Why the Confederate sub Hunley sank ...

[blackhawknj]

Getting back to The Hunley, the version I read was that the bulkhead for the ballast tanks did not go all the way from the bottom deck to the ceiling, the shock of the explosion was enough to throw it off balance, water from the ballast tanks spilled into the compartment.
The Hunley could have benefited from more R&D-Hunley would have told you that. And, as William B. Cushing would tell you, spar torpedoes require a verylong lanyard.

[dogtag]

Getting back to The Hunley, the version I read was that the bulkhead for the ballast tanks did not go all the way from the bottom deck to the ceiling, the shock of the explosion was enough to throw it off balance, water from the ballast tanks spilled into the compartment.
The Hunley could have benefited from more R&D-Hunley would have told you that. And, as William B. Cushing would tell you, spar torpedoes require a verylong lanyard.

Pity you weren't there to give advice.

[JB White]

It could have used a little more R&D. It was the first of its kind. Yesteryear, just like today, products suffered from 80% development and put to market. "Then we'll see what we need to do about improvements."

There is that whole thing about the light. They had to be on the surface unless it wasn't really their light which was spotted.

[togor]

To me the amazing thing is that a third crew manned it, after the first two drowned.