Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Pressure Hulls

[Dewey Mason <drmason2001@yahoo.com>]

Hi Walter,
   I will address each comment in turn. 
Here's for the first.

Actually a 9' sphere is about minimum for our
purposes, due to the extended nature of the cruises we
intend to be undertaking (21 days+/-). We currently
are looking at getting 3 such spheres for one vessel,
and hope to find two more from the same source. This
would allow a bit of space for all equipment to be on
board, and still have room for people. We are looking
at a crew of 4-6. And yes, I DO realize the food
stores, ect. needed for that long a stay at sea with
said crew. Like I said, we need the room inside the
hull.
   As to handling equipment, and a mother ship, we
will need neither at sea. The vessel is slated to be
totally self supporting. A true D.E. submarine, with
complete diving independence. Sail her out, do your
work below, surface and sail home.

On to the second......



The concept of a "manned ROV" is used to point out
that she will not be operated like a sub, with many
though hull connections and plumbing. Instead, we are
planning to use multi-plex controls to systems housed
outside, such as thrusters and manipulators. Thus we
put the boat on station, it holds position with a
bottom oriented DPS, and work is done by the
manipulators on an external platform.
   As to why not use a regular ROV?  Well now, lets
make a list: 

-Big ass waves kill cables and ROVs, and quick. The
sea is not a quiet, easy going place at it's surface,
but a high energy caldron.

-Days lost to weather cost a bundle, like $15-$30k per
day. Most crews loose a day in 5 or more to weather,
in season, and just can't go out, out of season. 

-On the end of a 20,000' cable, no matter how good you
are, you do not know exactly where the hell the thing
is on the bottom, so what you "FIND" is still lost,
with only a general proximity of a mile or two.
Relocation can take hours to days, and you would be
amazed at what happens when the thing hits the bottom,
or something you nor it could see, due to a lack of on
board space and power for a GOOD nav sonar array.

-ROVs are unstable work platforms, period.

-All things towed are VERY slow (back to the increase
in daily ops cost per area searched).

-As you pointed out, the extra million bucks for a
mother ship, and the 20 grand a day ops cost for a
crew of 20-40 to run her and all that expensive
lifting gear.

   There are many reasons for the chose to use a sub,
and we have been kicking it around for 3 years without
it seeming a bad idea. And that is with us going
through half a dozen new people, and 500-700 hours of
research into current techniques.
   If you are interested, I would love to tell one
more person what we are planning in detail, but only
if you have an open mind, and nothing to prove.
   We welcome anyone with those pre-rec's to give us
new input at anytime. We are even trying to find an
advisory board of just such folks. Sounds like you
might have something to offer there, if you would like
to jump on board.






=====
Dewey R. Mason II
The Deep Past Foundation
deeppastfoundation@yahoo.com

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