Hi Dean,
My experience is with a K250 instead of a K350, but as respects MBTs I think they're close enough for the experience to count. There are two things I would change about the Kittredge ballast tanks:
- Make the opening at the bottom "closed with openings", as opposed to open all around. The all-open tanks burp on the surface if there are any waves, or if you tow. This makes the sub settle considerably, so if you close them but have openings along the centerline, the problem should go away. I suspect the open tanks also contribute to the dynamic instability of the design. If you look at a K boat running on the surface, you'll see they are always going in S's rather than in a straight line.
- Eliminate the "strap on" method of securing the tanks. The strap method of securing the tanks to the pressure hull and putting sealant between the two has leaked on me several times, and is a maintenance hassle.
On my current project, I'm planning on MBTs that have reinforced bottoms and are bolted from below.
thanks,
Alec
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I am having a heck of a time.
First I start with K350
Then I design heavy modifications.
Then I build
Now I am doing design work again.
I know, not a way to run a rail road but circumstances has dictated this process.
My main question to you seasoned sub builders is can you have too mutch MBT
capacity? And or does excessive ballast hurt anything?
I am trying to accommodate many options in the future Robotic arms, more
equipment etc. so I really need to take that into consideration now.
So far I have added about 853lbs to the stock k350 design. Making up for just
this is some what of a challenge, and the additional weight on future additions
has me a little frustrated.
Also I am curious how the fiberglass MBTs hold up in the long run.
Are they problematic in any way for many dives, is this something I should
be concerned with
Would sure appreciate some insight in this area.
Dean Ackman