The submarine, called the Acorn is an 8-foot replica of the 1776 submersible known as the Turtle, said Johnson. It was equipped with oxygen tanks.
It is a handmade, 8 foot by 4 foot, one man vessel, a replica of a civil war vessel, made from wood and fiberglass, at the end of a tow rope tied to an inflatable boat.
The Connecticut River Museum claims to own the only working, full-scale model of the submarine. The one-man, hand-propelled vessel was used in September 1776 in a failed attempt to attach a bomb to the hull of a British warship.
The owner of the sub is Philip Riley, of Brooklyn.
August 3, 2007
(less)