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Hi Vance. Those pictures of Carsten and Emile's sub are really good, and
show a lot of good ideas along with some first rate workmanship. Very
impressive.
They also show the differences between the new technology/design in
comparison to the original Kittredge boats. Incorporating some of those
innovations into a re-build of your K boat would be great to see.
As it applies to the fairwater tanks, it seems like a good bit of work. One
of the things I like about the K boat design is it's simplicity. The FRP shells
being a combination of tanks and fairing there by serving dual purposes is good
in it's simplicity but presents a slight increase in risk.
The Kreidersub is using aluminum as tanks, which seems to me a good idea.
Metal tanks will take a lot more abuse than FRP. The saddle design versus
front/back like on the K boats also adds surface stability and deck space. Both
good improvements that should be fairly easy to add to a K boat. ( OK, maybe not
so easy, but still good )
My comment on this would be to suggest stainless rather than
aluminum.
The FRP shells could be modified ( saved ) to cover the added saddle tanks
and still serve as fairings. I've made my fairings about 1/4 to 3/8 inch thick
FRP ( up to 1 inch in critical areas ) and I'm confident I can walk on
them without worry.
The stainless tanks can take a serious "hit" without leaking, unlike
the K boat shells. They will get dented, but would really have to hit something
hard and sharp to punch a hole or blow out a seam.
Aluminum is good, but stainless is better at resisting corrosion, and much
stronger on impact.
The cost difference between stainless and aluminum isn't that great, and
thinner stainless can be used due to it's increased strength. Also, stainless is
easier to weld, and more ductile than aluminum, so shaping it is less risky
where cracks on tight bends could be a problem with aluminum.
I had originally planned on using FRP for my tanks, but decided that
"cracking" them on the rocks was too risky. Then I went with 16 gage stainless,
covered by FRP fairings to keep a sleek and snag free shape. Well, as you see, I
ended up with increased thickness on the tanks, ( 12 gage ), eliminated the
lower fairings, and saved a big chunk of money and the extra work associated
with producing the lower fairings.
The Kriedersub is a fine example of the evolution of the basic K boat
design, and I'm sure that future designs will be along those lines.
As it relates to a rebuild, these new ideas seem like a
worthwhile endeavor with the added stability and resistance to crashing.
Have you got any pictures of your sub? Sure would be nice to see a re-fit
in photos as it progresses.
Looking forward to seeing you soon and sharing some ideas over a drink.
Frank D.
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