From: "Peter Madsen" <peter@submarines.dk>
Reply-To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org
To: <personal_submersibles@psubs.org>
Subject: [PSUBS-MAILIST] On the subject of "passengers"...
Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2007 23:28:58 +0200
Dear Psubbers,
From time to time - people mention diving with people for a fee. The Nemo
submersible does it -
To Dive does it - Karl Stanley's deep sea boats does it - and both Freya
and Kraka does it.
If you sell "tickets" there is no doubt that it will violate IMO rules on
the regulation of tourist submersibles, plus
local maritime authorities regulations. In most cases no insurance will
cover in case of accidents or death - and
as the responsible captain or pilot of the submersible you take on a very
big responsibility. Most ordinary people
will have no chance or ability to evaluate your ships safety features - or
overall design. In this sense the passengers
are completely in the hands of the submarine pilot.
When we have guest on our sub here in Copenhagen - they join a club - no
ticket. They are informed that this is an
experimental craft, and that diving in it is dangerous. They are carefully
instructed in the ships emergency procedures and
equipment. They are instructed in how the surface the boat in the case of
the pilot getting decapasitated. The dive is
executed at less than 30 feet of water, and at less than 60 feet from
shore. It is done in an area with no other surface traffic.
We cunduct safety drills at regular intervals - testing if the instructions
works and if our members in fact can safe the ship
with a dead pilot - and if they can get on emergency breating
apparatus...and we have even trained exiting the boat via the diver
lockout while its was landed on the seabed - simulating an entanglement
emergency.
However - despite all training - nobody can ever claim to be good a
handling a real submarine emergency since very few have tried
one for real.
The fees - in the form of contingent in our club - is used exclusively for
the maintenance of the boat, and for our workshop -
and nobody makes money for them selves via this activity. In this way - we
claim ist not a comercial activety.
After more the one thousand dives with no injury, accidents or casualties -
I feel this is reasonably safe - and still I try
never to get calm - any dive may be the "big one" - where our training -
equipment and nerves will decide just how big -
or bad it comes out.
I just wish to say that those of you who use your psubs together with "non
psubbers" like I do - always remember your
responsibilities - and let your guest know what they are doing - and what
to do in the case of a problem.
I am now ready to resive tomatoes - rotten eggs - or public hanging for my
mentioning of this...:o)
Begging for mercy,
Peter
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