Matagorda "U" Boat

[cptbil]

Matagorda "U" Boat

Any one have equipment to raise a WWII German "U" Boat?
It was "scuttled", NOT! Sunk!
About a mile off shore, in about 60-70 foot of water!

 

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[Charles, Oak Island,NC]

Matagorda "U" Boat

I know one group that can do it. Same ones that's rasing the USS Monitor......The US Navy

 

[captavery]

Matagorda "U" Boat

Did you discover this sub? If so, have you the $$$ to raise it?

Atlantic Search & Recovery has access to pontoon recovery barges that they designed for an East Coast sub site.

 

[oldfart]

Re: Matagorda "U" Boat

If scuttled then seacocks were probably opened adn conning tower etc left open, in that case sealing the tower hatch and installing an air connection should provide buoyancy.
Problem will be the probable blockage over time of the seacocks, you might have to locate these from plans and dig to them.

 

[Charles,Oak Island]

Re: Matagorda "U" Boat

she has been in sea water for at least 59 years. inflating her would probable split her wide open. Would be safer to use sling type lift with bottom/ side support. And of course as soon as the steel hits the air we go to rust faster than under SW. Also take in to consideration the depth (what ever it is) on pressure of the hull.

 

[FISHEYE]

Re: Matagorda "U" Boat

Something else you may want to check into,is if it still has munitions on board as in torpedoes in the front an also the rear of the boat,have a UDT team check them out or disarm them before raiseing up the boat,you could be in for a big bang,or the boat could even been set up as a booby trap to explode when entered,old munitions from years ago are actually more powerful now then back then and are most likely to blow when moved or jarred.I have a friend in the salvage biz that could raise it,plus know several ex navy UDT divers.I was reading somewhere on the net that there was a lost U-boat in the gulf that was floating around that was neutral bouant maybe this is the sub,is it buried in the sand or just sitting there upright?

 

[cptbil]

Re: Matagorda "U" Boat

? Fisheye:
No! This Sub is 3/4 buried in the sand!
BUT!?
There was a "U-Boat" wash up on the entrance to Tampa Bay, When I was last there!
Would you believe, the Coast Guard Station on the "island", right across from it.
Didn't even go over to investigate!
Because two days after it washed up.
Two Fishermen went over and "Claimed" it!?
But! This is the same "Coast GUARD?" Unit, that ran into the "Skyway Bridge", several miles long and very, very! high!
And! Sank thier ship!?
? ? AND!?
Two of the "Guardsman" drowned? ? because they WEREN'T wearing Life Jackets!?
What can you say?? :P
NO!? ? They Aren't the "Keystone Cops"!

 

[rgecy]

Re: Matagorda "U" Boat

The Confederate submarine CSS Hunley was raised by the strap method. It took millions to recover. I think the name of the company was Oceaneering International.

Good Luck,

Robert

 

[dnewbury2]

Re: Matagorda "U" Boat

Tell me more about this U-boat that washed up in Tampa Bay. When was this And where can I get more information?

 

[cptbil]

Re: Matagorda "U" Boat

dnewbury2:
This happened in the late '60's!
? ?
BUT!? What ever you do, don't ask the Coast Guard!
Your best bet would be to check with the newspaper there in St. Peteresburg!
Florida!
Not? Russia!
They ran a pretty complete article about the sub!

 

[Bill_in_fl]

Re: Matagorda "U" Boat

If scuttled then seacocks were probably opened adn conning tower etc left open, in that case sealing the tower hatch and installing an air connection should provide buoyancy.
Problem will be the probable blockage over time of the seacocks, you might have to locate these from plans and dig to them.

Depending on the amount of attached marine concretion that may have added thousands of pounds to the sub in excess of its original weight, just sealing the hatch and filling the ballast tanks would not provide enough
postitive buoyancy to lift the sub. That is assuming the ballast tanks are air tight intact and the pressure hull itself is air tight intact. Plus there is the problem of corroded overpressure release valves not working causing the ballast tanks and possibly the pressure hull itself to explode from too much internal pressure as the air expands as the sub surfaced. Many things to consider here. It is not simple.

It is just not as easy as Frank Sinatra made it look in "Assault on a Queen".

Kindest Regards, Bill Akins.