Sub-Log.com - Denmark

UC3 Rollout!

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 21:54:05 -0400

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...

Submarine for sale - Kraka!

Thu, 12 Apr 2007 11:18:05 -0400

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.

UC3 Danish Homebuilt Submarine Update

Thu, 19 Jan 2006 13:03:01 -0500

Peter Madsen has been hard at work on this third submarine, UC3. This boat will be around twice the length of his previous, Kraka and is a modern streamlined design which is a departure for him and his team. His earlier boats have a WWII U-boat feel and like their historical ancestors seem to do well on the surface. But it was his success in running Kraka submerged with a diesel engine and snorkel that led him to pursue a more Albacore-like hull form with better submerged performance. I guess it's more fun to run submerged than on the surface!

He recently (October 2005) sent this update:

Well - plus 200 meters of welding done - all bulkheads instaled - all frames positioned - portholes cut, tower and deckhatch holes cut, hatch ordered...

2.7 tonnes of batteries has arrived with two hp ( 3000 psia ) compressoers - plus a bulck og hp air cylenders...

In short - we are underway...going ahead flank.

Photos of UC3 construction...

Update Jan. 19, 2006:
Jonathan McBeck? is working on a new article on UC3. You can post suggestions and questions to him at this forum:
www.silenthunter.dk UC3 Forum

Homebuilt Danish diesel/electric - the Kraka

Mon, 07 Nov 2005 12:48:24 -0500

Peter Madsen and Claus Nørregaard of Copenhagen, Denmark have built an incredible U-boat inspired personal submarine. Named Kraka, this boat is:

12.6m long,
6 metric tons displacement,
1m diameter (maximum) crew compartment,
diesel engine, two generators and a compressor,
is able to operate independent of shore support.

Amazing accomplishment that you have to see to believe. Peter sends the following update:

Kraka has dived some fourty times by now times, and can be considered quite a successfull design. One of the most interesting test was a diesel powered dive - sailing with high speed submerged using the "snorchel" as a means to supply the dieselmotor with air. Work on the 30 ton new boat named UC3 has started - I am cutting segments of frames in 15 mm high tensile steel for its 6 feet diameter pressure hull.

Originally we designed the UC3 with a classic surface optimised hull shape, but for a number of reasons, including the fine results of snorchel operations on Kraka, the hull shape is now designed like the

USS Albacore - that is like a cylinder with a torpedo shape bow and a - well - torpedo shape stern.

Expected construction time three years - or less

Peter's website (Danish): http://www.submarines.dk/