[PSUBS-MAILIST] The Aluminaut and Art Markel

["Michael B. Holt" <mholt@richmond.edu>]

There's an article in today's Richmond Times-Dispatch.  It's really 
about Art Markel.  Page B1, November 19, 2000.

He got into it all in 1963 when he left Aerojet and went to work 
on the Reynolds submarine project.  He adds an interesting note to
the mythos of working submarines.  Quoting the article, below:


	When the Aluminaut was delivered to Reynolds Metals, Markel made
a startling discovery: Electric Boat Co., which had designed and
manufactured the craft, had drastically modified the contract without
telling anyone.
 	"They were supposed to deliver a submarine that would diver to
15,000 feet.  Instead, they delivered one that would withstand depths
of only 1,000 feet."
	"I've never told anyone this," Market said, "and maybe I 
shouldn't be telling now."
	After the submarine was built, Electric Boat Co. started 
finding defects, specifically that unknown material had somehow
gotten into the aluminum ingots that were used to build the sub.
	Reynolds Metals accepted the craft anyway.  Market said the
company didn't want a controversy to develop over the heavily
promoted submarine
	Metallurgists told Markel to be very careful and that if
anything started to go wrong, to abort whatever mission he was on.
Soon after, the Aluminaut set out for testing, although it was 
hanging by the slimmest of margins.  
	"I carried a lot of things inside," Markel said.  "I didn't
even tell my crew, because I was afraid to tell them."
	Jut off the Bahamas in 1965 on its first sea test, the Aluminaut 
set a new world depth record of 6,250 feet.