Ictineo I
Ictineo I
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| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Ictineo I |
| Builders: |
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| Operators: | Narcís Monturiol |
| Succeeded by: | Ictineo II |
| In service: | 28 June 1859 to January 1862 |
| Completed: | 1 |
| Lost: | 1 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Submarine |
| Tonnage: | 10 t (9.8 long tons; 11 short tons) |
| Length: |
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| Beam: | 1 m (3 ft 3 in) (pressure hull) |
| Height: |
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| Installed power: | Human muscle |
| Propulsion: | Hand crank propellers |
| Endurance: | 2 hours (submerged) |
| Test depth: | 50 m (160 ft) |
Ictineo I was a pioneering submarine constructed in Barcelona, Spain in 1858–1859 by engineer Narcís Monturiol.
While living in Cadaqués, Monturiol witnessed the death of a coral harvester, which inspired him with the idea of a ship that could sail underwater and allow coral divers to work in safety. He kept his ideas to himself for over 12 years, concerned that he might be ridiculed and also because he did not have the funds to build such a vessel. A friend convinced him that his idea must be brought to life, and that sufficient funds could be found from friends and the general public.
Monturiol had already named his vessel Ictineo, from the ancient Greek icthus (fish) and naus (boat). As he put it, the Ictíneo’s "form is that of a fish, and like a fish it has its motor in the tail, fins to control its direction, and swimming bladders and ballast to maintain an equilibrium with the water from the moment it submerges".
In September 1857 he returned to Barcelona, where he organized the first commercial society in Spain dedicated to submarine navigation, Monturiol, Font, Altadill y Cia. with a capital of 10,000 pesetas. In 1858 he presented his project in a scientific thesis titled "El Ictineo o barco-pez", (The Ictineo or fish-ship).
On 28 June 1859, Monturiol was ready for the Ictineo's first voyage and the submarine was launched into Barcelona harbour. Unfortunately, she hit some underwater pilings, which Monturiol estimated would exhaust his funds to properly repair. He performed some hasty repairs on the damaged portholes, exterior hull, and ballast tanks, and limited his diving depth to 20 metres (66 ft).
During the summer of 1859 Monturiol performed more than 20 test dives in the Ictineo, with his business partner and shipbuilder as crew. He gradually increased the depth he dived to until he reached his 20 metres (66 ft) limit and learned that the crew could remain dived for about 2 hours using only the oxygen sealed inside the pressure hull, and that their endurance could be doubled using compressed oxygen and his carbon dioxide scrubber. The Ictineo turned out to possess good handling, but its top speed was disappointing, powered as it was by human muscle power.
Ictineo I was eventually destroyed in January 1862 after some 50 dives, when a cargo vessel ran into it while it was berthed. It was succeeded by the much improved Ictineo II.
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