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On top speed......it's just crazy to go faster than you can stop or
maneuver, even with a good sonar. A lot of power is still good though, if you're
fighting a current, or need a quick burst to avoid something. If a psub was
searching the bottom for something, my guess is 2 knots or so is plenty.
You can cover a lot of seabed at 2 knots over a two hour period.
As for the deep flight, it's a cool sub but how useful is it
really? No doubt it's fun to "fly" through the water, and is good for observing
things, but if you wanted to "do" something down there, it's not designed
for that. The K boats are an ideal basic platform for that type of task. Slow
moving, stable, and strong enough to withstand a hit.
As for the "brakes" or flaps, that seems like it would create
more problems than it will solve. How about an "air bag" type device for
collision. It could lay flat against the hull, and if collision was
imminent, inflate it to lessen the impact. Maybe something like a big
truck innertube. Better yet, how about a hard foam bumper. It could take a hit,
get smashed a little, and be repaired fairly easily. Plus, it wouldn't add
buoyancy like the air bumper.
Anyway, much like all the things we design for these
little subs, it's probably better to design the sub so it will take the hit, and
during operations, don't do anything crazy like a full speed run in murky water.
I know I'll be hitting the rocks a few times with mine, because of wave action,
currents, and where I'm taking it. That's unavoidable. Maybe just some
tubular guards would be enough to prevent any major damage, especially near the
windows. Frank D. It's only a deal if it's where you want to go. Find your travel deal here. |