstakeshq/contests/46480

Want some extra entries? tweet about it here:
http://www.windpath.com/free-ipad.htm

The Back Cove 30; Center of the raft up

noreply@blogger.com (Rohany F. Sexton) — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 13:56:00 +0000

One of the great pleasures I find in boating is a multi boat raft up on a summer afternoon. It's not everyone's cup of tea as many boating families prefer the solitude of a quiet cove. One way or the other the new Back Cove 30 has you covered.

To date followers of this new model have only seen the plan view of the helm deck but now the bits and pieces are coming together quickly and we can show you what it looks like in real life. What appeared to be simply a two person settee on the plan is in fact quite a lot more. Yes there are two seats here but beneath the seating is a large storage space that can be accessed by two drop down doors. Atop the seat box is a slide out panel which when deployed creates a nice sized day bed or overnight sleeper.

The forward end of this area is a bench-style mate's seat which will have a backrest. This backrest can be shifted to the forward end of the box so as to create an L-shaped settee facing the similar seating on the starboard side..

So as you can see, whether it's party central or a great place for an afternoon nap (my favorite Sunday afternoon activity) the Back Cove 30 can do it all.

Back Cove 30 Build Continues

noreply@blogger.com (Rohany F. Sexton) — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 13:21:00 +0000

Visible progress is made each day now as the first Back Cove 30 moves along in the assembly process. We showed you the galley test fit just a few weeks ago and now almost all of the interior of the boat is installed.

A few elements that were too difficult to show on paper are visible here now including the board which is shown straddling the berth. If you look carefully just below the board you will see the port and starboard dimples on which the board is resting, When the berth is made up for sleeping the board sits where it is shown here. For daytime use is slots down and rests against those dimples to create a seat back for those seated around the salon table.

The decision has been made to go with S+S Fabrics for our cushions on the new Back Cove 30. We have worked with them very successfully on the Back Cove 37 and feel they will give us a superior look and feel in this new model..

One astute reader recently asked how the companionway stairs were going to integrate with the galley and felt that we had designed drawers which could not open without hitting the stringers. Our engineers came up with this plan which allows the drawers to open between the steps, increasing storage considerably. And yes they did think it all the way through before the question was asked.

It's Boat Building Time

noreply@blogger.com (Rohany F. Sexton) — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:56:00 +0000

This week hull #1 of the Back Cove 30's went on the assembly line and boat building started in earnest. Now the design work is behind us and proving out shapes and systems installations begins. With the IGU (Internal Glass Unit) in place, it was time to begin installing furniture.

Here the assembly, wood shop and engineering teams met in the hull to dry fit the first galley unit and yes, it fits like a glove. Well OK, there was a little sanding and whittling going on but only as much as the designers had allowed for in their tolerances.

Many prospects ask how the 30 differs from the boat it replaced in the lineup, the Back Cove 29 and here is a perfect example of why the Back Cove 30 is "better". The 29 had just one drawer in the galley. As you can see (or imagine) here the 30 has from top to bottom left to right: a tip down drawer in front of the sink a drawer below and a cabinet below that. The next opening is where the AC/DC fridge unit goes with a tip down storage space below it. To the right there are two good sized drawers and below that a tip down face or if the boat is rigged with below deck air, that's where the cold air return will go. In addition to these compartments there will be a second upper galley assembly on the counter top. That's a lot of storage.

Things will start humming along now so be sure to check back often to see the progress.

Groundbreaking Superyachts

noreply@blogger.com (Rohany F. Sexton) — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 12:54:00 +0000

These yachts were originally once used to by the state to transport important people in the goverment, like the dignitaries abroad, princes, ambassadors and the likes. Today these vessels are toys of choice for the super rich of the work.

Today, although the style of the boat has changed but the stature of their owners is still grand. These are the first eco-friendly crafts to the vessels that are setting the defining style.

From technologically advanced pleasure boats that soars the seas to the first luxury yachts with sails, we are having peek at some superyacht designs that were memorable and grand. With billion-dollar industry to furnish the needs of design and innovation, these vessels have lasted and is still interesting over the years that has passed by.

Back Cove 30 Deck Tool arrives

noreply@blogger.com (Rohany F. Sexton) — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 07:05:00 +0000

Things are really happening now with the arrival of the Back Cove 30 deck mold at our shop in Rockland this week. The glass shop has some work to do to prep the mold for use. Meanwhile out on the shop floor hull #1 is starting to look more like a real boat every day.

Here engineer Adam Carlson checks out the gleaming finish of the first hull out of the mold. Next week Adam and Kevin will be overseeing the placement of the IGU (or Internal Glass Unit) inside the hull followed by the placement of the Yanmar 315 engine and the rest of the drive train.

