Awesome job, Ray. I don't think I would want to be submerged in that contraption, but it's an interesting idea.
We all live in a wooden submarine! A wooden submarine! A wooden submarine! (Apologies to The Beatles.)
No, not a ship. Two of the more famous whaling ships of the era are the Charles W. Morgan (currently at Mystic Seaport in Connecticut), and the Essex (sunk by a whale in 1820). The Essex was the inspiration for Moby-Dick.
What? A Nantucket Sleigh Ride? It's what happens when you harpoon a whale & it tows you around the ocean! It's called that because most of the whalers from New England were from Nantucket.
Interesting build. I like it. I saw somewhere (YouTube, probably) that the Tennessee Highway Patrol has a Peterbilt similar to this, but they use it to bust car drivers talking or texting while driving.
I'd like to see that article if you can find it.
I hadn't really considered the IMC/Testors/Lindberg van trailer, but I guess that would work, wouldn't it.