Simon Lake did not have a Plasma Table, and that did not even slow him down. We too often use the excuse that we don’t have the proper tools, but what we are often missing is the ability to see the solutions that are sitting right in front of us.
Argonaut Jr – Cutting and Laminating Wood for the Submarine
Power tools, CNC Router Tables, Plasma Cutters, and Welders are all at our fingertips. In 1894, Simon Lake had none of these things, yet he built a working submarine.
Argonaut Jr – Tiller Wheel
The brilliance of Simon Lake’s submarine was the wheels. Without any underwater navigation other than a compass, wheels removed drifting with the current and allow measuring the distance traveled by counting the rotations of the wheels.
Argonaut Jr and Marine Plywood Testing
If you’re going to build a wooden submarine, you might want to see if all the advice about marine plywood is true. The answer will surprise you.
Argonaut Jr – Models
Models are not just a great way to visualize a piece of history but they are very helpful step in the design and construction process.
Work to be done in Charleston
…and it needs to be done in a very distracting city. Adding this harbor to my Happy Places.
Nanoplastics and Human Health
Dr. Roman Lehner, Sail and Explorer’s, scientific Project Leader, explains the effects of nanoplastics on human health. This lecture was given on board SV Seeker in 2025 during a week of sampling nanoplastics in the Florida Keys.
Video and photo credits to Aubri Keith, Sea Keepers Program Development Manager
A Breakthrough – Making Nanoplastics for Research
Dr. Roman Lehner, Sail and Explorer’s, scientific Project Leader, explains his breakthrough for making nanoplastics for scientific analysis, and what comes next. This lecture was given on board SV Seeker in 2025 during a week of sampling nanoplastics in the Florida Keys.
Video and photo credits to Aubri Keith, Sea Keepers Program Development Manager
