Moving dive boat

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Illustration by GW Tweedale

The moving submersible is considered to be the first functioning submarine in history. It was built by Cornelis Drebbel , the Hofer page of King James I of England , 1626 for the first time the public and the followers of Jacob, King Charles I imagined.

Drebbel built a fishing boat with a half-shell-shaped wooden structure. Several layers of greased leather hides were applied to the outside of the construction to seal the envelope. On the longitudinal sides the boat about six thruster, which by sealed with leather and metal strips possessed checkers were led to the outside. They were used to drive the ship and were operated by twelve rowers inside. There was a snorkel for the air supply . The forward deck of the ship sloped forward and also accommodated water ballast tanks made of goatskin. If the ship was now moved forward, the water flowing over the front deck pushed the structure down and the ship submerged. The shape of the overall construction resembled a primitive down elevator . The maximum achievable diving depth was about 3.6 meters. The boat was purely a test ship and had no economic or military importance.

This vehicle was the first submersible boat that could move on its own.

Drebbel had the idea for the construction in 1623. He watched fishermen pulling the catch boxes behind their boats. He noticed that the boats sank deeper into the water when the lines tightened toward the boxes, and they rose out of the water when the lines were slack again. This gave van Drebbel the idea of ​​constructing a submersible boat. Jacob I approved the plan and financed the project.

The painter GW Tweedale recorded the first voyage on the Thames. The famous mathematician Sir Robert Boyle reported in 1662 that he had spoken to one of the passengers on the boat's first voyage. He also claims to have spoken to credible people who confirmed the existence of the boat.

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