Many years ago, right after the South Lake Florida Submarine Veterans Base officially popped its periscope above water, our dedicated members took to building a parade float. The goal? Spread the proud creed of the USSVI, show off our submariner pride, and remind our local community that while we like to stay below the surface, we still know how to put on a show.
The float was an absolute home run with our base members, associates, families, and the local community. We cruised through multiple parade deployments over the course of a couple of years, collecting waves, smiles, and plenty of honor along the way.
Florida vs. The Fleet: Everything was smooth sailing, until we ran into our ultimate tactical adversary… Florida weather.
Submarines are built to take a beating beneath the sea, but turns out they aren’t quite a match for the “Sunshine State’s” brutal combination of relentless humidity, surprise downpours, and UV radiation intense enough to melt enthusiasm. Despite using sealants that were supposed to render our vessel indestructible, the main body slowly began to deteriorate. Pretty soon, our proud sub looked less like a vessel of the Silent Service and more like a ghost ship. It was a sad sight, and definitely wasn’t living up to our standard of keeping things strictly “Shipshape.”
Faced with a sub in distress, the base held council to figure out our next move. We tossed around all kinds of wild remedies—including a few outside-the-box ideas that probably required top-secret clearance and approval from naval command. Just when we were wondering if we’d have to scrap the whole thing, one of our younger members pitched a wild idea: Why not 3D print a replacement submarine? Light materials? Check. Lower manufacturing cost? Check. No special clearance needed from the Pentagon? Double check! It was instantly named our best path forward.
In February 2026, we officially entered the “Digital Drydock” phase to design a 5% scale 688-class attack submarine. We started small by printing a single rib section to bring to the March 2026 base meeting. The crew gave a thumbs-up to the concept and chimed in with crucial structural tweaks. The CAD design was forged in SolidWorks xDesign using measurements from our old model, public domain info, and reference books (we had to ensure nobody accidentally leaked classified submarine specs stored in their heads, of course). The numbers were converted into a 1/20th scale replica—close enough to look authentic, with just enough math rounding to keep the designer sane!
Like any proper naval operation, we faced a few early plot twists—including burnt-out printers, shifting materials, and constant design tweaks. To actually print an 18-foot boat, the entire model had to be sliced into interlocking puzzle pieces that fit on our workhorse printer, a BambuLab P1S. The best part? The modular design means that if a rogue parade spectator bumps into us down the line, we can just print out a fresh hull section!
The final specs on this plastic behemoth? A whopping 18 feet long with a 19.5-inch beam.
Once our new BambuLab P1S arrived in April 2026, manufacturing shifted into overdrive. Early on, we pivoted from standard PLA filament to PETG, which now makes up almost the entire submarine. PETG was our Goldilocks material: heavy-duty UV resistance to fight the Florida sun, incredible durability, easy to print, and best of all—no toxic fumes in the workshop like ASA or ABS produce. (We prefer our air clean, thank you very much!)
On September 30, 2026, after months of round-the-clock printing, production finally wrapped! The hull is assembled from a grand total of 235 printed parts and chewed through nearly 90 spools of filament (including a few inevitable “spaghetti monster” printing fails). Only one single part was not 3D printed: the original screw! We’re transferring the original propeller onto the new vessel during final assembly—a fitting way to carry the legacy, sweat, and dedication of our founding members right into the future.
What started as CAD pixels on a screen…
…is now 18 feet of glory ready to hit the streets!
We’re currently in the home stretch of final assembly, securing the sections together with 1/4-inch threaded rods and heavy-duty bonding agents so she won’t break in half mid-parade, before mounting her securely onto the main float chassis.
Keep your eyes on the horizon! Our official deployment debut is scheduled for the Clermont, FL and Minneola, FL community holiday parades in December 2026. Make sure to come out, cheer on the crew, and inspect our 3D-printed sub up close!