From: "Jay K. Jeffries" <bottomgun@mindspring.com>
Reply-To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org
To: <personal_submersibles@psubs.org>
Subject: [PSUBS-MAILIST] SS Excrutiator - submersible escape simulator
Date: Wed, 9 May 2007 00:14:25 -0400
Alec,
In conjunction with the paper on PSUB Emergency Escape that I will be
presenting at this summer?s conference, there will be a simulator available
for practicing escape from a sub the size of a 2-man K-350 sized
submersible. S.S. Excrutiator is of aluminum modular construction with a
?hull? 3 ft. square by 7 ft. long, a sail that is near the diameter of the
K-350, and a heavy poly tarp liner to keep the ?flood? in. The hull is
flooded to a level of 2 to 2 ½ ft. prior to 1 or 2 participants entering to
begin a sim run. The participants will wear an un-inflated helo escape
buoyancy vest to simulate similar PSUB safety gear and to offer some bulk
and snag potential to place artificial stress on the situation. Optionally
water and air can be blasted into the simulator to further add stress and
realism. The only light in the hull will be from vent holes in the deck so
as to be closer to a real DISSUB. If a participant feels overly
uncomfortable or panics, all they have to do is stand up as the deck is in
2
pieces and not bolted down. See http://www.frappr.com/?a=viewphoto
<http://www.frappr.com/?a=viewphoto&id=260879&pid=5695110>
&id=260879&pid=5695110 for renderings of the unit as it is to be built.
We will be running a timed escape contest for 1- and 2-man teams. They
will
have to exit the sub without popping the deck panels and drag a weight 250
feet to simulate the effort expended in struggling to the surface during an
escape. Some award, yet to be determined, will be given to the winners
(award donors will not be turned away J).
After having completed free ascent training during submarine service and
struggling out of a number of sunken subs during diving expeditions, it is
my opinion that most PSUBers don?t give enough thought to what emergencies
they might encounter or how to handle an emergency escape. I?ll admit that
I was on the verge of panic more than once. The S.S. Excrutiator should be
a fun way of bringing these points home and actually develop some skills
that will be beneficial if they should ever need to make an escape. It is
my plan to donate the simulator to the PSUB organization at the conclusion
of the conference.
NOW WHO IS UP TO THE CHALLENGE?
R/Jay
Respectfully,
Jay K. Jeffries
Andros Is., Bahamas
A skimmer afloat is but a submarine, so poorly built it will not plunge.