Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Blowing ballast (was: question about general design?)

[Lew Clayman <lew_clayman@yahoo.com>]

--- "Michael B. Holt" <mholt@richmond.edu> wrote:

> The TRIESTE used BBs, or something solid like that.  I suppose
> sand would work just as well.

A green two cents worth, SVP.  

I appreciate that lead is pretty much the ideal ballast in terms of density and cost (yes, there
are denser materials but they're pretty exotic - read expensive and/or hazardous, eg depleted
uranium.)

Still, lead is notoriously bad for all manner of living things.  It sure would be nice to use
droppable ballast that is no big deal.  Water taken on locally, sand taken on locally, these are
pretty benign in that they only return to the lake (or whatever) material that was already in
there.

Thoughts, anyone?

-L


=====
"Yo no soy marinero / Soy capitan"
          - Traditional Mexican Lyric (La Bamba)
=====

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