Jay,
I had read the below web page promoting the sale of the SubCat S-30 that looked to be in Greece at the time. Do you know if this was the only SubCat S-30 that was built? I was impressed with a number of the design elements in this sub, like being able to load passengers through a very large rear vertical hatch and faster surface running. As you might know, I'm interested in designs of external engine pods for attaching to submarines for surface running, so that also caught my attention. As with most major new prototypes there are bugs that need to be worked out. Even with a longer fully surfacing time, they might come out ahead not having the cost of have a tender boat and crew. Also for the Atlantis tourist submarine I took a ride on in Kona, Hawaii, they had to pull it with the tender boat some distance to its harbor every morning and evening. That is a slow process that cost a fair bit.
Hopefully they will be able to remedy the pod flooding problem. As for the surfacing quickly issue, I would think there could be two of more large on board high CFM rotary screw compressors that could be run off the diesel engines for supplying allot of air quickly and perhaps even have a pair of high pressure compressors running off the engines while surfaced and commuting to the loading dock, for recharging the high pressure air banks during the day while the crew is there already. Also having more lines coming into the soft tanks in the floats from the high pressure air tanks would allow a much faster surfacing time. The compressors might need to be in there own sound insulated pods to shield the noise from the passengers that are mounted to the sub with anti vibration type motor mounts. Does that sound reasonable or am I all wet? :)' Perhaps I should ask that.
"This is a remarkable submarine to be used in a marine tourism
business or for private pleasure.
This SubCat S-30 submarine has the
capacity to transport up to 28 passengers (and 2 crew) to a diving location,
dive to a depth of up to 30 meters, explore the undersea world, surface, and
return to port - all that under its own diesel or electric
power.
The SubCat is
approximately 18 meters long, 6 meters wide, and weighs 61 tons. It is powered
by two diesel engines when on the surface, and by six electrical thrusters when
submerged.
This submarine was built in Spain by Subibor S.A. It is classified by the
American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) as +A1 Passenger Craft, Submersible,
Restricted Service +AMS. Its construction was supervised by ABS
surveyors.
The SubCat is easy
to pilot both on the surface and undersea. The submarine pilot needs to have a
captain's license for a surface ship of similar size, and some training on this
submarine.
This SubCat S-30 has certain significant
advantages over other civilian submarine designs. Its dual diesel-electric
propulsion gives it speed, range, and
autonomy and is unique in its class. This
eliminates the need for a second crew and boat to ferry the passengers to the
diving location and also the need for a mid-sea boat- to-boat transfer. Its
draft is only 1.5 meters (5 feet) and thus can use most marinas for docking. The presence of
the SubCat in the marina between tours is a tourist attraction itself and
helps to bring in passenger
traffic. The large entry hatch on the aft- end
of the cabin allows for any tourist, young or
old, to be
able to sign-up for the
tour.
The annual gross earnings potential of this submarine is well over two
million USD per year (based on a 270 day season, 7 dives per day schedule, with
a 65% seat-occupancy factor). Additional sales of tourist items to the same
customer base can increase this income by 10 to 15%. The before-tax profit
potential is over one million USD per year.
You can own this SubCat S-30 at a very attractive price. Included in the sale is a 20-foot support
systems container that holds the battery charger, the fresh-air compressor,
assorted tools and spares, and documentation. This craft was launched in 2002
and has logged 1500 dives. It is in excellent condition. The submarine is
currently docked and is available for immediate
delivery. It will be delivered with a current ABS
certificate.
For further information please contact Mr. Melas
at:
Telephone: +30/2109233084
Fax: +30/2109233086
Mobile: +30 6944434448
Email: emelas@archimedia.gr
20 Zan Moreas Street
Athens 11741,
Greece"
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Regards,
Brent Hartwig
From: bottomgun@mindspring.com
To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org
Subject: RE: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Boat-Sub makes successful test dive
Date: Sun, 30 Dec 2007 12:31:13 -0500
Brent,
The Lake patent links lead me to search through the Patent banks
and found a large number of Simon Lake patents that demonstrated his entrepreneurial
spirit. The scope included subs, salvage, engines, aircraft, concrete
structures, and medical apparatus…it was really surprising.
