RE: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Caught in weeds...

["Alec Smyth" <Alec.Smyth@compuware.com>]

Hello Pierre,

Similar experience here! I submerged and motored off along the bottom. All of a sudden the sub started going in unexpected directions when I'd hit the thrusters. It turned out I was trailing a short length of tow rope which managed to entangle itself in the tow boat's anchor line. It's the sort of thing you could never accomplish if you were trying to do it on purpose, the two ropes basically tied themselves into a firm knot when one dragged over the other. I never saw either rope from inside the sub, but did realize there was some sort of entanglement going on and called down the support diver, who cut me free in a moment. This to me was a good example of the usefulness of sub-to-surface communications.

Rgds,

Alec

-----Original Message-----
From: Marie-Andrée et Pierre [mailto:poulin.carrier@videotron.ca] 
Sent: Thursday, July 28, 2005 10:11 AM
To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org
Subject: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Caught in weeds...


Hi guys!

No, I'm not talking about police and drugs. I just want to share a small 
story of my own...

Last time I dived with BIG (it was the second time BIG touched water) I was 
just off the ramp at about 7 feet deep and moving to somewhere where I could 
get to about 30 feet when I had to go true alot of weed. The weeds were very 
thin and I was used to that kind of weed. I grew up living by a lake in that 
region. So I just drive into the weed with my "weed-edge" equiped 
minn-kotas. To be honest, I never though that those weeds could cause a 
problem. So at about half throttle I went into them when the boat began to 
slow down. So I put full throttle but it was still slowing down. Some 
seconds later, I was not able to move at all. I tried to turn on the spot, I 
flipper both engines vertical, nothing could make me move!

Fortunately for me I was diving with 7 divers. So in a couple of seconds one 
of my friend appear in the front window and he make a sigh telling me "don't 
touch the thrusters!" I replied to him ok. and waited. After like 2 or 3 
minutes he came back and gave me the ok sigh. I was now able to move freely 
again and we continued the dive with-out anymore problems.

What I realised that day is that if I had no divers with me, I would have 
been in real trouble! I also realised that the total force of the sub is 
like 60 pounds (thrusters) + ballast lift (about 100pounds). I never ever 
though that those small weeds cough entangle me! I will have to be more 
carefull with those weeds. I also remembered that somebody said that 
entanglement was one of the most dangerous problem with a psub.

So, that's my 2 cents worth of sub diving experience :)

Pierre "weed-man" Poulin




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