I didn't make this up. It's in the news.
Cheers!
http://www.thanhniennews.com/educat...ts-to-purchase-vietnamese-minisubs-28998.html
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Friday, 25/7/2014
Five Ho Chi Minh City-made miniature submarines will be shipped to Malaysian tourist resorts in two months to be used for recreational coral exploration.
Phan Boi Tran, a descendent of the patriotic scholar and talented diplomat Phan Boi Chau (1867-1940), simply called his invention “diving equipment.”
The US$3,500 subs are being produced in a factory deep in a meandering alley in Binh Tan District.
“These first-generation subs will be rather slow," he said. "They'll travel at between one to five nautical miles per hour, and will be able to dive to depths of up to three meters for around two hours.
“That much time is enough for tourists to discover a few underwater mysteries,” he said.
With years of experience working for French submarine firm Comex, Tran won local fame in 2010 for successfully piloting his sub, Yet Kieu 1, which he named after a Vietnamese hero who used his swimming and diving skills to sink invading Chinese ships during the 13th century.
This batch of tourism subs were ordered last May by a resort investor for coral diving.
“They are looking for a service that stands out,” he said. “Other concessions, like parasailing or water-skiing, have become too dull.”
The 60-year-old said the dictionary defines a "submarine" as an underwater boat, though he described his invention as much simpler than what the word might evoke in the average person's mind.
Phan Boi Tran, a descendent of the patriotic scholar and talented diplomat Phan Boi Chau (1867-1940), simply called his invention “diving equipment.”
The US$3,500 subs are being produced in a factory deep in a meandering alley in Binh Tan District.
“These first-generation subs will be rather slow," he said. "They'll travel at between one to five nautical miles per hour, and will be able to dive to depths of up to three meters for around two hours.
“That much time is enough for tourists to discover a few underwater mysteries,” he said.
With years of experience working for French submarine firm Comex, Tran won local fame in 2010 for successfully piloting his sub, Yet Kieu 1, which he named after a Vietnamese hero who used his swimming and diving skills to sink invading Chinese ships during the 13th century.
This batch of tourism subs were ordered last May by a resort investor for coral diving.
“They are looking for a service that stands out,” he said. “Other concessions, like parasailing or water-skiing, have become too dull.”
The 60-year-old said the dictionary defines a "submarine" as an underwater boat, though he described his invention as much simpler than what the word might evoke in the average person's mind.
Cheers!
http://www.thanhniennews.com/educat...ts-to-purchase-vietnamese-minisubs-28998.html
•
Friday, 25/7/2014
Five Ho Chi Minh City-made miniature submarines will be shipped to Malaysian tourist resorts in two months to be used for recreational coral exploration.
Phan Boi Tran, a descendent of the patriotic scholar and talented diplomat Phan Boi Chau (1867-1940), simply called his invention “diving equipment.”
The US$3,500 subs are being produced in a factory deep in a meandering alley in Binh Tan District.
“These first-generation subs will be rather slow," he said. "They'll travel at between one to five nautical miles per hour, and will be able to dive to depths of up to three meters for around two hours.
“That much time is enough for tourists to discover a few underwater mysteries,” he said.
With years of experience working for French submarine firm Comex, Tran won local fame in 2010 for successfully piloting his sub, Yet Kieu 1, which he named after a Vietnamese hero who used his swimming and diving skills to sink invading Chinese ships during the 13th century.
This batch of tourism subs were ordered last May by a resort investor for coral diving.
“They are looking for a service that stands out,” he said. “Other concessions, like parasailing or water-skiing, have become too dull.”
The 60-year-old said the dictionary defines a "submarine" as an underwater boat, though he described his invention as much simpler than what the word might evoke in the average person's mind.
Phan Boi Tran, a descendent of the patriotic scholar and talented diplomat Phan Boi Chau (1867-1940), simply called his invention “diving equipment.”
The US$3,500 subs are being produced in a factory deep in a meandering alley in Binh Tan District.
“These first-generation subs will be rather slow," he said. "They'll travel at between one to five nautical miles per hour, and will be able to dive to depths of up to three meters for around two hours.
“That much time is enough for tourists to discover a few underwater mysteries,” he said.
With years of experience working for French submarine firm Comex, Tran won local fame in 2010 for successfully piloting his sub, Yet Kieu 1, which he named after a Vietnamese hero who used his swimming and diving skills to sink invading Chinese ships during the 13th century.
This batch of tourism subs were ordered last May by a resort investor for coral diving.
“They are looking for a service that stands out,” he said. “Other concessions, like parasailing or water-skiing, have become too dull.”
The 60-year-old said the dictionary defines a "submarine" as an underwater boat, though he described his invention as much simpler than what the word might evoke in the average person's mind.
