Awe as Man Spends Four Years and $26K Building 6,000lbs Steel Submarine

A video about a “horrifying but impressive” submarine hand-built by a man in upstate New York has taken the internet by storm, amassing millions of views on social media.
Steve, who did not share his last name with Newsweek, designed the 26-foot-long vessel entirely on his own. The clip, shared on the YouTube channel Planes Boats and Submarines (@PlanesBoatsandSubmarines), has attracted 7.3 million views on YouTube as well as 13 million views on TikTok (@planesboatsandsubmarines) since it was posted on September 12.
The viral video shows “how to dive the submarine, which is essentially flooding the ballast tanks to make the sub neutrally buoyant,” Steve told Newsweek.
The clip shows Steve sitting inside “Lake Defender,” the name of the submarine he built, as he walks viewers through the various steps taken to prepare it to safely go under water, including closing every hatch to “make sure that everything is sealed” to prevent water from seeping through.
The submarine, which weighs 6,000 lbs and is made entirely of steel, was completed in 2021 after four years of work. Steve was inspired to build one after seeing Andy Seymour’s homemade submarine, called The Kraken, which he had seen on a science channel segment.
“I built the entire submarine alone by hand,” Steve told Newsweek. “To date, it has cost $26,000 in materials and increases with each addition and modification because we are always improving it for our YouTube channel.”
The viral video comes as newly released footage from the U.S. Coast Guard last week showed the moment that the Titan submersible wreckage was found on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean.
The submersible went missing back in June last year with five people on board during an expedition to explore the wreck of the Titanic, found 13,000 feet down at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, around 370 miles off the coast of Newfoundland in Canada. The incident led to mass search-and-rescue efforts.
Earlier this year in May, scientists proposed that “micro-buckling” in the hull of the submersible may have caused it to collapse under pressure.
The submersible, which is made of carbon fiber and titanium, was initially feared to have lost power or been otherwise unable to return to the surface. However, it turned out that it had imploded just hours into the trip, instantly killing everyone on board.
Steve, who owns a custom boat manufacturing company, emphasized that safety was a top priority during the submarine’s design and testing phases. “We are a USCG (U.S. Coast Guard) registered manufacturer. We performed multiple safety checks in-house during surface trials and unmanned dives,” he said.
Although the submarine is not certified for commercial use, it has undergone rigorous testing for personal use. The submarine can dive up to 60 feet, with a crush depth—where it would implode under water pressure—estimated at 120 feet, according to another YouTube video posted by Steve.
In a comment left in another video post on TikTok, Steve reassured viewers about the submarine’s capabilities: “Its crush depth is estimated 120ft or a little more. We would never push the limits. 60ft is half the estimated crush depth for safety margin.”
The submarine’s features are designed for long-term underwater exploration and is intended for use in freshwater lakes only, not salt water, he noted.
“It could go under water for over 24 hours with enough oxygen and CO2 scrubbing material [which is designed to absorb carbon dioxide from the air to maintain safe levels in enclosed environments, such as a submarine] on board. Typically, we keep enough for a few hours,” Steve said.
The submarine’s top speed is three to four mph (miles per hour) when running on full batteries, adding to its limited but precise performance. He also emphasized the practicality and sturdiness of the vessel, explaining that “it is solid steel, and incredibly sturdy and durable against weather, waves and wind.”
Steve’s attention to detail goes beyond the structural design. He described the measures in place to ensure safety during dives, comparing them to practices in scuba diving.
“We have identifier barrels tethered to the submarine while underwater to notify boats. Also, with each dive, we have a surface support boat for safety and recovery in the event of any emergency,” Steve said. Fortunately, no emergencies have occurred so far. “There has never been a dangerous or close call moment.”
Users on TikTok and YouTube were terrified but equally impressed by the hand-built submarine.
“This is horrifying but impressive as hell,” said TikTok user yungl0ckgrippa.
TikToker masterclasscomments agreed, noting: “It scares me for a 1,000 reasons but it’s still cool though.”
Cody Roberson on TikTok said: “My inner child is freaking out. This is awesome.”
YouTube user MrMe4544 said: “Bro that is one of the coolest things I’ve EVER seen. I can’t believe you built that!”
Blazedragonlord on YouTube wrote: “Wow 4 years, that’s dedication man! That’s awesome that you built your own submarine.”
YouTube user bobbysenterprises3220 said: “Both the coolest and most terrifying thing I have seen in a while.”
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