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Banstead Underwater Diving Club

 

SMS Kron Prinz Wilhelm

 

Konig Class Battleship displacing 25,390 tons.  Sister ship to the Konig and Markgraf, she was launched in Kiel in 1914, one of the largest dreadnoughts ever seen.  The Kiel Canal had to be specially widened to let her and her sister ships through upon completion.  She has an overall length of 575 feet (177 metres).

 

Lying on her starboard main deck in 34-39 metres of water, much of her superstructure is buried in the silty bottom.  The least depth over her is about 15 metres.  Of the three battleships, she is in the best condition, although there has been some blasting by salvagers, particularly in the area of the engine room.  Her main armament can still be found, and the wreck makes for an exciting dive, not just for wreck ferrets, but also because of the abundant life and the sheer immensity of her size.