TC, There has been one commercial wood/fiber glass sub pressure hull built within the last 50 years. They may have been others built to escape Soviet bloc countries but these were built for one-time/one-way trips. The problem is defects that develop in the GRP and allow water to enter the wood core resulting in deterioration of the core. When we speak of ambient subs, the hull is not built to be pressure resistant, only strong enough to support the shape and weight. Most of the ambient subs built out of wood have a short life due to the afore mentioned water seepage. The PSUB doesn’t feel that it is self-important. The FBI has met with the organization, a briefing was given to a number of the members as to what to look for and requested that they be contacted upon our receipt of questionable enquiries. Those that work with the Defense Department or Homeland Security do not take the threat of terrorists or drug cartel issues lightly. The drug cartel has attempted to build I believe two larger subs with the help of Russian contacts but both were busted previous to launching. The wood and fiberglass semi-submersibles are much easier to construct out in the middle of nowhere with little support. They do not take a lot of design work or expertise to build. R/Jay From: owner-personal_submersibles@psubs.org [mailto:owner-personal_submersibles@psubs.org] On Behalf Of T.C. Craig PS - |