Hull #1 of the Back Cove 30 is being fitted with the standard engine and will not have the optional gen set so that we can establish performance characteristics for the standard boat before trying any of the optional engines.

The Back Cove 30 is born!

noreply@blogger.com (Rohany F. Sexton) — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 15:34:00 +0000

Few events are more exciting in a boat yard than seeing a design come to life as the first hull leaves the mold. The work and anticipation of more than one year of engineering and tooling time goes from lines on a page to reality in just a few minutes.

Unless all of the geometry of the design is completely thought through the part can become stuck in the mold and create some anxious moments, but our team considered each and every detail as did the toolmaker so this was as gracious a beginning as any boat builder could hope for.

This is a great image to show the new hull bottom. The two features of the Back Cove 30 that will most effect the dryness of the boat are the hull chines which are a tad wider on this design than in previous ones and the amount of flare ion the bow. The Back Cove 30 promises to be a great sea boat with little spray getting to the windshield.

Loran Tower comes tumbling down

noreply@blogger.com (Rohany F. Sexton) — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 05:46:00 +0000

Alaska’s tallest man-made structure has become the tallest ever felled in a controlled demolition.

Watch the planned demolition of Alaska’s tallest man-made structure. Coast Guard video courtesy of Connections Film and Video.

The Coast Guard's Civil Engineering Unit from Juneau and Controlled Demolition Inc. used explosives to bring down the Loran tower April 28 at the Coast Guard Loran Station in Port Clarence, Alaska. The 1,350-foot structure was deteriorating and Coast Guard officials say it was at risk for collapse. The 808-foot Alaska Public TeleCommunications tower in Knik, 30 miles north of Anchorage, is now the state’s tallest structure, according to the Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard announced earlier this year that it would decommission the Loran-C program, saying GPS and other technical advances had made the 67-year-old system obsolete. Click here to read why an electronics consultant thinks shuttering the Loran-C program is the wrong decision.

A voyage based on 1789 mutiny: Recreated!

noreply@blogger.com (Rohany F. Sexton) — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 12:09:00 +0000

In 1789, Captain Bligh was cast adrift after a well known mutiny on HMS Bounty. He was sailing along with his crew on a 48 days voyage in an open boat with few rations of food that will suffice for 25 days for normal consumption.

Now, Don McIntyre from Hobart, Australia along with his crew and two other recruits who have no sailing experience will join him for recreating Captain Bligh’s famous open sea adventure. This will be a pure adventure for McIntyre and his crew because they will not be using any present day navigation technology. They will purely rely on sextants and octants for navigation.

This planned adventure was almost jeopardized when Mike Penham, a teenage solo circumnavigator who was pulled out due to his appendix operation, while Peter Stier an American who has been from a training last February could not join the voyage because he was sleep and food deprived and could not take the whole voyage because of his condition.

One of the challenges on this voyage is that McIntyre, who short on crew openly made an application to anyone who have interest on the adventure and challenge. These two new recruits one named Chris Wilde, an 18-year-old student who does not have any sailing experience but has the soul, enthusiasm and passion for this voyage that makes him in to this challenging adventure to an open sea.

This will be a story of being on a boat and the faiths on unknown journey. The crew basically does not know what will happen on the boat during their voyage. McIntyre will be stopping the places where Bligh made stops during his voyage.

With only few rations of biscuits, nuts, beans, some beef and 28 gallons of water and 6 bottles of rum which was exactly what the late Captain and his men had shared during their voyage is what McIntyre and his crew have to share, that is consuming at least 400 grams of food a day for the rest of the crew on board the boat and relying on rain water to provide them with water.
The journey will begin at the same spot at western Pacific Ocean where Bligh started his voyage when he was cast adrift. McIntyre plans to make the same stops as Bligh did during the 4,000 mile voyage from Tonga to Timor. Having no charts to use for navigation, they will surely face a great challenge during their voyage when the crew has to get through the Fiji islands.

McIntyre will take the 4,000 mile journey stretching from Tonga to Timor, totally recreating the voyage made by Bligh in 1789 and he expects to lose 16 kilograms after the 48-day voyage. According to McIntyre, this journey is a completely honest, raw and open challenge. With crews of adventurous soul on the boat and little food, their biggest concern is the late season cyclones while keeping the boat upright during these times. The good news is that they equipped with only satellite phone aboard so McIntyre and the crew will be contacted when dangerous weathers are on the way.

These make the whole voyage a total adventure like those of Jack Sparrow minus the pirates.

Engine Access

noreply@blogger.com (Rohany F. Sexton) — Wed, 26 May 2010 18:56:00 +0000

Few things are more important to powerboat operators than access to key mechanical systems. One of the cool things about a Back Cove is that the single engine really improves engine access. A single engine that is about 1/3 of the boat's beam is a whole lot more fun to work around than the twin engine applications in similar sized vessels. In twin engine applications there is a narrow gap between the motors and then everything outboard is what it is. Sure you can get there but in many smaller boats that requires a very small person or anyone of great flexibility.

