History
Switzerland
NameF.-A. Forel
NamesakeFrançois-Alphonse Forel
BuilderGiovanola Frères SA
LaunchedDecember 1978
Out of service2005
StatusLa Maison de la Rivière
General characteristics
TypeSubmersible
Displacement11 t (11 long tons; 12 short tons)
Length7.54 m (24.7 ft)
Beam2.12 m (7.0 ft)
Height2.30 m (7.5 ft)
Propulsionelectric motors, batteries
Speed4 km/h (2.5 mph)
Crew3
ArmamentNone

The F.-A. Forel was a manned underwater submersible built in 1978 by Jacques Piccard. Built at the Giovanola fabrication plant in Monthey and launched in Ouchy (Lausanne), it was one of the four submarines that have explored the depths of Lake Geneva, along with the Auguste Piccard and the two Mirs.

It is named after the Swiss Limnologist FA Forel.

The F.-A. Forel achieved a total of 3,600 dives with more than 6,000 passengers between 1979 and 2005. Many of them were done in Lake Geneva, although the submersible visited many other lakes such as Lake Neuchâtel, Lake Constance, Lake Zurich, Lake Lucerne, Lake Maggiore, Lake Bracciano and Lake Lugano. It also visited the Strait of Messina where it reached a depth of 560 metres. Although most of the missions were scientific, the submersible was also used for legal inquiries, industrial observations and tourism.

The ship is currently on display at La Maison de la Rivière in Tolochenaz.[1]

References

  1. ↑ "Sous-marin F.-A. Forel". www.maisondelariviere.ch. La Maison de la Rivière. Archived from the original on 2014-11-04. Retrieved 2014-11-04.

Earth 46°29′35″N 06°28′46″E / 46.49306°N 6.47944°E / 46.49306; 6.47944

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