Kathy A. Smith
February 18, 2025
The Fascinated by Shipwrecks Podcast, hosted by Kathy A. Smith, is dedicated to the People & the Science of Maritime Archaeology.
- EPISODE 8 – Guest: Vince Capone – Hunting Shipwrecks with Side Scan Sonar
“The robot is navigating underwater and runs a search pattern, collecting the data. We are not at the point where we can transmit that data in real time back to the vessel because of the volume of data. We can transmit snippets to make sure it’s working. When I say snippets, those are just small images of the sonar waterfall. But that time is coming. The biggest thing we have now is using a computer for analysis.” Vince Capone
Technological changes in shipwreck hunting, side scan sonar and underwater robotics is something Vince Capone has had a front row seat to since the 1970s when he became a certified NAUI advanced diver exploring the shipwrecks of New Jersey. In this episode, host Kathy A. Smith talks with Capone about the famous seven-sided 1758 Land Tortoise radeau cannon platform known as the Lake George Radeau, the discovery of the U-215 mine-laying U-boat, and the work underway to find what may be another civil war submarine.
About Vince Capone
Vince started his underwater career in the mid-1970s as a certified NAUI advanced diver. He went on to earn degrees in Marine Biology and Marine Science with minors in geology and experimental statistics. An expert in marine technology, Vince has over 35 years of worldwide hydrographic and underwater search and survey operations experience and is the renowned President and Founder of Black Laser Learning. He is an expert in side scan sonar search operations/sonar image analysis and regularly designs and conducts training seminars for the U.S. Navy, law enforcement, fire rescue, fire, rescue, and commercial clients. Capone is a member of the Explorer’s Club and, in 2014, he received Citation of Merit, as operations manager for locating and recovering the Apollo rocket motors from the deep ocean off the Florida coast.
Watch the full episode below: