Could a Scapa Flow dreadnought be raised?

Could a German dreadnought at Scapa Flow have been refloated in the 1980s, and what condition would it be in?

Recovery is conceivable with modern equipment, but long immersion and the need for immediate conservation make it a difficult proposition even for an earlier 1980s attempt.

Decades in salt water leave the surviving Scapa Flow wrecks in poor condition and make conservation central to any recovery attempt. Bringing corroded hull structure into the air can accelerate deterioration unless treatment is ready. Remotely operated vehicles and flotation bags offer possible recovery methods, but lifting a wreck would only begin the preservation problem. The legal distinction raised is between historic monuments or war memorials and the specific designation of a war grave. Recovering low-background steel once offered a commercial motive, although improved measurement and reduced contamination after atmospheric nuclear testing have weakened that incentive.