Q-Subs designs, manufactures, services and reconfigures submersible vessels and submarines.
Engineer, designer and inventor Hugh Fulton has long been fascinated by the world of submarines. As the owner of a business manufacturing high pressure gas compressors and valves, he led shop floor discussions on how the company’s high-precision design and welding processes could be used to develop a submarine.
Hugh’s history in underwater engineering stems back to an interest in Scuba diving. In 1968, he designed and manufactured his own 2-stage scuba diving regulators. By 1970 he had developed a balanced piston 1st stage regulator. Next came the patent of an automated yoke cylinder filling valve in 1978 followed by packaging of high pressure air compressors for the Fire Service and Dive Industry.
As director of companies Prescon and Intermech, high pressure compressors from 60 to 600 horsepower, pressure vessels and heat exchangers to international standards were designed, manufactured and marketed successfully to over 15 countries worldwide. The sale of these companies led to the creation of Eclipse Valves & Fittings, Bison Compression, Arctic Cryogenics and Q-Subs.
Q-Subs’ flagship project is nearing completion: the world’s first two-person planing submarine – the Q-Sub 2400. The story of the Q-Sub and its development is one of typical Kiwi determination, ingenuity, and a willingness to find new solutions to seemingly insurmountable problems. This vessel is made to conform to international design and engineering standards, and eliminates the key logistical problems of conventional mini-submarines.
“The design had to be sexy, easy to launch and retrieve, and be trailerable,” he says. “The batteries had to be able to be recharged easily and often, and safety was obviously paramount.”
Talking to people in the submarine industry such as skippers and sub owners, it quickly became apparent that there were some real challenges with the logistics of launching and retrieving even small subs. Once the sub was back on board, moving a mothership large enough to carry a submersible between dive sites was no quick or easy task. To successfully produce a commercially viable submersible, it would have to meet some strict criteria.
The decision was made to ensure the design and construction of the submarine met strict ABS (American Bureau of Shipping) standards and that everything about the design would be as risk-free as possible. This means the sub’s controls are logical, intuitive, and similar to an aircraft. An onboard computer controls the 11 electric motors and the two 160hp petrol-powered surface engines.
Q-Subs has associations with many other international manufacturers of submersibles and is a member of PSUBS – an organisation based in the USA which promotes and encourages discussion of safety, design, construction and operation of personal submersibles. Refer to www.psubs.org for further information on this organisation.