Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] New potential sinker

["Bob Teufel" <robert.teufel@verizon.net>]

Hi Pat,

I was thinking that one of you guys would have the background to figure out
what my last name means.  Oh well, it's just a name!

It was interesting when I was in Germany, (1982-1984) understanding just
enough of the language to hear my german friends say to each other, "Heir
ist Der Teufel,"  (Here is the Devil) etc. etc.

Your email was very encouraging.  And your right, we don't do this to prove
anything to anyone except maybe ourselves.  Other than that, it is the joy
of doing and the desire to have fun that keeps us scratching our heads and
busting our knuckles.

I really wish I could attend the convention this year, but, it just won't
work for me now.  Maybe next year!

Thanks for the encouragement.

Bob T.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Captain Nemo" <vulcania@hawaii.rr.com>
To: <personal_submersibles@psubs.org>
Sent: Saturday, June 15, 2002 6:19 AM
Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] New potential sinker


> Hi Bob,
>
> Been reading your thread.  Yup, you've got the sub-bug, alright.  Welcome
to
> the club.   A homebuilt submarine is a great project.    (Some replies to
> your comments below...)
>
>
>
> "Just so every one knows, I am 40.  Not a wet behind the ears infant, and
> certainly not an engineer (at least not by education or trade).  But, I
have
> worked in the automotive industry, and the high-tech machine tool
industry,
> and just have a great desire to build things."
>
>
> You "fit the profile" of other guys I know who got into homebuilt subs as
a
> hobby and succeeded at it.  You don't need a diploma in engineering; what
> you need is (1) an understanding of submarines, (2) design capabilities or
a
> set of plans, and (3) a fairly broad range of shop skills.  Beyond that,
> what determines the kind of sub you build are mostly available facilities,
> funding, and time.
>
> Of course (as is also true of land vehicles and aircraft)  there are
various
> levels of sophistication inherent to submarines.  Personally, I don't
> believe a guy working out of his own backyard shop should expect or try to
> compete with professional submarine manufacturing companies in terms of
> product functionality.  But a submarine intended for use within reasonable
> parameters is well within the means of the individual craftsman.
>
>
> "To say I am qualified to engineer a sub would be lying, but that is just
> why I want to do it."
>
>
> I think I know what you may mean.  A lot of people laughed and told me it
> couldn't be done; but proving them wrong wasn't my major motivation.  This
> was something I wanted to prove to myself.  I felt challenged by it.  I
> wanted to see if I could do it.  Back then there weren't a lot of "how to"
> references available to me.  I was working alone, and had to figure it all
> out by myself.  The HYPERSUB and NAUTILUS MINISUB were the toughest
projects
> I'd ever attempted; and there were times I felt like giving up.  But I
> eventually succeeded, and that success was well worth every year of work,
> bead of sweat, drop of blood, and bundle of bucks that went into achieving
> it.  There is no way I can adequately describe the feeling you get the
first
> time you dive and surface in a submarine you built yourself;  but those I
> know who've been there all agree the ride is well worth the price of the
> ticket.
>
> These days, I talk to a lot of people about homebuilt submarines.  Many
want
> to build them, but few actually do.  One thing that seems to hold
> prospective subbers back is the lack of an actual working plan.  (Old
> saying: "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.")  My advice is: make a
list
> of things to do and stick to it.  There will be setbacks and changes along
> the way; but at least with a plan and continued effort, you may eventually
> arrive at that part of the list that says "Proceed to first float test".
>
> You've got some interesting design ideas, Bob; a basic idea of "where you
> want to go"; and an apparent background in relevant technological skills.
> Now, make a list of what you need to learn, acquire, and accomplish to
turn
> those drawings into a working submarine; and then start checking items off
> that list as you are able to.
>
> I wish you all the best of luck and success with your project.
>
> Pat
>
>
>
>