![]() The cruising speed is ½ knot, full speed 2 knots, range 3 miles. This combination lets Alvin’s skilled pilots fly the sub through rugged sea floor topography, hover, or come to rest on the bottom. It is powered by six reversible electric thrusters, three to move it backward and forward, two for up and down movement, and one for turning. It is 23’ long, weighs 16 tons, has an operating depth of 15,000 feet, and carries a pilot and two scientists in the 7′-diameter pressure sphere. ![]() The Alvin is the only deep-diving manned submersible in the fleet of 15 American deepwater research vessels. Peering down through the entry hatch to the cramped space where the operator and two scientists sit for many hours, inspired me to learn more about underwater research craft and deep sea exploration in general. ![]() Alvin is probably the best known craft of its type in the world, having appeared in numerous TV programs making ground-breaking discoveries-several of them off the Washington coast. (research vessel) Atlantis and its famous submersible Alvin while it was docked in Astoria. Last year I had the opportunity to tour the 274′ R.V. ![]()
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