What's the largest homebuilt sub in the world?  That nicely styled and full-featured Kraka, based in Copenhagen?  Well yes, she's the largest operational homebuilt that I know of.  But her builder Peter Madsen has been working on his next project...

Read more for the photo.

I just received a note and photos from Mark Smith of Hamilton, Alabama about his wet sub project.   Mark is an experienced diver and long time undersea enthusiast, and he's tackled an ambitious wet sub project. 

Not too many details on this, but Odyssey Marine Exploration has brought an estimated 500,000 coins into the United States from a shipwreck in the Atlantic.  The company isn't describing the wreck or its location but there are clues that the treasure may be from a 400 yr old ship sunk some 40 miles off the southwest coast of England.  That puts it in international waters, and Odyssey has a court order granting them rights to salvage.

  MSNBC story...

An article about a few homebuilt sub enthusiasts down in South Florida and the sub Antipodes.  It has some interesting photos and a little video.  I like the shot titled "Waiting Around", where the pilot is sitting in the open hatch but two thirds of the photo is an underwater view of the sub at the surface.

And a good quote from Patrick Lahey, a Vero Beach underwater consultant.  "When the paperwork weighs as much as the submarine, you're done."

the Sun Sentinel article...

Just saw this announcement about Kraka from the PSUBS group:

Kraka, the diesel-electric submersible designed and built by Peter Madsen and Claus Norregaard is currently for sale on PSUBS.ORG.

"Kraka" is a sea-going, diesel-electric submersible originally launched April 12th 2005.   She is capable of charging her own batteries and compressed air tank, hence only dependent on supply of diesel oil.   A 2-3 man crew can sleep on-board in turns.   With the sail hatch closed and air intake through the snorkel it is possible to navigate in quite rough weather.   She is equipped with a button hatch for deploying and retrieving divers while submerged.   She is also equipped with a GPS chart plotter, a gyro compass, and echo sounder. She also has a photo optical mast ( periscope) with four cameras, each covering a 90 degree view and providing 360 degrees of visibility outside the sub.

The price for the submarine is negotiable and offers are being accepted. Please visit http://www.psubs.org/forsale for more information and photos.

Here's a new website documenting the construction of a Kittredge K-350 submersible.  James is putting together a nice collection of photos and notes.  Check it out:

  Guernsey Submarines

Great video of Alex Smyth operating his "Snoopy", a K-250 personal (one person) submarine.  Watch for the collision! 

Here's a impressive, and exciting submarine project.  Well, it's exciting if you're interested in building pressure vessels with concrete.  Now that's an obscure branch of nerd...

Back in 1996, Wilfried Ellmer built, tested and used a 20 ton concrete submarine on an Alpine lake.  Residents of Lake Atter in Austria witnessed the launch of a pristine, streamlined, white vessel.  The photo at right shows the boat at launching before the fitting out of sail, rudders and propellers.

Wilfried states that the 18cm  (7 inches) thick hull gives an operational depth of 300m (~1000ft) and an estimated crush depth of about 900m.  He used portland cement reinforced with 4mm and 6mm steel in a 10 cm mesh.

This is a large personal submarine, weighing in a 14 tons before ballasting.  Check out the interior photo on the website which shows a roomy cabin.  Unfortunately missing are any photos of the sub actually diving or even maneuvering on the surface under its own power. 

Concrete Sub page

Velosub of Lyon, France has announced a new version of their human powered water craft.  Updates include a shrouded prop and a larger front float which looks more comfortable. 

Velosub.com

Original Sub-Log posting

After going missing over 60 years ago, the US submarine Wahoo (SS-238) has been found between Hokkaido (Japan) and Sakhlin (Russia) islands.  She's laying at a bit over 200 ft.

Commisioned in 1942, this Gato-class fleet submarine completed six highly successful patrols, the last four, plus the fatal seventh patrol, under the command of Cmdr. Dudley "Mush" Morton.  She was one of the most highly decorated US submarines of WWII, with her and her crew earning six battle stars and a Presidential Unit Citation. 

Here are a couple of articles describing a bit more:

Missing WW-II submarine located - United Press Intl

Navy confirms discovery of sub Wahoo - Honolulu Adv.

USS Wahoo - Navsource Online

And a good telling of her story at:
USS Wahoo - Wikipedia.org

Here's an interesting article about the amount and types of fish life found on artificial reefs near Miami Florida.  Not to give too much away, but the shipwrecks host a similar amount of fish as do the natural reefs.  :-)

  Miami Herald article...

The Polish navy has released sonar images of what may be the wreck of the Graf Zeppelin, a large German aircraft carrier sunk at the end of WWII.  The wreck was recently (July 2006) found by Polish oil company divers.

  Der Spiegel sonar article...

  Original Spiegel article...

Some press coverage of the 2006 PSUBS Convention, held June 23-25 this year at Raystown Lake, Pennsylvania.  I believe around eight subs (and their owners) attended, along with dozens of other sub enthusiasts and a number of locals.  Sounds like it was a great event!

Altoona Mirror article...

Please let me know what kind of things you'd like to see on Sub-Log.  One quick question:

Sub-Log survey