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NEWS SUMMARY

Here is a summary of major stories about the development and journey of the SubRacing Series.

RACING SUBMARINES CAN’T GO FAR IF WE DON’T PUT PILOTS FIRST

The Submarine Racing Futures Symposium in Bristol, at the end of July,  brought together experts from marine science, underwater robotic and research projects and defense production and operations.   Everyone agreed that by taking a ‘Safety led’ design approach the designers and competitors will develop a strong understanding of intrinsic safety models rather then just applying ‘tick the box’ safety policies.

“We want to show that by designing for safety based on specific critical imperatives, such as the physical protection and safety of the pilots, you can achieve better designs and more robust products” said Matt Silver-Vallance, chair of the Symposium and Chief Business Development Officer at the SubRacing Series.

Key among these considerations is the protection of the pilot from both physical and physiological risks including air supply, decompression sickness, and collisions underwater.

The panel discussed the need to attract more young people into marine engineering and Oceaneering and fully supported the Submarine Racing  events as a way to achieve this.

The Design Competition for Hybrid-Powered Racing Submarines (DC‑2026) is actively seeking teams to design racing submarines using advanced hydrodynamics and propulsion with leading edge materials.  We are looking for innovative designs for human-electric hybrid submarines which offer high levels of pilot safety, even at high performance.    The competition aims to highlight the opportunities available in marine and submarine engineering and encourage more people to connect with both the sport and the marine engineering industry.

At the end of the event The Sub Racing series announced the release of the guide and Rulebook for the new Submarine Design competition DC-2026.

 

Applications are now invited from teams who want to take part in the competition.

 

The SubRacing Series went to the South West as shipbuilding and engineering have been significant parts of Bristol’s history for centuries, with shipbuilding tracing back to at least the 13th century and engineering playing a crucial role since the 18th century. The city’s shipbuilding industry reached its peak in the 19th century with the work of Isambard Kingdom Brunel and continues to have a presence today.

SUBRACING SERIES PRESENTED TO UKNEST COMMITTEE

As the reputation and importance grows for using life-sized engineering projects such as submarine racing in higher-education, we were delighted when Matt Bolton, Chief Executive Officer of UKNEST (UK Naval Engineering Science and Technology) invited us to present the SubRacing Series to their members at a special meeting recently at Lockheed Martin UK’s offices at Havant.

UKNEST promotes careers in the UK naval sector through STEM engagement, scholarships and publications. It encourages early career professionals, known as “FutureNEST”, to develop their knowledge and understanding of the sector through networking, site visits and “visioneering” concept work.

After presenting the ambitions and journey of the SubRacing Series, Matt Silver-Vallance, Founder and Chief Business Development Officer for the SubRacing Series gave the meeting a preview of our forthcoming Design Competition which aims to take engineers to a higher level of understanding in marine engineering. This was followed by detailed explanations to many of the interested engineers and designers present at the meeting.

“We were delighted to host Matt and Nick at our recent UKNEST meeting to hear about the SubRacing Series.  Given the importance of the oceans to our livelihoods and security and the ongoing challenge of encouraging young people to embrace the opportunities they offer, members were impressed with this unique initiative that couples innovation and the maritime environment with competition and skills to inspire the next generation.” Said Matt Bolton at the end of the event.

For more information on UKNEST go to www.uknest.org

25th March 2025