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Hello All,
Well, I've had My K-350 "Persistence" out several
times this summer, and now that the local waters are clearing up more as they
get cooler, I'll be getting in several more dives until it freezes. As of
yet, I haven't done a deep water test but dived manned to fifty feet
several times and had no problems. I don't care to take it any deeper then
that until I do an unmanned deep water test to five or six hundred
feet.
I've had a bunch of fun with it, even though I
haven't seen anything spectacular. With the practice, I'm getting better
at controlling it. It still bobs some as I'm submerging, but I now
keep that down to no more then four degrees fore and aft. Running a
straight line when going top speed (don't ask me how fast but it's faster then
one could row) is still difficult. The faster I go the easier it is to get
in a quick unintentional turn. I know a tail fin would help but I
don't think I want to add one yet.
The other thing that I need to do is install some
sort of directional device. I'm thinking a gyro compass. Once I
loose sight through the conning tower viewports, I'm traveling blind. Even
near the surface, unless the sun is shining through the top view port, I can't
get oriented and keep it there.
Does anyone know where I can get a gyro compass or
anything else to tell direction with, other then a new gyro for an airplane out
of the catalogue at $1600 a pop? Also, most airplane gyros seem to be
vacuum powered. I need either 12, 24 or 36 volt powered.
How do you other guys tell direction ? Keep
in mind I've been diving in pea soup where vis is no better then four
feet. To give you an idea how many pees are in the soup around here, at
forty feet, there is ZERO light coming from the surface. With the
lights off, IT'S DARK!!!!
Thanks for any help, Dan
H.
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