| SMS KRONPRINZ WILHELM – SHIP DETAILS | |
| Type | Steel, Konig class dreadnought battleship |
| Shipyard | Germania Dockyard, Kiel |
| Launched | 21.02.1914 |
| Dimensions (LOA) | 575.8’x96.8’x27.3’ (IMP) 175.4×29.5×8.3 metres |
| Tonnage | 25,930dt |
| Engines | 3 x 45,750 shp steam turbines |
| Armament | 10 x 30.5cm quick firing L/50 guns, 14 x 15 cm guns, 4 x 8,8 cm anti-aircraft guns, 2 x machine guns, 5 x 50 cm submerged torpedo tubes |
| SMS KRONPRINZ WILHELM – WRECK DETAILS | |
| Position | 58° 53.624’N, 003° 09.915’W |
| Seabed depth | 37.5 metres |
| Least depth on wreck | 14 metres |
| Orientation | 115°/ 295° |
| Lying | Lies inverted with list to starboard, bow points northwest |
| Description | The Kronprinz Wilhelm received a similar salvage strategy as the Konig but retains more key features for the diver to view. The wreck lies inverted and listing well over to starboard so that all its casemate guns on the starboard side are below the seabed. Most of her five main turrets are also partially or completely below the seabed although it is possible to swim under the port side of the wreck at D &E turrets and view a 12” gun barrel of D turret sitting on the roof E turret, also note rangefinder ‘helmet’ on top of E turret. There should be swim lines set up for divers to follow from the base of the shot line to these items.
Aft of D & E turrets follow the port side to visit the stern which is more intact than the Konig. Here the narrow stern and two large rudders can be seen, these are located behind the stubs of the propshafts that were salvaged along with the propellors. Moving forward from here the engine and boiler rooms have been salvaged, accessed through the hull and as with the others this is an area of tangled metal but accessible to the diver to explore. Midships its possible to drop over the port side where you will find the main mast and spotting top lying along the seabed perpendicular to the ships side, this is worth exploring where its possible to see the access ladder within the mast. Moving back to the port side along the mast at low level it is possible to see a few of the 5.9’ casemate guns in their housings. The bow section has been blasted and there is a physical drop from the base of the hull (shallow) down to the bow itself, an area of debris and plating although the bow is just discernible. The Kronprinz still retains its size and mass but it is clear that it is degrading but there are a range of features to see, this short summary does not do it justice. At present it is still a wreck that will take 2-3 dives to even start to understand. Recent multibeam sonar surveys provide 3D visual models of these wrecks, and we recommend viewing them online prior your dive expedition. |
