BETHESDA, Md. – An Annapolis, Maryland-based family team, Impulse Submarines, made a splash at the 2025 International Submarine Races (ISR 18), held June 23-27 at Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division’s historic David Taylor Model Basin. Competing as the sole independent entry among high school and university teams, the family showcased their custom-built human-powered submarine, Javelin 2.0.
Impulse Submarines is led by 16-year-old pilot and designer Quinn Barone. His parents, Elizabeth and Brian, served as divers, while younger brother Zane and grandfather Jerry were the land crew.
This marked the team’s second appearance at ISR, with Javelin 2.0 representing a significant upgrade from their previous vessel. Quinn and his father constructed the hull at home using carbon fiber and foam core, integrating a repurposed mountain bike drivetrain. Javelin 2.0 also featured dual counter-rotating aluminum propellers and a modified drive system routed through angled gearboxes.
“It was mostly me and my dad building the hull,” Quinn said. “We pulled a mold off the old sub and made it longer and lighter. We’re still fine-tuning weight distribution and nose lift, but we’ve already beaten our original time.”
The team aimed to beat their ISR17 record of 0.86 knots. While they came close early in the week, a mid-race performance proved to be a personal best.
“He hit 1.5 knots during one of the later runs,” Quinn’s father said. “We could have left right then and would have still felt like we accomplished everything we came here to do.”
The family’s participation at the ISR began when Quinn, at 13, started designing submarines after reading about “wet subs” in an old Popular Science article. He and his father began building their first vessel, and upon learning about the ISR competition online, they adapted their project to meet race requirements. They’ve been racing ever since.
Despite having fewer resources than the larger high school and university teams, Javelin 2.0 completed multiple successful runs.
“We’re a small family team, so we’re really thankful for the help we’ve received,” Quinn’s mother added. “Everyone has been so supportive and welcoming. It’s such a generous environment.”
That generosity was in large part due to aid from fellow ISR competitors. Teams from Virginia Tech and OMER provided dive assistance, lent tools, and offered valuable advice to the family throughout race week.
“This competition really brings everyone together,” said Charlie Giglio, a Virginia Tech racer and lead ISR diver. “It was cool to get hands-on with their sub and offer support where we could. Being able to step back and say, ‘What do you need from me?’ was a learning experience itself.”
For Quinn, ISR is more than just a summer project. He hopes to attend Webb Institute to study naval architecture. The family also looks forward to future opportunities within the Navy’s STEM pipeline, including internships such as the Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship-for-Service, and future ISR competitions.
“He started this project at 13 and hasn’t stopped since,” his father said. “If your kid finds something they love, support it. Watching him gain confidence has been the best part.”
Quinn is already planning his senior project: Javelin 3.0, which he hopes to race at Carderock in ISR19.