08 May Wreck exploration SMS Kaiser Franz Josef
Wreckdiving exploration at cove of Kotor to the steamcruiser SMS Kaiser Franz Josef I.
After long time of planning, time came to go to Montenegro, exploring the historic wreck of the SMS Kaiser Franz Josef I.
All dive equipment made ready and loaded into our cars on the afternoon, we started in the evening our 13 hours road trip to Croatia. In the very south part of Croatia, directly on the Montenegrin boarder is Molunat, which was our base camp for that wreck exploration. Just arrived we met the other divers on their breakfast, together we discussed the last things went off for diving.
We also dove some other interesting wrecks at this area, which was not easy because of the unstable weather. However our primary goal was to dive the SMS Kaiser Franz Josef. We´ve done 3 dives on her, less than planned but OK. It was enough to get an overview of the current state of the wreck and we also shot some documentary pictures of the wreck of SMS Kaiser Franz Josef I.
This dive exploration has found a quick end because of gale force wind with flooded compressor, gas mix station….
History Austria-Hungary
Name: SMS Kaiser Franz Joseph I Builder: Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino Launched: 18 May 1889 General characteristics Class and type: Kaiser Franz Joseph I-class protected cruiser Displacement:
- Design: 5,330 t (5,250 long tons; 5,880 short tons)
- Full load: 6,026 t (5,931 long tons; 6,643 short tons)
Length: 113.7 m (373.0 ft) Beam: 16.25 m (53.3 ft) Draft: 6.81 m (22.3 ft) Propulsion:
- Two triple-expansion engines
- 9,755 ihp (7,274 kW)
Speed: 19.35 knots (36 km/h; 22 mph) Complement: 475 Armament:
- 2 × 24 cm K L/35 guns
- 8 × 15 cm SK L/35 guns
- 12 × 4.7 cm L/44 guns
- 6 × 4.7 cm L/33 Hotchkiss guns
- 4 × 45 cm (18 in) torpedo tubes
Armor:
- Belt armor: 100 mm (3.9 in)
- Armor deck: 38 to 57 mm (1.5 to 2.2 in)
- Turrets: 100 mm
- Casemates: 8 mm (0.31 in)
- Conning tower: 50 mm (2.0 in)
Source: Wikipedia
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