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Hi Glen. I think you're talking about "check valves" on the bottom of your
ballast tanks. Not sure how that would be configured but it sounds risky to me.
If there was a malfunction of the valve it would prevent water from exiting the
MBT's. That's why I'm not too keen on the mushroom valve idea. Anything that's
mechanical and outside the sub could get screwed up some how and there's no way
to get at it while submerged. If a check valve or "ballast dump" valve were to
jam, your only option will be to drop the emergency weight. With lead running a
dollar a pound, that can be an expensive maneuver.
Maybe I'm not picturing what you had in mind.
The K boats owned by most guys are getting bottoms added with open holes
and that seems like the most logical fix to control burping when the dive angle
gets steep or heavy wave action is encountered.
No mechanical stuff there, just a restricted outflow so the bubble can't be
lost unexpectedly.
Frank D.
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