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.

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

This is the BOB diving vehicle (Breathing Observation Bubble) which is built as a way for chaperoned non-divers to experience the underwater world.  My impression is that it's a powered, full-body SCUBA helmet.  I mean that in a good way though - I'd like to try it. 

The link above has some technical stats: 2.5kt top speed from the 12V electrical drive, 58lbs weight, and a 40ft max depth. 

These have been around for awhile, built I think by the Bellaqua Personal Submersibles company which seems to be defunct.  I don't know how many BOBs were built but the first website listed here runs trips from Sand Key, Florida which is near Key Largo and down in the Florida Keys.

  http://www.sfdj.com/bob/bob.htm

USS Dolphin (AGSS-555) is the United States Navy's only operational diesel-electric, deep-diving, research and development submarine...
The single most significant technical achievement in the development of Dolphin is the pressure hull itself. It is a constant diameter cylinder, closed at its ends with hemispherical heads, and utilizes deep frames instead of bulkheads...

 Excellent website on the Holland boats and some information on Holland himself.  Reviews the various boats with a nice amount of information on the Holland VI with original Navy and yard documents, trial logs, illustrations and Holland patent listings.

Good technical details on the systems and operation of the Holland VI.  Water and air system diagrams, and a description of the ballast and propulsion systems.  It's not enough information to build a full-scale copy of this 100 year old sub but you could use it for a model.

Also covers competitors and variants of the Holland VI built in other countries.

Website link

This is a floating, mostly restored example of a Soviet Foxtrot diesel submarine.  This boat  was launched in 1974 and based out of Vladivistok.  It's a real relic of the Cold War and apparently patroled the Indian and Pacific oceans.

I enjoyed seeing the Cobra; it felt larger than the WWII boats I'd been on and is in pretty good shape.  That said, it feels like a fairly low-budget operation, or at least a project in its earlier stages.  The boat was pretty empty with little in the way of supporting information or exhibits in the various compartments.  The torpedo room forward was empty with no dummy torpedoes.  The control room in particular was missing equipment and stations.  I think the radio shack was boarded up with plywood the day I visited.  Still it was great to tour a Russian sub and I plan to go aboard again if I get the chance.

Boat: Soviet Foxtrot  b-39, the "Cobra"

Location:  San Diego, CA, was originally in Seattle, WA.

Exhibits: Really just the boat, with little information below decks. 

Owner: Private

Reviewer visited: 2004

Official website (out of date as it states location is Seattle, WA)

 

Delighted fishermen began singing the Beatles hit after netting a yellow minesweeping ROV which became detached from a British warship. Now they're holding it ransom for a salvage fee.

 Full story...

This was back in June, and now finally in exchange for a case of good whisky the ROV is back with the Navy:

Recovery by Royal Navy...

- larger image -	Silent Hunter III (DVD-ROM) ASIN: B00023XXN6 Binding: CD-ROM List price: $19.99 USD Amazon price: $13.49 USD

Description

Category: WWII U-boat operations Boats: German Type II, VII, IX, XXI, and variants

Heroes: you the player, and the developers, Ubisoft Romania

Location: Atlantic Ocean

Synopsis: Buy this if you've ever played a sub game. This is the most comprehensive, best looking and operating subsim ever made.  You even have crew aboard your boats which may be a naval simulation first. Unscripted, nonlinear dynamic campaign mode. Single missions including the cornering of the Bismarck, Scapa Flow, and the capture of the U-505. Checkout Subsim.com to see the excitement over this game, primarily the number of mods that have been produced to enhance and refine various details. But it's pretty amazing right out of the box.

- larger image -	Below ASIN: B00005JKWG Binding: DVD List price: $14.99 USD Amazon price: $12.99 USD

Description

Category: WWII American submarine fictional story

Boats: US sub

Heroes: captain played by Bruce Greenwood

Location: north Atlantic

Director: David Twohy

Recommended, for its beautiful cinematography of a WWII-era American submarine and for the inclusion of lesser-known WWII anti-sub technologies. This is primarily a horror story/mystery set aboard a US submarine in the Atlantic but it does a better job of giving insight into sub operations than a number of 'pure' submarine films. Checkout the DVD extras for unused scenes; the hot torpedo is worth seeing.

PTHS students create underwater remotely operated vehicle for research
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