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.