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Hi Forum.
I finally figured out how to work my new digital
camera and I posted two pics of my wetsub canopy and ballast tanks under
construction at our moki picture site.
I am constructing a canopy for my wetsub made of a
pvc framework heated and bent with a heat gun and then to be covered with thin
acrylic sheeting.
I haven't decided on whether to make the entry a
hinged door for each occupant or a sliding door as yet. I'll have to decide and
create that as I go along.
I reversed the old yellowed windshield that was on
it from the 1966 movie "Destination Inner Space" and clamped it to the canopy so
you can get an idea of what it will look like when finished.
There will be a rear windshield facing aft attached
to the canopy rear as well when I am done. The stainless steel ballast tank you
see in the pic is an old coca cola tank that I burned the rubber
ends off in my firepit so it would fit in the tail
of the sub. It fits great now and will be my rear ballast/trim tank. I have
another one I did the same thing to, but it will not fit in the nose
because
of the rudder foot pedals and the joystick bar
going to the dive planes. I will have to come up with another way to make the
nose ballast tank. Possibly a bladder or rectangular container.
You can just see the end of the 12 inch pvc pipe
under the red steps. It is a bit over 4 feet long and has a permanent end cap
and a removable screw on end cap. I had originally planned to use
this as my battery pod for my minnkota motor. I
might still do that but because of the headaches associated with equalizing the
pod and minnkota trolling motor, I want to use a dpv scooter
instead.
My sea doo supercharged sea scooter pulls me along
fine when I am diving but I do not know how fast it will push the sub. I am
going to strap it to the sub and rig a cable so I can remotely
access
the sea doo's trigger from the wetsub's dash. I am
sure it will work, just not sure how fast. I might buy another more powerful sea
scooter if it is not fast enough, or I can always go back to my
original
battery pod and minnkota motor if the more powerful
sea scooter is too expensive. They do cost quite a lot for the more powerful
ones and although I would rather use a detachable scooter, I might
build
both systems anway since I already have almost
everything I need for the battery pod and minnkota system. I was hoping to have
the refit all done in time for diving this summer. But with all the other
projects I have going on right now, I might wind up
donning my wetsuit and giving it it's trials this winter. Just depends on how
much time I have to devote.
Kindest regards,
Bill Akins.
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