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The Triton 660 AVA Submarine Is a Front-Row Luxury Seat to the Underwater Experience

Because one should never take a backseat to what life has to offer, Triton is putting all those who can afford it in the front row, for the ultimate, luxury underwater experience. Enter the new range of customizable submersibles that are like ultra-fancy viewing / observation bubbles.
Triton introduces the new 660 AVA series, with customizable layouts and seating of up to 9 adults in total 11 photos
Photo: Triton
Triton introduces the new 660 AVA series, with customizable layouts and seating of up to 9 adults in totalTriton introduces the new 660 AVA series, with customizable layouts and seating of up to 9 adults in totalTriton introduces the new 660 AVA series, with customizable layouts and seating of up to 9 adults in totalTriton introduces the new 660 AVA series, with customizable layouts and seating of up to 9 adults in totalTriton introduces the new 660 AVA series, with customizable layouts and seating of up to 9 adults in totalTriton introduces the new 660 AVA series, with customizable layouts and seating of up to 9 adults in totalTriton introduces the new 660 AVA series, with customizable layouts and seating of up to 9 adults in totalTriton introduces the new 660 AVA series, with customizable layouts and seating of up to 9 adults in totalTriton introduces the new 660 AVA series, with customizable layouts and seating of up to 9 adults in totalTriton introduces the new 660 AVA series, with customizable layouts and seating of up to 9 adults in total
Amid the strict lockdowns and travel restrictions of 2020, brought on by the international health crisis, the private sector of submersibles thrived. It continues to do so, with more yacht-owning one-percenters reaching out to the handful of companies making this type of “toys,” to commission custom subs for their superyachts. The new boom of superyacht explorers has also helped with demand for submersibles, because, after all, what good is an explorer vessel if it doesn’t pack all kinds of exploring gear.

Triton is a Florida-based company making record-breaking submarines for private individuals and companies. It is also one of the three U.S.-based companies of the kind reporting an increase in demand and, ultimately, sales. It only makes sense for Triton to ring in the end of 2021 with a new launch. Enter the Triton 660 AVA series, which puts a new spin on private underwater experiences, when they’re enjoyed by a larger party.

The 660 AVA series comes in two models, the 660/9 AVA and the 660/7 AVA. As with every other Triton sub, the name holds the key to its main features: it is a submarine that goes to the depth of 660 feet (201 meters), and can carry either nine people in total, or seven, respectively. One of these people will be the pilot, who is situated centrally in the configurable layout, with the passengers splayed out across the generous cabin in rows. The 660/9 AVA can ferry eight adult passengers or, Triton points out, six adults and four children.

Triton introduces the new 660 AVA series, with customizable layouts and seating of up to 9 adults in total
Photo: Triton
The 660 AVA sub offers the same interior space as a twin-hull submarine, but in a much smaller footprint. Triton notes that it occupies as much space on board the mothership as a couple of stored jetskis. The exact dimensions are 9.02 feet (2.75 meters) in length, 14.8 feet (4.5 meters) in width, and 7.55 feet (2.3 meters) in height. Endurance is 12 hours, with a maximum speed of 3 knots, an ideal combination to take in the surrounding views or do whatever you want to underwater.

And that’s actually the hottest selling point of this new sub: its customizable layout. Except for the cockpit and the pilot’s seat, seating inside the cabin can be arranged depending on the owner and whatever use they have in mind for it. Triton suggests the 9-seater would make a perfect venue for underwater weddings, a high-rollers’ club, a subsea dining venue, or even a cocktail bar. That is, besides the obvious functionality of being lent out to tourists wanting to go underwater for pure observational purposes.

The other advantage of the 660 AVA sub is its free-form acrylic pressure hull, which makes it unlike any other on the market. This isn’t a bubble made of steel with teeny-tiny portholes you have to fight the person next to you to get a peek through, but an oval-thingy made of Triton’s patent-pending Advanced Versatile Acrylics, which allows for a slab of acrylic to be bent into whatever shape desired. This means the view outside isn’t just 360-degree, but completely free of deformities. Triton swears it’s almost like there’s nothing between you and the view, and it’s one of the reasons the company’s subs are favored by researchers and movie production studios.

The cabin has air-conditioning and heating, and plenty of legroom. It’s also fitted with a professional sound system and adjustable color lights, for those times when you want to get the feel of a nightclub, but underwater. Powerful exterior lights and 360-degree visibility should make for a truly breathtaking viewing experience – assuming, of course, you’re not there to gamble or get married.

Triton introduces the new 660 AVA series, with customizable layouts and seating of up to 9 adults in total
Photo: Triton
As of the time of press, Triton holds several world’s firsts, including the first manned mission to the Titanic in 14 years and the largest spherical acrylic pressure hull, as well as the deepest-diving acrylic hull in the world. The Triton 660 AVA series doesn’t break any records, or it hasn’t yet. That could change once a billionaire buys one and takes it for a spin and a game of cards, or uses it for an underwater wedding.

It could happen very soon, too. Details on pricing and deliveries have not been made public, but Triton tells The Robb Report that they’ve already sold three 9-seaters: one to the owner of a private yacht, one for a Scenic cruise ship, and a third for a boutique resort.
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About the author: Elena Gorgan
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Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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