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Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST]Submanaut/Ben Franklin



Pick up a copy of this month's (October) issue of NAVAL HISTORY magazine by the USNI. They have a full story with pictures of Ben Franklin and where it is today. Mark Steed


---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: Ricci Dustin <riccidustin@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org
Date:  Fri, 23 Aug 2002 13:21:08 -0700 (PDT)

>Wow Carsten!
>I looked at the pictures of Submanaut. She is in bad
>shape. Who originally built the boat? How did the
>current owner get his hands on it? When was it's last
>dive? 
>
>Does anyone know what happen to the Ben Franklin? I
>was in Switzerland in the 60s at lake Lucerne and I
>swear there was a submarine I believe built by Piccard
>that looked just like the Franklin. It was operating
>as a tourist sub. I'm almost certain that submarine
>became the Ben Franklin.
>
>
>    
>--- Carsten Standfuss <MerlinSub@t-online.de> wrote:
>> Hi Ricci..
>> 
>> Ricci Dustin schrieb:
>> 
>> > 
>> > Carsten, that sub photo that is in the gallery
>> that is
>> > sitting next to the freeway in Florida. Was that
>> > operational at one time? It looks exactly like the
>> sub
>> > used in the movie Around the World Under the Sea,
>> with
>> > Loyd Bridges.
>> > 
>> 
>> Go to the self supporting online picture gallery at 
>> 
>> www.prismnet.com/~moki/subfiles.html
>> 
>> I present there pictures of Submanauts
>> inside - and no it is not longer operational.. 
>> 
>> I was in at year 2000 and have had the possibility
>> to purchase
>> it.. was a cheap offer but after inspection I
>> decided thats not my
>> boat..
>> 
>> There is no way to replace the dieselengine without
>> to cut the hull
>> in parts.. its a double hull construction with the
>> divetanks between
>> the both hulls and no inpection holes - no
>> inspection there since 
>> building.. the warp around windows have a
>> constructon error and 
>> for this reason  the sub is only a shallow water
>> diver.. everthing is
>> rusty. 
>> 
>> Refit the thing was estimate with 50000 Dollar
>> minimum only to get an 
>> 50 years old shallow water cramped inside old
>> fellow. The unit is higher
>> than the normal road permit high - so every light,
>> telephone etc. wire 
>> on the way between florida and you has to be cut or
>> switch away.. 
>> 
>> And yes the outside was in the film - but the inside
>> is much..much
>> smaller, 
>> I can stand upright only in the tower.. its 43 foot
>> long..
>> 
>> Ray you can grab the pictures for the retired page..
>> 
>> 
>> Best regards Carsten
>
>
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