I loved the hardware, but not that much. And I agree a hundred percent about new designs. I stay in contact with two current commercial builders and neither one of them builds anything even remotely similar to what I used in the 70s and early 80s. New materials, new technology, new everything. The only real common theme is that both of them build stuff to work in the water. But they are faster and lighter and offer more visibility and simpler sub systems than anything I ever had my hot little hands on.
My requirements are that the vehicles be rugged and safe. You are absolutely right--the boats get banged around something fierce. Safety of design is a necessary starting point. After that, they need to be intuitive to operate and relatively easy to maintain. Because when you get right down (sic) to it, getting there is just part of the fun. Being there is AWESOME!!!
It's been great fun incorporating this new stuff into a submersible based novel that I am just finishing up. I'm hoping it will be published by next spring, and if so, maybe the newbies will get a chance to read about how it feels, doing some of this stuff. There's nothing like it, exactly--but there is a lot to it. We'll see.
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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