Defender

This is a view of the submarine Lake, taken just as she was being hurriedly completed in 1906 so that she could run in the competition with Electric Boat's Octopus (Submarine No. 9). She has yet to be launched from the Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Company in Newport News, Virginia. Originally named Simon Lake XV, she was now simply known as Lake.

Public domain photo in the private collection of Ric Hedman.

The Lake running on the surface, likely in 1906 during the competition. This is a colorized postcard. The large fairing aft allowed the sub to cruise with decks awash or just submerged with the engines running. The bursts of spray seen at the waterline fore and aft of the conning tower are the diving planes folded up against the hull. The sub also had a set of stern planes.

Photo in the private collection of Ric Hedman.

After losing the 1906 competition to the Octopus, Simon Lake brought the boat back to his yard in Bridgeport, CT. and had her heavily modified and updated. She was fitted with a new raked bow and a rebuilt superstructure. While she retained her torpedo firing capabilities, she was now intended to fulfill primarily a salvage and exploration role. The boat was renamed Defender. This photo shows her in 1907 at the end of the modification period.

Contemporary Popular Science photo via Topwar.com (en.topwar.ru).

A diver emerging from Defender's diving lockout chamber, located below the prow of the boat. Simon Lake (with glasses and moustache) and an associate, possibly his captain Sloan Danenhower, observe. The diver is wearing what could be an Alfred Hale Rubber Company three light, 12 bolt diving helmet, or a Morse three light, 12 bolt rig. Since this is only a demonstration, he is not wearing any weights.

Contemporary Popular Science photo via Topwar.com (en.topwar.ru).

Defender running on the surface likely some time in 1907-1908, probably in Long Island Sound. Even fully surfaced she had little reserve buoyancy, and ran with her decks nearly awash.

Photo in the private collection of Ric Hedman.

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