March 11, 2009: For several decades, there has been a small, but growing, demand for civilian submarines. One of the older ones, the Mareia I, is now for sale. Operating in the Pacific (Saipan), the Mariea I is typical of the twenty or so "tourist subs" built during the 1980s. The Mariea I is typical of this type of boat, with a crew of three, capacity for 43 passengers, and typically taking them on a 45 minute dive, down as far as 200 feet. The Mariea I was first offered for $750,000, but given the global recession, the asking price has been cut seven percent. If you are interested, contact Deep Sea Adventures LLC (Submarine Industry Consultants) at (877) 848-8266.

Meanwhile, two decades of work on commercial subs has shifted from the tourist carriers, to the smaller boats for the wealthy. An example of this is the Deep Flight Super Falcon, which looks like a jet fighter (cockpit canopy, wings and all). But this sleek vessel can take two people under water, down to 1,500 feet, for up to five hours. Top speed is about 11 kilometers an hour, and it takes a few days training to learn how to use this underwater pleasure craft. Brand new, it costs $1.3 million. There are no second hand ones on the market yet, but give it time.