These days, bigger-sized luxury superyachts are considered incomplete without a wide range of tenders and toys. There’s a wide range of tenders on the market that are available in all shapes and sizes; however, the most popular ones used in megayachts still are luxurious dayboats and personal submersibles. The most expensive superyachts in the world have big enough tender garages to accommodate them both and a few more. But what if there was a vessel that could act as a dayboat and a submersible?
That’s one crazy idea, right? However, Austria design studio Migaloo believes that this wild amalgamation can be done with its LST (Limo Sub Tender) concept. If the name rings a bell, it’s because Migaloo is the same startup that showcased the revolutionary M5 concept, which the company claims to be the world’s first luxury super submarine.
Measuring 17 meters in length, the Migaloo LST is not very small. In fact, it has enough room on the inside to accommodate up to 12 guests and a crew of 2-3 people. Featuring a double hull design, the portion that remains submerged underwater features a typical submarine design. However, the top portion of the vessel has been designed like a deck to function as a dayboat.
The design might remind Captain Nemo’s submarine Nautilus. The LST has a retractable roof that hides underneath the main lounge, which has space to fit 12 guests. It also features a mini bar along with a crew stern seat for remote steering, inspired by Venetian Gondolas.
When the luxury tender is put into submersible mode, the roof above the main lounge retracts, creating a streamlined shape for the vessel. Some of the highlights of the vessel include a massive acrylic bow window for the guests to enjoy uninterrupted views of the underwater world, a bow lounge with spacious chairs, and an elevator to the surface hatch.
We also noticed something very interesting in the design renderings released by Migaloo. The LST might have full-length screens on the inside that will project constant views of the world outside. We have reached out to the design studio for more details.
This hybrid submersible has been designed to be used as a luxury tender for the studio’s M5 concept, which is a $2 billion submarine that can also function as an uber-luxurious megayacht. Measuring 543 feet in length, the vessel is so big that it can accommodate several LSTs onboard. In addition to traditional surface docking for the tender, LST also features a unique underwater docking capability with side hatches on both sides and compatibility with the M5 gigasub.
Sadly, we don’t have any more details of this feature. A diesel-electric powertrain powers the vessel and is capable of attaining a maximum speed of 20 knots in boat mode and 12 knots when submerged. We also don’t know about the pricing, but it’s surely not going to be cheap. We won’t be surprised if it’s more expensive than some superyacht. Who knows! But we definitely would want this concept to see the light of day.