Here's the plug of the Back Cove 30 helm deck. The hinges for this lifting deck are all the way forward and this helm deck will lift to expose both sides of the motor. The optional gen set tucks in alongside the motor to port and under the settee located there. The helm deck will lift using a lifting strut.

If you asked a hundred experienced boat owners what their priorities are, engine access would come up very close to the top with most of them. The Back Cove 30 has the best engine access in class. Bar none.

Two Great WindPath Open Houses

noreply@blogger.com (WindPath Fractional Yachting) — Thu, 13 May 2010 14:48:00 +0000

WindPath Charleston Open House

Date: 22 May 2010 10:00 to 23 May 2010 16:00

Details:

In celebration of WindPath Fractional Boat Club's 5th anniversary, WindPath Charleston will open the deck of its 35-foot Catalina 350 markII for a tour and demo sail for anyone interested.

Come aboard Endeavor, WindPath Charleston's luxury yacht, for an open house. Learn about WindPath Fractional Boat Club as well as talk with current members of the Endeavor. Light snacks and beverages provided.

May 22, 2010
10am - 4pm
City Harbor Marina, Slip J-20
17 Lockwood Blvd.
Charleston, S.C. 29401

WindPath of NJ Open House

Date: May 29, 2010 10:30:00 AM

Details:

Please visit us May 29th from 10:30am-4:00pm for the season opening and Open House on our Catalina 350 MkII at our base in the Highlands. The address is:

Sandy Hook Bay Marina, One Willow Street, Highlands NJ 07732

Our boat "Irene" is at dock C18

We will have light snacks and non-alcoholic drinks on board the air conditioned boat.

Check out the boat, the marina, talk to members and the base manager and meet the local sailing school staff from Tracey sailing school.

New Back Cove 37 Video Shot On Biscayne Bay in Miami

noreply@blogger.com (WindPath Fractional Yachting) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:03:00 +0000

Back Cove did an amazing job putting this video together with gyroscopically stabilized shots taken from the open door of a helicopter moving at 30 knots just feet above the water. The team really did a great job catching the head turning beauty and grace of these exceptionally built down east designs. Leave a comment and tell us what you think of the video.

Take a look at the rest of the Back Cove Yachts fleet here:

Massive solar powered circumnavigating yacht christened

noreply@blogger.com (WindPath Fractional Yachting) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:51:00 +0000

The world's largest solar boat has been christened Planet Solar. Planet Solar is a 102-foot yacht which has a 50-foot beam and weighs around 60 tons. The topside of the ship is covered with 5,300 square feet of solar panels and it can hit a top speed of around 15 knots. Two men Raphaël Domjan and Gerard d'Aboville will take the vessel around the world starting in April 2011.

The voyage is designed to raise awareness of the carbon footprint created by boats used to ship goods. Around 1.4 billion tons of carbon dioxide (in 2008) were expelled shipping goods. That is 6% of the total carbon dioxide emissions and twice as much as air transport.

Necker Island BVI's private submarine owned by Richard Branson

noreply@blogger.com (WindPath Fractional Yachting) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 20:12:00 +0000

Virgin mogul Richard Branson recently unveiled a new ocean plaything for the intrepid super rich: A deep-sea submarine.

"Necker Nymph," an "underwater plane" that can dive up to 40 meters below the surface, is the latest addition to to Branson's luxury collection which includes a private island, a superyacht and a spaceship.

For those wealthy enough to indulge, the experience aboard the submarine, which is nimble enough to perform "dolphin-like flips," will be like "flying underwater," said Branson's Virgin Limited Edition division.

But even for those with deep enough pockets, it doesn't come cheap: $25,000 for a week's charter and another $88,000 for the sub's superyacht launch vessel, "Necker Belle."

The $631,000 flying sub, the first of its kind, uses fighter jet technology and was designed by Hawkes Ocean Technologies. It is transparent enough to allow divers a 360-degree view of marine life and Virgin is marketing it as a way to view dolphins and whales close up.

The new sub also appears to be environmentally friendly. It is buoyant, which stops it from mistakenly landing on reefs, and it is relatively quiet -- allowing it to pass through fragile ecosystems without causing too much upheaval, Virgin says.

Potential deep-sea divers must take half-day safety courses beforehand and can then dive for up to two hours at a time.

The submarine will be delivered to Necker Island, Branson's private Caribbean hideaway, later this month.

"Necker Nymph" is not Branson's first foray onto the frontlines of adventure technology.

Last December, he unveiled "SpaceShipTwo," a spacecraft that promises to take civilians into orbit for a cool $200,000 by 2011.