UC3 Nautilus
UC3 Nautilus in early sea trials
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| History | |
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| Name: | UC3 Nautilus |
| Launched: | 3 May 2008 |
| Fate: | As of 12 August 2017[update], seized by the police |
| Status: | evidence pending investigation |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Midget submarine |
| Tonnage: | 40 GT |
| Length: | 17.76 m (58 ft 3 in) |
| Beam: | 2 m (6 ft 7 in) |
| Propulsion: | |
| Speed: | 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph) |
| Crew: | 4-8 |
UC3 Nautilus is a privately built Danish midget submarine. It was launched on 3 May 2008 in Copenhagen, Denmark. It was built over a three-year period as an art project by Peter Madsen and a group of volunteers, and cost approximately US$200,000 to build (1.5 million DKK). This submarine was Peter Madsen's third submarine design, and at the time of launch, was the largest privately built submarine in the world.
On 11 August 2017, the submarine sank in the bay of Køge. The following day Danish police had it brought onto land as part of the investigation of the disappearance of a Swedish journalist, who was last seen aboard the submarine.
On launch day, the submarine displaced only 32 tons and was still incomplete. Nautilus was named at a well-attended ceremony on the west side of Refshaleøen and towed to the floating installation art barge ILLUTRON (formerly M/S Half Machine) in the Copenhagen South Harbor where further outfitting and installation of equipment happened over the next several months.
By August 2008, Nautilus could sail on its own, as steering and the main diesel engine drivetrain was completed. On the maiden voyage the submarine was sailed by a crew almost all from the now-defunct Royal Danish Navy submarine division. The objective was to sail the submarine and evaluate her maneuverability, and the appraisal was favorable. In October 2008 Nautilus was submerged for the first time.
Nautilus can be crewed by up to eight people for surface operation and four when diving. Nautilus moves at five to six knots, depending on the weather and whether it is up on the surface or submerged.
The boat has two 1,500-liter tanks with fresh water and fuel. can be carried out with an electric pump, which is normal procedure, or with compressed air as fall-back, if the trim-pump fails. The main ballast tanks, of 8,000 liters, are always filled and emptied with compressed air, and can flush up to 400 liters of water in/out per second. Nautilus can go from sailing on the surface to periscope depth in approximately 20 seconds. The boat has a theoretical crush depth of between 400–500 m (1,300–1,600 ft), but, as a precaution, the submarine only nominally dives to 100 m (330 ft).
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Wikipedia