Private company

Lake Torpedo Boat Company

The Lake Torpedo Boat Company of Bridgeport, Connecticut, was an early builder of submarines for the United States Navy in the early 20th century.2 It was founded in 1901 by Simon Lake.1 It ceased to exist in 1924.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1901Founded1
  • Industryshipbuilding1
  • HeadquartersBridgeport1
USS R-26, R-25, R-27, and R-23
Photo: U.S. Navy photograph, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons4

The Lake Torpedo Boat Company of Bridgeport, Connecticut, was an early builder of submarines for the United States Navy in the early 20th century.2

The story

Founded by Simon Lake in 1901.1

Founded by Simon Lake in 1912, the company was located at the east end of Seaview Avenue in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Most of the submarines completed by Lake Torpedo Boat were completed from 1918 to 1922.

The firm competed with the Electric Boat Company until financial difficulties led to the company's demise in 1924. The Navy ceased awarding contracts to Lake shortly before that time, partly because USS S-2 (SS-106), the company's entry in the S-class submarine design competition, was not selected for further production. Only nine S-boats were built by Lake. Also, the yard was not physically able to build the large submarine cruisers then envisioned, such as USS Argonaut (SM-1). The Washington Naval Treaty's limits on submarines were also a major factor. At the time, the Navy wished to concentrate submarine construction at Navy Yards, particularly Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, Maine.

The company completed 26 submarines for the US Navy, designed two US Navy submarines that were built in other yards, and built several other submarines for civilian use or that were not accepted by the Navy. Some of the submarines built by Lake for the Navy included several G-class, L-class, N-class, O-class, and R-class submarines. The company designed the Imperial Russian Navy's Osetr-class submarines, the first of which was Lake's Protector. The Kaiman-class submarines were also designed for Russia.

From Wikipedia’s article on Lake Torpedo Boat, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3

Leadership

Who has led Lake Torpedo Boat Company, and when. Pick a name to see everywhere that person has worked.

Timeline

  1. 1924Dissolved Dissolved1
  2. 1901Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4