An experimental study has been carried out at circulating water channel to investigate the non-breaking and breaking waves generated by a submerged circular cylinder steadily moving under the free surface. Free surface profiles and pressure distributions on cylinder surface were measured at various submerged depths of cylinder. They were complemented by the measurements of velocities, head losses and turbulence intensities in the wakes of body and "breaker". Part 1 of this three-part paper describes the experimental arrangement and the patterns of wave profile and pressure distribution at various depths of submergence. These databank contributions are of special interest in traditional ship hydrodynamics. In Part 2, special focuses are made to elucidate the viscous and turbulent aspects of flow field. Finally Part 3 will deal with the visualization of instantaneous vortical flow to study the mutual interaction between vorticies shedded from the free-surface and the cylinder using a Particle Image Velocimetry.