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Hi Brent. I always thought the ballast tanks on the K boats should be made
to look more like a WWII sub. Not only for looks, but also for towing. An
increased capacity, with a flat deck, would give you a place to stand on deck
while at the surface. Dan's blue sub has a nice flat deck and his saddle tanks
aren't all that large, but the sub is very stable even when he walks around the
deck from front to back. To me, it seems to make sense to have larger ballast
tanks so the tower sits higher when at the surface. The only downside is it
takes a little more air to blow them.
On the outboard motor pressure surround......Sounds like a good idea but
very complicated, and probably very heavy. That's why I designed mine to take
the motor off when diving. A small 20 horse motor only weighs about 75 pounds
and can easily be lifted off and stowed inside or transferred to a surface
boat.
The back plate on my sub is 3/4 inch steel plate, and a little outboard can
mount directly on it, with the thruster linkage doing the steering. A 2-1/2
gallon gas can with hold-down straps will motor me around several miles on
the surface, and can easily be removed with the motor.
Ultimately I'd like to add a new rear section that includes a pass through
hatch, on-board diesel/gen set, additional battery banks, sleeping bunks, and
small galley. This would make long distance travel possible, like a weekend
cruise down the coast. Frank D. |