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Rick,
Love it !!
I was giving thought to an ambient,
since my dive depths aren't going to be very deep, but, I don't really
understand how you can make them heavy enough to sink. If you can, why not
just use that weight to make a pressure hull instead ? It's not totally
clear to me. I can get access to good quality pipe and weld so, I just
thought it would be best to go 1 ATM. (By the way, plywood here isn't
cheap.). Your concept of keeping the costs down has a ton of merrit
though.
Myles.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, October 27, 2005 1:26
PM
Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Another
nutcase here.
Hi, Again . . .
Yeah, trains and prairies go hand in
hand :-)
This is my first sub. I'm keeping it simple
with straight electrics - trolling motors and lots of batts.
The Typhoon hull form I will be using is about as
cheap as I can get it. Making it a dry ambient boat eliminates the
complexity and expense of a one-at boat and yet provides for beautiful
panoramic underwater views. Plywood for the simple curves is dirt
cheap. Cockpit is heavier ply - cheap. Fiberglass & epoxy, not
so cheap. Canopy less than $500. Seats - cheap. Motors
less than $600. Batts about $500-$600. Gauges simple. Air
tanks will be rentals. Regs second hand. Will use a second hand boat
trailer for hauling to the boat launch. Tuxedo rental, espresso maker and
martini glass to impress onlookers - priceless.
Rick
Vancouver
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, October 27, 2005 7:33
AM
Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Another
nutcase here.
Rick,
Im a bit of a train guy as well as
sub guy so yes, I was aware that locomotives were in fact diesel /
electrics.
I am leaning towards the diesel /
electric method in an effort to keep things as simple and reliable
as possible. I see shafts,bearings and clutches as sources
of mechanical breakdown. In the end, the cost would likely ballance
out anyway if a person was to factor in maintenance and replacement of these
parts. The thought of messing around with them once they are installed
is not appealing, pretty tight quarters in there.
At this point, I'm still in
"dreamer / planner " mode, wondering if I can get the funding together to
make something like this happen. There are many other factors that I'm
thinking about as in simply being able to transport and launch a sub that
weighs about 7000 lbs. (but that's a whole other topic). I need
to come up with a financial proposal for the board of directors (my wife)
which is what I'm trying to figure out.
By the way, I'm about 3 hours
south east of North Battleford. Quite arguably as far away from the
ocean that a person can get. .....I'm looking at making
the sub for fresh water lakes anyway.
Thanks for the
response.
Myles.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, October 26, 2005
11:52 PM
Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Another
nutcase here.
Hi, Myles - anywhere near North
Battleford?
Thanks for all the warm sub thoughts.
You have now entered the hallowed halls of the
I-wanna-dive-around-the-world-in-a-sub crowd.
Rather than re-inventing the wheel, I'd opt
for the diesel electric model myself and for much the same reasoning as
you presented: simplicity.
It works in subs and locomotives well
enough. Many people don't realize that locomotives are not diesel
operated they are electric. Those chugga-chugga sounds are diesel
generators.
Rick Lucertini
Vancouver
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, October 26, 2005
1:19 PM
Subject: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Another
nutcase here.
Hello all,
Like all of us here, I have
this wierd fettish with subs. U-Boats are my "thing". (Peter
Madsen is cool in my book) I have dreamt of building one for
years but always thought it beyond my scope. That was until I
stumbled upon PSUBS.org. By tuning into discussions and reading
everything I can get my hands on, I am coming to the realization that
"normal / average" (perhaps that isn't the right term) people
build these things and not some excentric millionaires or something.
(you know, the same guys that take solo hot air balloons around the
world). Over the period of several months, my confidence has grown
to the point now where I tell myself, "I could build one of
those." The group here at PSUBS is
indeed "special". I admire each and every one of them for
following their passion, whether they bring it to fruition or not.
The guys that actually get something in the water have really
accomplished something unique.
Does anybody have any thoughts on direct
drive diesel / electric propulsion ? I am still contemplating
whether that is the way to go, or whether a guy should use the diesel /
electric as a generator to power the thrust motor ? I like the
direct drive method for it's added efficiency, price (Only have to buy
one motor/generator instead of two, one generator and one
thruster) and generally more "U-Boat" like, but I am wondering if
the engineering required to get the shaft connected in line with the
clutches and bearings through the pressure hull while maintaining
pressure hull integrity is worth it. (what does it take to
seal that shaft ?). I also have concerns with the mechanical
dependability of the two clutches that would be required.
(Could be a real bugger to get in there for maintenance and
replace). The other way would simply mean connecting an external
electric thruster to the battery source that is being charged by the
diesel which I believe would be easier to do. (Am I right here
?).
I'm more interested in
building a 1ATM U-Boat resembling sub that has decent surface
performance rather than something that will dive deep. I'm aiming
for an operation depth of 35M.
Thoughts / opinions on propulsion
?
Myles Hall
Saskatchewan Canada.
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