New U-Boat Worx C-Researcher 3 Aboard Purpose-built Feadship

Meet Shinkai, the world’s first superyacht designed around a submersible. When the owner of the 54.9-meter explorer placed his order with Feadship, he already had a new U-Boat Worx C-Researcher 3 waiting to be accommodated.





With ocean exploration at the forefront of the owner’s mind, Shinkai – meaning ‘Deep Sea’ in Japanese – sets a new bar for bespoke, purpose-built, sub-orientated design.



Dutch submersible manufacturer U-Boat Worx is the largest private submarine supplier in the world. This C-Researcher 3 – winner of a Red Dot Product Design Award – can dive to depths of 480-meters to the heart of the Twilight Zone. This largely undiscovered area is where around 90% of the world’s fish call home.

Drift along with deep sea cucumbers. Feel enthralled at stunning bioluminescent light displays. Capable of remaining submerged for up to 16 hours, the C-Researcher 3 provides a rare glimpse of squid, krill, jellies, and fish, all super-abundant in the mesopelagic zone.

As a long-time fan of U-Boat Worx, the owner knew exactly what he wanted; to be able to walk out of his master suite and step straight into his private three-seater sub. To facilitate this, Shinkai’s aft deck sits flush with the submarine hatch for a neat and flawless finish. For further convenience, the C-Researcher 3 is the world’s first submersible fitted with an elevator to lower passengers into their seats.

All U-Boat Worx subs have a single lifting point, which allows for safe and quick launch and recovery. Aboard Shinkai, this is further enhanced with a man-riding crane installed on the yacht’s aft deck. With an almost 8-meter reach, the heavy-duty crane can deploy and retrieve the 6.9 - ton submarine with ease.

Simple, efficient and built to the owner’s specified short delivery time, the ruby red C-Researcher 3 with grey leather interior will transport the owner to a whole new world of underwater exploration. And with man-riding certification on this U-Boat Worx sub, the owner can enjoy a front seat view from inside the sub’s air-conditioned, acrylic hull as its carefully lowered into open water.

Complemented by Shinkai’s self-sufficiency, large nautical range and Ice-Class hull, the owner’s dreams of thrilling aquanaut adventures in the famous Northwest and Northeast Passages, as well as other far-flung destinations, are seamlessly brought to life in the U-Boat Worx C-Researcher 3.




Location: The Netherlands