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Hyper-sub put on display for public
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| Randy Deshong and his son, Brad, look at the Marion Hyper-Submersible Powerboat Saturday as inventor Reynolds Marion (back) talks with a couple about the sub. The hyper sub was on display to the public in Lake Butler. TROY ROBERTS/Lake City Reporter |
Prototype unveiled during open house in Lake Butler.
By TROY ROBERTS
troberts@lakecityreporter.com
LAKE BUTLER — Residents of Union and surrounding counties were able to take a first look Saturday at the piece of equipment that eventually could put this North Florida area on the map.
The first prototype of the Marion Hyper-Submersible Powerboat was on display Saturday in Lake Butler and the public flocked to the corner of State Road 121 and County Road 231 to take photographs and ask questions of those whose vision inspired the vehicle.
“After five years of work, this gives me an opportunity to reflect on what we’ve done,” said Reynolds Marion, inventor of the Marion Hyper Sub. “I get to enjoy it by watching other people enjoy it. Everybody is just as excited as we are, by the way it looks and, mostly, excited that somebody has been able to do something like this.”
Project Build Supervisor Gene Mock said despite the buzz the hyper sub has received, there were still some in the area who were unaware of the project.
“We wanted people to see what will hopefully put them on the map,” Mock said.
People crowded around the powerboat Saturday, looking at the intricacies that have brought a lot of attention to the sub. The boat has received interest from military organizations and Marion confirmed Saturday he and his team had received a letter of intent from MI2 International, a professional military, law enforcement and security company, to purchase four of the vessels when they go into production.
“We believe that before the boats go into production, we’ll have a significant waiting list,” Marion said. After Saturday, Marion said they plan to take the hyper sub back into the shop and perform an overhaul on the bow to improve the surface speed of the vehicle.
Daniel Parrish, a Georgia native, was in town Saturday to take a look at the hyper sub. Parrish chose to invest in the company after a relative told him about the project and he saw the hyper sub for the first time on Saturday.
“I just wanted to put my eyes on it,” Parrish said, as he was taking photographs of the hyper sub. “It’s nice — it’s really hard to describe it at first though. It’s much larger than what it looks like in pictures.”
Randy Deshong and his son, Brad, stopped after seeing the vessel at the corner of the two major roadways. Randy said they had heard about the vessel from news accounts and wanted to see it in person.
“It’s awesome,” Brad Deshong said.
The finished prototype was five years in the making and the trio of Marion, Mock and engineer Scott Shamblin took a significant undertaking in getting the project off of the ground.
Marion said his initial idea was to build a raft of sorts, but the project eventually evolved into the hyper sub after researching the submarine industry.
“We knew that this was what the industry needed,” he said.
Mock and Shamblin soon joined the calling. Mock, a neighbor of Marion’s, said his initial reaction to Marion’s submarine construction operation was shock.
“I didn’t know if he knew what kind of project he was undertaking,” Mock said. “All of us have said we were going to do something, but oftentimes we never get around to it or the idea falls through.”
Mock said he finally realized that Marion was serious when the first batch of steel arrived at his neighbor’s house, and upon further inspection, much of the framework was already assembled.
Marion said it was difficult to put all of his eggs in one basket, but after talking with his wife, they decided the idea was one worth pursuing. He closed his successful car restoration business and began work on his dream.
Marion, who some thought was over his head in closing his business to work on a sub, said his faith in God — and a “design by God” — helped him through the troubling times.
“It’s funny, because there were all of these people that were saying it couldn’t be done (in the submarine industry), and in a small community, you know that there are people who are probably laughing at you,” Marion said. “We were actually challenged on every possible level. But, at the end of the day, I knew in my heart of hearts that I was right and this could be done.”
The first prototype of the Marion Hyper-Submersible Powerboat was on display Saturday in Lake Butler and the public flocked to the corner of State Road 121 and County Road 231 to take photographs and ask questions of those whose vision inspired the vehicle.
“After five years of work, this gives me an opportunity to reflect on what we’ve done,” said Reynolds Marion, inventor of the Marion Hyper Sub. “I get to enjoy it by watching other people enjoy it. Everybody is just as excited as we are, by the way it looks and, mostly, excited that somebody has been able to do something like this.”
Project Build Supervisor Gene Mock said despite the buzz the hyper sub has received, there were still some in the area who were unaware of the project.
“We wanted people to see what will hopefully put them on the map,” Mock said.
People crowded around the powerboat Saturday, looking at the intricacies that have brought a lot of attention to the sub. The boat has received interest from military organizations and Marion confirmed Saturday he and his team had received a letter of intent from MI2 International, a professional military, law enforcement and security company, to purchase four of the vessels when they go into production.
“We believe that before the boats go into production, we’ll have a significant waiting list,” Marion said. After Saturday, Marion said they plan to take the hyper sub back into the shop and perform an overhaul on the bow to improve the surface speed of the vehicle.
Daniel Parrish, a Georgia native, was in town Saturday to take a look at the hyper sub. Parrish chose to invest in the company after a relative told him about the project and he saw the hyper sub for the first time on Saturday.
“I just wanted to put my eyes on it,” Parrish said, as he was taking photographs of the hyper sub. “It’s nice — it’s really hard to describe it at first though. It’s much larger than what it looks like in pictures.”
Randy Deshong and his son, Brad, stopped after seeing the vessel at the corner of the two major roadways. Randy said they had heard about the vessel from news accounts and wanted to see it in person.
“It’s awesome,” Brad Deshong said.
The finished prototype was five years in the making and the trio of Marion, Mock and engineer Scott Shamblin took a significant undertaking in getting the project off of the ground.
Marion said his initial idea was to build a raft of sorts, but the project eventually evolved into the hyper sub after researching the submarine industry.
“We knew that this was what the industry needed,” he said.
Mock and Shamblin soon joined the calling. Mock, a neighbor of Marion’s, said his initial reaction to Marion’s submarine construction operation was shock.
“I didn’t know if he knew what kind of project he was undertaking,” Mock said. “All of us have said we were going to do something, but oftentimes we never get around to it or the idea falls through.”
Mock said he finally realized that Marion was serious when the first batch of steel arrived at his neighbor’s house, and upon further inspection, much of the framework was already assembled.
Marion said it was difficult to put all of his eggs in one basket, but after talking with his wife, they decided the idea was one worth pursuing. He closed his successful car restoration business and began work on his dream.
Marion, who some thought was over his head in closing his business to work on a sub, said his faith in God — and a “design by God” — helped him through the troubling times.
“It’s funny, because there were all of these people that were saying it couldn’t be done (in the submarine industry), and in a small community, you know that there are people who are probably laughing at you,” Marion said. “We were actually challenged on every possible level. But, at the end of the day, I knew in my heart of hearts that I was right and this could be done.”
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DON wrote on Jan 6, 2008 9:01 PM: