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There are several other issues to consider when comparing the
small PSUB vs. large PSUB that are not often discussed: 1.
Reserve Buoyancy – Smaller submersibles have an
exponentially smaller reserve buoyancy in case of an emergency. What
might be a minor leak in a large submersible can be catastrophic in a small sub
as it will take a smaller mass to adversely affect buoyancy. 2.
Ease of Repairs – As Carsten noted, it is much
easier to craft a large PSUB with plenty of room to work. In case of an
emergency, this makes it possible to accomplish repairs while underwater. In
the smallest PSUBs this is impossible and you might not be able to surface. 3.
Probability of Escape – There are two points
here: a. Moderate
flooding in a larger hull allows time for thought about how to go about your
escape as every emergency is different. Minor flooding in the smaller
subs that have the operator prone or semi-prone can quickly lead to incapacitation
of the operator. b. The
smaller PSUBs are very cramped and do not allow much room to move around inside
and will be difficult to egress from in an emergency. Body form-fitting
small PSUBs should be considered for the building of an escape simulator to
work out and practice emergency egress under a variety of conditions. The
largest PSUBs are multiple compartmented and facilitate isolating the leak to a
compartment while escaping to another. Moderate sized submersibles may provide
sufficient room if properly designed to allow a successful escape of a single
operator; multi-passenger moderate sized PSUBs require much more design, thought,
and practice for successful egress of all personnel. Carsten makes some good points for both large and small
PSUBs. While I would love to build a big PSUB, practicality of my
situation (and probably most PSUBERS) dictates the moderate sized personal submersible. R/Jay Respectfully, Jay
K. Jeffries Andros
Is., Bahamas A
skimmer afloat is but a submarine, so poorly built it will not plunge. |