Chinese farmer launches homemade submarine, sparks underwater excitement
From River‑Side to Depth‑Side: Zhang Shengwu’s Homemade Submarine
In the quiet stretch of a river near Hanshan county, an unassuming farmer has turned a dream into a real, underwater craft. Zhang Shengwu, a 60‑year‑old resident of Anhui’s eastern hills, has built a steel submarine—coined the “Big Black Fish”—capable of carrying two people, diving eight metres and holding its breath for up to half an hour.
Early Inspiration
- In 2014, a television segment on global submarine construction sparked a fire in Zhang’s mind.
- With a background in carpentry and shipping, Zhang saw a gap: no local boat could actually dive.
- He declared, “If others can do it, I can do it too.”
First Trials and Failures
Zhang invested 5,000 yuan (about $700) in steel plates, engines and miscellaneous parts, launching an initial prototype in 2016. The sub leaked—an outcome that felt both terrifying and exhilarating. Zhang remembered, “It felt like a dream, but I feared the leak and longed to go deeper.”
Rebuilding the Fleet
- He poured two tons of concrete into the bottom of the hull and installed two ballast tanks.
- With an additional 40,000 yuan, he constructed a larger steel framework for the “Big Black Fish.”
- The craft, now 7 metres (23 feet) long, weighs five tonnes and can cover four knots per hour.
Operational Limits
Unlike the navy’s nuclear‑powered submarines—able to stay submerged for months—Zhang’s sub relies on a small battery and electric motor. It must surface after 30 minutes due to battery depletion.
Future Plans
Despite his wife’s doubts about the “expensive, risky, useless” venture, Zhang remains determined to expand his design. He intends to build an even larger submarine in coming years.
Other Chinese Home‑Built Submarines
- 2015: A villager in Shaanxi borrowed 200,000 yuan to build a 9.2‑metre submarine.
- 2009: Tao Xiangli, a karaoke bar employee, rode a homemade sub around a Beijing reservoir.
These projects illustrate a growing trend of everyday inventors turning imagination into reality—one class of submarines at a time.
