|
Brent,
I have to
disagree with you on this one. It's great when we can congratulate people
who have built well designed and constructed submarines in their backyard, and
there are many who have. However, I think we should be equally zealous
about openly criticizing and rejecting designs and construction techniques that
are clearly not safe. A cursory look at Xiangli's sub shows it is a text
book illustration of how not to build a sub. Only one publication got
it right and gave the following synopsis..."he claims the sub should be quite
safe. Coincidentally, the builders of the Titanic said pretty much the
same thing." http://ralph.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=598774
Here's a
closer photo of the sub. Note the wires from the dive planes, the hatch,
and the hatch seal. This photo pretty much confirms that the end cowel
does not hold a ballast tank. http://www.daylife.com/photo/0fzU7CUe5QgXF
I have
similar feelings about the Pilipenko sub and I think the diving video we were
pointed to was a sad documentation of construction and testing
techniques. The guy goes under water and one of his viewports immediately
starts a sizable leak. It's obvious that he appears confused and a bit
disorientated by the size of the leak and then the blast of compressed air that
hits him in the face when something lets go after he overpressurizes it.
If that viewport had let go completely (must have been at least 8 inches in
diameter), that guy wasn't getting out of his sub. I may alone in this,
but my thinking is that a properly built submersible shouldn't have leaks when
it goes underwater with a human being in it. Something about that scenario
always raises a question with me about the integrity of the vessel. And
this wasn't a case of the hatch not being closed tightly
enough.
The fact that
these two owners obviously have limited resources is one of the most important
warnings that we as a group should be issuing. If you don't have the
resources to build a sub properly, don't build it.
Where are the
safety concious individuals in this group? Why the silence?
Jon
|