Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Rebar/Fiberglass Hull- 1 ATM design

[Michael Holt <mholt@richmond.edu>]

John Farrington wrote:
> 
> > For the life of me I can't understand why more people haven't latched =
> > onto the idea of buying premade boiler end caps to construct a saucer =
> > shaped hull. There wouldn't be any forming, and welding would be =
> > minimal, I'm sure you could get a mobile welding service for your needs. =
> > Somebody really needs to put one of these together and document the time =
> > and money saved with this technique.
> >
> > JP

Funny thing here: I didn't get the original of this one.  Was there
more to it?

How big are the end caps?  What depth, etc.?

> I've talked about doing exactly that with my better-half.  Actually,
> we were talking about making a pair of them, one for me, one for her,
> and using a dome type of hatch like that found on a K-250.  Sitting
> on a trailer, or in the water, the thing would definitely look like
> a little flying saucer.  A couple of external motor pods on the sides
> that were rotatable, again, like a K-250's, and it would probably
> be pretty maneuverable.

Balance might be exciting.  Where will the weight be?

What would the pressure hull be?  The whole thing?  Where
would you put the ballast tanks?  (In a bubble on the keel?)

Not much freeboard ... so you'd have to latch the bubble
before putting the thing in the water.  That's the same
problem I encountered when plotting my Marder replica.

And it might be uncomfortable.  Long ago I tried releasing a 
saucer-shaped float underwater, and as it rose to the surface 
it fluttered rapidly.  

But if you can get the thing balanced, and you can get the
thing launched without too much trouble, it'd be so easy
to turn that you'd never be craning your neck to see something.




Mike