Earlier this year had considered a position as maintenance
manager for a SubCat S-30 that was to be refitted in Florida during a
relocation from Greece to Antigua. After review of the engineering and
operation complications of the design, poor operating location, and 18% tax in
Antigua backed out of the job. If everything went OK with the overhaul,
the submersible should be operational now. Both diesel pods exhibited
signs of heavy flooding after only a year of initial operation. An excessively
lengthy time was required to surfaces the sub completely so that passengers
could transfer through the aft hatch vice the top hatch. Due to this
wasted time and the extreme amounts of air required to surface fully, fewer
dives could be made in a day and this impacts negatively the passenger
load that can be carried in a given day. It also resulted in lengthy air
bank recharging during the night that would require competent attendance.
R/Jay
Respectfully,
Jay K. Jeffries
Andros Is., Bahamas
A skimmer afloat is but a submarine, so poorly built it will not
plunge.
From:
owner-personal_submersibles@psubs.org
[mailto:owner-personal_submersibles@psubs.org] On Behalf Of Brent
Hartwig
Sent: Saturday, December 29, 2007 10:32 PM
To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org
Subject: RE: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Boat-Sub makes successful test dive
Jay,
I found that patent data late last night and so didn't get a chance to read
through it and notice the Lake patent details. I looked at it again so see if I
could perhaps look up the Lake patents as well on Google, and found them. ;)'
In the past nothing much was available on the internet for patents that
were issued prior to 1972. So this opens up a whole new resource for
allot of people. Here are the links to the two Lake patents you mentioned
if you don't already have them.
http://www.google.com/patents?id=kJFeAAAAEBAJ&dq=1,510,283
http://www.google.com/patents?id=-VRNAAAAEBAJ&dq=1864837
In regards to Prior Art I have found the USPTO to be pretty lax and allow allot
of utility patents to go through with claims thats are not really new, just
used perhaps slightly different but still the same mechanically speaking. One
case of this is the cross over between some claims on the Bionic Dolphin patent
and Hawks Deep Flight patent. Some of the claims in the Hyper-Sub are already
prior art in the SubCat S-30 built in 1999. Regardless of that, they are both
very interesting subs with unique design elements. I'll have to look through
the other Prior Arts sited to see if there is any thing about the SubCat design
as well as see if there are any US or international patent data on the SubCat
design.
Have any of you guys been on or personally seen the SubCat S-30 ??
http://www.globalsubmarines.com/subcat.htm
From: bottomgun@mindspring.com
To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org
Subject: RE: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Boat-Sub makes successful test dive
Date: Sat, 29 Dec 2007 13:59:56 -0500
Brent,
An interesting point to note in the patent listed below that
covers the Hyper-Sub is that the first two patents in the Prior Arts section
are Simon Lake’s.
R/J2
Respectfully,
Jay K. Jeffries
Andros Is., Bahamas
A skimmer afloat is but a submarine, so poorly built it will not
plunge.
From:
owner-personal_submersibles@psubs.org [mailto:owner-personal_submersibles@psubs.org]
On Behalf Of Brent Hartwig
Sent: Saturday, December 29, 2007 5:52 AM
To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org
Subject: RE: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Boat-Sub makes successful test dive
Thank you for the interesting links Jay. I hadn't kept up on the
progress of the Marion Hyper-Sub. I've been interested in that front window
design, since I first saw it. I would like to see a stress analysis on it as
well as see how it's sealed at the edges. Here is a interesting link to there
patent data on Google Patent search. The drawings are interesting.
http://www.google.com/patents?id=bJWAAAAAEBAJ
Regards,
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