A yellow submarine: 17-foot, 2-man vessel goes for sea trial at Point Hudson

"It's filling up!"

During the launch of a wooden boat, that phrase would be an urgent - though not unusual - call for help. But Monday morning, Jeff Hammers was thrilled as his yellow submarine filled with water for a brief sea trial at Point Hudson.

"This is my first submarine," said the man who has owned countless contraptions over the years.

For this shakedown cruise, Jeff wisely stayed on shore while Grant Ausk, Eric Helimann and Kevin Goatz of Townsend Bay Dive Shop tried it out. It didn't stay very level or go too far, but everyone survived.

Built to transport two divers, it's supposed to submerge but not sink or capsize. "It needs a little help," Jeff said. "It has a tendency to roll a little bit," and it's underpowered.

If he can get it working right, well, he might just take it to Key West and rent it out to divers, Jeff said. He's not a diver, but that didn't give him a moment's hesitation at the Stokes Auction in Port Orchard three weeks ago. Jeff said a friend of his had stumbled upon the submarine at the auction preview and immediately thought of him.

"I'm into weird stuff," Jeff said. "I'll take a submarine." Jeff wasn't planning to bid on anything but ended up with a 17-foot submarine...[PTLeader.com]