Elenco Submarine - Manual (Page 10)

A boat with sails has a part which is submerged in the water and invisible to enemies.
The pilot uses a passage to get into the lower part undercover: the Mechanical
Submarine. A pulley and rope system lowers the submarine which can unhook itself
underwater and proceed invisibly towards the enemy. The submarine has two air
chambers which can be used for steering and also for air needed by the pilot, who has
a mouthpiece. Steering underwater is done by means of a mechanical system. The
pilot’s feet turn a mechanical motor which transforms the pedalling motion into the
mechanical movement of two fins to the rear.
The submarine is propelled forward by the fins as if it were a mechanical fish, and a
system of two rudders steered with the arms maneuvers the saboteur underneath an
enemy ship. Once there, the submarine can use the spring and screw weapons to
pierce the keel of the ship to sink it. Da Vinci considered the system of the secret
mechanical submarine a lethal weapon and incredibly dangerous; it is almost
impossible for the enemy to detect it and it can cause a great deal of damage to an
entire fleet.
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