Hi, Vance -
Yeah, romance and reality are often mutually exclusive,
especially in a one-atm. boat with little vis. through the portholes.
Sigh.
Understand that I was deliberately stressing the
romantic in my previous email - I was "waxing eloquent" (having fun) as they
say.
In terms of romance, it's my opinion that there's a
yearning for the familiar, like Kittredge's boats, that limits the potential of
any improvement in psub design. It saddens me when I see truly wonderful
attempts at creative design being dashed on the rocks, not because reality sinks
in (safety, engineering, etc.), but rather because of what newbies come to
believe as what a "real' sub should look like.
We can still wrap imagination around reality - I believe
they can coexist. And, yes, form SHOULD follow function or we'll simply
never make a second dive.
I strongly feel that allowing technology, or the lack of
knowledge thereof, to get in the way of safety is a little like riding around in
a vintage car with no seat belts because, well, that's the way it was "back
then". You can do it, yes. The original diving masks, Mark V navy
hats, portholes, submersible protrusions, etc. all contribute in some way
to added danger u/w. Do we exclude them from the diving
experience? Of course not. Our end goals are a mixture of mission
design, safety, endurance, independence, etc.
If a submariner/diver is able to see what's got him
tangled, or even better, avoid it in the first place, the chances of him
surviving are a lot higher.
A one-atm. boat with large domes instead of tiny
viewports or tiny domes is, IMHO, superior to the Kittredge boats as they
are currently designed. When the large dome becomes an intrinsic part of
the cabin then, I feel, we've made progress. Hikino comes to mind.
If carefully designed, the high volume inherent in domes can be mitigated with
careful placement of components without denigrating visibility from the pilot's
seat. I'll take the view from an old Korean war vintage Bell helicopter
over a Beech Bonanza. Different mission statements to be sure.
They're used differently. That's why I like helicopters.
One aspect to, by way of example, an ambient
sub, is being forced to stay within diving/bailout limits. Other
positives are the great vis available (domes, bubbles, canopies) in
terms of potential entanglements and the lack of pokey things sticking out of
the sub that can be caught u/w.
Many of the ways we design psubs unnecessarily add danger
and, in a recreational boat, I feel there is no excuse. You WILL be caught
in current, you WILL be caught in low vis or after dusk, your equipment WILL
fail, and medical emergencies WILL occur. It's rarely a question of if,
just when.
Obviously I'm not advocating a cavalier attitude regarding
overheads, cable, current around wrecks, etc. Like many list members, I've
dived under a lot of adverse conditions (ice, night, wrecks, current,
injured, commercial, etc.) and I maintain to this day that a significant
alternative is available that enhances safety and the u/w
experience, namely good vis from the cockpit.
Function AND form operating together for a more
"romantic" experience.
Rick L
Vancouver
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, September 11, 2006 3:54
AM
Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Storm and
SUB
While you're imagining, give the two from Harbor Branch a moment of
silence. Caught in one of those cables you were ducking, unfortunately for
them, and died within sight of the gun barrels. Not too romantic while you're
freezing to death, I'm afraid.
Vance
-----Original Message----- From: empiricus@telus.net To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org Sent:
Sun, 10 Sep 2006 2:51 PM Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Storm and SUB
I've loosely followed the artificial reef thing up here but never realised
you guys had one in Key Largo. A psub is absolutely necessary to dive this
thing: over 500 feet long? In clear water? Wow . . .
You do realise, of course, I now have one more compelling reason to build my
sub.
I helped "de-complicate" the HMCS Chaudiere, a local artificial reef, -
pulling electrical wires, etc.
The SpiegelGrove, and other wrecks, would be an absolute treat for psubbers,
given that the vis in some of these waters is excellent. I can imagine
skimming over the superstructures (ducking cables, booms, gun barrels . .
. )
Has anyone dived this wreck from the PSUBS group? In a sub?
Rick L
Vancouver
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_Reef_Society_of_British_Columbia
http://www.artificialreef.bc.ca/OtherReefs/index.htm
http://www.spiegelgrove.com/
======================================================
----- Original Message -----
From: "Joseph Perkel" <joeperkel@hotmail.com>
To: <personal_submersibles@psubs.org>
Sent: Sunday, September 10, 2006 3:04 AM
Subject: RE: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Storm and SUB
> Hi Fanta,
>
> To demonstrate the power of nature and her ocean, this ship
>
> http://www.ecophotoexplorers.com/SpiegelGrove.asp
>
> Was sunk as a reef on her starboard side, then righted by Hurricane Dennis
> and is now on her keel.
>
> She is 510' long and 6,888 tons.
>
> While the Navy may very well dodge seamounts while cruising under a storm,
> the above example rules it out for psubs.
>
> There was a fellow who rode out Hurricane Andrew at anchor off Elliot Key,
I
> don't believe they ever found him.
>
> Joe
>
>
> >From: Fanta <fanta590@yahoo.com>
> >Reply-To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org
> >To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org
> >Subject: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Storm and SUB
> >Date: Sat, 9 Sep 2006 21:34:17 -0700 (PDT)
> >
> >Hello everyone,
> > I have a question: are there someone here use a sub 1 atm for avoid a
> >storm or depression tropical, ouragan?
> >
> > If you have an experience such that, please tell me: a sub 1 atm with
a
> >snooker can support a storm grade 4 or 3?
> >
> > In theory, A Sub dive dynamic with a good snooker, it can past a
storm,
> >, can't it? how is the truth?
> >
> > Please drop for me if you know, thank you
> > Fanta
> >
> >
> >
> >Love and Peace, God bless you
> >
> >---------------------------------
> >How low will we go? Check out Yahoo! Messenger's low PC-to-Phone call
> >rates.
>
>
>
>
>
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