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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