Hi Don. I plan on diving usually max at 150 ft. but want to be able to
settle on the bottom at 5 or 6 hundred without getting crushed. The dive
location will be restricted to areas that don't exceed 600. This will
require some beefy stiffeners.
The saucer design was inspired by one of Jaques Cousteau subs. I don't have
a set of plans.
I have borrowed extensively from other's designs, adapting them as
necessary to fit my goals. There are quite a few saucer shaped hulls that have
been built. Some worked and some didn't. I used 3/8 inch steel tubs made of
AS516-70 steel because it's an accepted material with a long track record. If I
was starting from scratch I'd have used 1/2 inch.
Although the shape is a little different, the systems are basically the
same as a K boat, which has a long track record of reliability. The stiffener
ribs are the biggest difference over a K boat. The work involved is quite
similar as well. I wanted to sit next to my passenger, which is how I settled on
the saucer shape. From my testing, it requires a little more power to move with
this shape, so I've made the fairings and ballast tanks as sleek as possible to
minimize that. I expect top speed to be around 4 knots, but will seldom reach
that. These little subs we're building don't go very fast or stay down too long,
because of the limited battery power.
If you're actually going to build one, ask lots of questions, get the books
and stuff from the psubs site. Take the time to learn what's do-able with out
spending 3 1/2 million, and then have lots of fun. To me, the design part was
the most fun, and took the longest. I built full size mock-ups of different
shapes, and once I decided on a saucer, I built scale models in steel to test
different aspects. Very time consuming, but well worth it.
There's an archive section on the psubs site, and although it takes a long
time to read, most of your early questions will be answered there. The guys here
are all friendly, and very helpful, and we all like thinking about how to solve
problems so don't be shy about asking.
I think one of the first things you need to decide is "what you want your
sub to do". Form follows function.
That more than any thing else will determine what the design will be. There
are as many designs as there are guys doing it.
There are some basic skills to learn, like welding, electrical, hydraulics,
air, machining, etc. but you don't need to be an expert in any of them, just a
basic understanding. Most of the stuff we use is "off the shelf" with a little
modification. The K boat plans are a little old, and all the guys have modified
them to fit their needs, with the availability of new products and tools to make
the job of building a little easier. More than any thing else, it's been a
learning experience. You can probably expect to spend a minimum of $20K for one,
and the sky's the limit if you want extras. That price is with you doing all the
work. Add on hiring professionals, and it can get pretty expensive. I know one
guy who hired out most of it, and he's near to $70K for just a basic K boat.
It's an expensive hobby and not much chance at making money on it without
being ABS certified. That cert alone can cost $150K. It all depends on what you
want to do with it, and how much you're willing to do your self. I'm not trying
to talk you out of it, because it's the most fun I've ever had, but many guys
get started and don't finish. Let's face it, It's a complicated little machine,
and not really very useful.
Perseverance is probably at the top of the list of things you'll need.
That, and lots of money. But let me repeat, it's a LOT of fun. Anyway,
welcome aboard, and do the homework. Frank D. Get trade secrets for amazing burgers. Watch "Cooking with Tyler Florence" on AOL Food. |