Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Trailer questions

["Karl Fuller" <fullerk@voyager.co.nz>]

----- Original Message -----
From: Captain Nemo <vulcania@interpac.net>
To: <personal_submersibles@psubs.org>
Sent: 20 July 2000 05:43
Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Trailer questions


>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <VBra676539@aol.com>
> To: <personal_submersibles@psubs.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, July 19, 2000 1:19 PM
> Subject: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Trailer questions
>
>
> >" Dale,
> >
> > The only thing I can add to the voice of experience over there in Hawaii
> is a reminder that the double axle design of George's allows a K-sub to
sit
> more or less squarely over the axles. Pat's tongue wheel is not necessary
> except on a normal trailer jack to lift the hitch off the ball."
>
>
> I'd say that's probably right.  If you had duals and your weight was
> balanced over them, you might not need a third (fifth?) wheel.
>
>
>
>  "The Nautilus looks to have its weight distributed over a much greater
> length than our boats, giving him a little extra tongue weight and
requiring
> the extra support (right, Pat?) when the trailer is disconnected."
>
> Man!  You aint kidding!  The trailer wasn't really designed for the sub; I
> bought it used and adapted it.  The CW on the sub is slightly ahead of the
> side window: I needed to position the CW over the single axle and slightly
> toward the vehicle on the trailer, so she wouldn't go unstable during
> towing.  Kind of just guestimated it, you could say.  But the tongue
weight
> (the force exerted downwards on the bumper hitch) is extremely heavy,
> compared to most boats I've seen.  I can lift it by hand, but it takes a
lot
> of strength.  A floor jack is preferable for lifting, and the trike wheel
is
> absolutely necessary for cable launching.  I don't think I could move the
> sub weight far enough back toward the axle to make much difference in the
> tongue weight before I ran out of room and had the sub hanging too far off
> the back of the trailer.  Even if I did, I'd still need the trike wheel,
> because I've only got a single axle main gear.  What I need is a better
> trailer: something with duals custom made would be nice.  Maybe one of
these
> days...
> >
> > "By comparison, the Ks are so short that the hull itself only has a 16"
to
> 18" overhang front to back, beyond the axle's center to center location.
> Very handy. All you need to do is shift the thing forward an inch or three
> to give you a 150ish pound tongue weight and you are ready to rock and
roll.
> Mine tows like a dream at 75mph."
>
> In comparison to the 66 Chevy 6-cylinder Sportvan I originally trailered
> mine with, which had broken shocks, worn springs, and began to dolphin so
> bad at 50 MPH crossing the bridge (when I was going to put her on display
at
> a local dive show) that I almost lost control and ended up in the drink,
> sub, trailer, van, and all.  And man!  You ought to see that single tongue
> flex!  When the trike is installed, the 3rd wheel cants over about 10 to
15
> degrees!  Really freaky!  I mean, it worked well enough for the float
tests,
> but just barely.  When we take her to Kona this September, we're probably
> going to load the trailer on a flatbed truck for the drive to the other
side
> of the island.  As trailers go, mine is pretty poor.
>
>  "They are harder than average to back because the tongue is short, but
when
> you park it in the garage, it will sit almost evenly with no support at
all
> under the tongue so you can heave it around a little bit by hand if you
need
> to."
>
> Again, in comparison to mine: when I want to move it a bit in the garage,
I
> grab a big steel bar to "lever it over" an inch or two at a time.  A real
> pain.  Gotta get a better trailer.
> >
> > "Hey, Pat. Day 3 of 84. Sound familiar?  Vance"
>
> Yep!  Lynn and I are on Day 38 of 84 in CHALLENGE 2000.  I know exactly
what
> you mean.  And allow me to say "Congratulations and good for you!"  I'm
> really jazzed about BFL because I honestly believe it's the best thing we
> can do for ourselves.  A lot of people listen and agree with me, but
almost
> nobody actually DOES it.  But you're going for it and I'm really glad to
> hear that.  How are your energy levels?  Up, I'll bet.  Get it on, dude!
> This is a good thing!
>
> Pat
>
Trailer builders, something to think about, is that if your sub is short and
of high mass, and sits on a tandem trailer which has wheels as close
together, as some I've seen for boats, then there could be a problem on a
steep slipway, when the trailer is on the end of a wire. The centre of mass
of the sub would shift over the back wheels and could tip the trailer up but
it would also depend on the height of the sub above the trailer as well.
Just something to consider.
Thanks for all the responses about fuel cells. From what I've found out,
there are various fuel/air systems and one hopefully that could be safe for
an autonomous sub.

Regards,
Karl
>
>
>
>