The following pages contains the galleries and videos for the UC3 Nautilus project. A diesel/electric submarine build by Peter Madsen and a group of volunteers.
By 1870 science fiction novelist Jules Verne wrote a fantastic story about the mysterious Captain Nemo and his submarine “Nautilus”. Nemo was an individual seeking freedom and independence in the depths of the oceans. He had constructed Nautilus with his faithful friends on a secret shipyard situated on the island of “Vulcania”.
This idea was far ahead of its time, but not impossible.
The novel inspired inventers, scientist and shipbuilders, and by the time of World War One the submarine had matured into the deadly and effective navel weapon it still is today in the nuclear age.
Until now – after more than one hundred years with the technology available – no individual or non government group have ever turned Verne’s original idea into reality. The peaceful – civilian, live onboard research submarine. However now in the Capital of Denmark – on an abandoned old shipyard, on an almost secret island – a small group of individuals are about to launch their dream.
Today’s Nautilus is almost a half scale of the Danish Navy’s submarines of the Tumleren klassen. Just less than half as long, half as wide, diveing to half the depth and moving at about half the speed, manned with just about half the crew. Nautilus stands 17.76 meters long and has a beam of two meters. Its crew can be up to eight persons, and it moves at seven to nine knots depending on weather its surfaced or submerged. Like the fictional Nautilus the boat has a number of big windows or view ports – the largest in the control room being almost half a meter wide. The boat is exceptionally strongly build, with a theoretical collapse depth of some 400 meters. However – as a safety precaution, under normal conditions, it will only dive to 100 meters.
The purpose of the project has been recreational only – there are no investors or commercial intentions behind. This submarine, no matter how exceptional or mystic – is simply a DIY recreational leisure vessel with some extra features.
The Nautilus has been build by some 25 persons, ranging from Maria who spend some days doing paintwork to Peter Blazewicz or who has spend many long hours modeling a 3D computer drawing of the boat. After its launch the boat will be used by these people, their friends and relatives for expeditions that may take them just about anywhere in the world.