| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | Necker Nymph |
| Owner | Virgin Limited Edition |
| Operator | Virgin Oceanic |
| Builder | Hawkes Ocean Technologies |
| Cost | £415,000 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | DeepFlight Merlin |
| Displacement | 750 kg |
| Length | 4.6 m |
| Beam | 3.0 m |
| Capacity | 3 |
| Crew | 1 |
The Necker Nymph is a submersible vehicle operated by Virgin Aquatic[1] from the 32-metre yacht Necker Belle,[2] which is based at the Virgin Limited Edition resort Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands.[3]
The Necker Nymph is the initial example of the DeepFlight Merlin class of positively-buoyant open-cockpit wet subs manufactured by Hawkes Ocean Technologies.[4] It relies on hydrodynamic forces for anti-lift force. It is 4.5 metres long, capable of 360-degree "hydrobatic" manoeuvres, can dive up to 40 metres underwater, and seats one pilot and two passengers in an open cockpit (necessitating wearing scuba gear).[5][6] Occupants have a "windscreen" to protect them from the water's slipstream.[citation needed]