RE: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Gas Shocks Used on the Exterior to Lift a Hatch

Brent,

I thought I had seen the S101 as the Marlin which was modified into the S101 by repowering and adding lengthened ballast tanks to account to the additional weight. I may be wrong though.

R/Jay

Resepectfully,

Jay K. Jeffries

Andros Is., Bahamas

Save the whales, collect the whole set.

From: owner-personal_submersibles@psubs.org [mailto:owner-personal_submersibles@psubs.org] On Behalf Of Brent Hartwig
Sent: Saturday, September 05, 2009 1:21 AM
To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org
Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Gas Shocks Used on the Exterior to Lift a Hatch

Hi Jay, Thanks, I've been putting away pictures and other data on all manor of hatch designs as I come across them. I didn't have easy access to the Subeo, Gemini pictures, since they were in one of my many Sub SORT folders that I've been meaning to get to when I got bored. Needless to say it's hard to get bored with submarine technology, and the more you figure out, the more that comes to light, and/or is being developed. It's a constant evolution. I have always been really fascinated with hatch design more then any thing else sub related for some odd reason. Ever since I walked around the USS Pampanito, and operated the large interior door that goes into the forward torpedo room. I don't think I was supposed to do that, but better to ask forgiveness, then permission some times. ;}

I also suspect the gas struts (if that is what they actually are) on the Aviator is more spendy, and perhaps very custom. Also that sub, like many PSUBs don't live in the marina, but high and dry in the garage or otherwise covered. So that will affect the longevity of the gas struts. If we just used the SS gas struts you can get at many auto parts stores, and they only lasted a few years, in a external use capacity then it might work out to be a good deal. I really like the internal ones for a number of sub designs.

The Deepworkers are spendy submersibles compared to most PSUBs, but I don't know that the gas struts Phil uses are out of are league. We will have to ask him. It wouldn't surprise me if they are the basic ones you can get at the auto parts store. When I was at a couple of different auto parts stores looking at the gas struts, it was mostly a matter of what connection ends you wanted, lifting force the strut would produce, and length of throw.

For tighter spaces, I can see clamping two, to four struts together, like you see on the SEAmagines. With one or two struts piston rods pointed in the opposite direction from each other. I'm currently working on a animated assembly of Franks hatch with a relay of two pairs of struts mounted internally, and up against the ceiling towards the back of the sub with a lever arm between them. This keeps the struts out of the center open space.

I can see a K-350 that uses a lighter acrylic cylinder, for the upper part of the CT, to replace the heavy weldment type viewport section. Very much as I plan to configure mine. This might relieve enough weight to allow for a larger OD CT, with out having saddle tanks or amas. The trend now looks to me, to add saddle tanks to the K-350 design for more freeboard and surface stability. Even with the current design according to the plans, if the struts are brought in closer together as they are on the S101 and possibly on the S102, then they are on the Deepworkers, as I have them configured in my subs refit. It looks to me in my assembly that there is enough room in the back to fit them in. We will have to see how it works out when I've got them installed. The S101 CT has the same basic inside dims as a K boat, and they fit them in tight in the back, up in the upper steel tube section above the acrylic cylinder. The ends that are connected to the steel tube section are attach high up in the tube. So when the hatch is opened there isn't even a rod sticking out as there is on the Deepworkers. I like that basic configuration, but since I don't want them in the way of my large center mounted hatch viewport, I'm leaning towards the basic Deepworker configuration, and attach the lower strut ends near the base of the acrylic cylinder.

By adding the Acrylic CT to my K-250 sub design, it made it easier to add a basic internal gas strut configuration, like we see on the S101 and Deepworkers.

The S101 being Paul's first sub, has it's design issues. But I've been amazed how well it did come out, being his first sub he produced. Unless he did a lot of military design work I'm not privy to. I believe it's been on the market as long as it has, because Ellis was wanting over $600,000, for a sub that you couldn't get insurance on in the US and many other places. This being because it was not classed to begin with. They built it for the Swedish Navy. He's lowered the price to $480,000, which is still more then I make in a week. I believe the acrylic components need to be replaced, and the engine compartment it really tight to work in, unless you unbolt the stern section. I have not heard of it being lengthened.

The S102 sister ship last I heard had been purchased by a treasure hunter, and sent to Philippines. It was also produced for the Swedish Navy, and they claim it was very economical to operate, and didn't consume many spare parts during it's run with the Swedish Navy. It was Lloyd's classed.

"S101 was our first submarine. Launched in 1986, the MSubs S101 was influenced by our chief designer's experience of military submarines .

At this time the Swedish Navy were being troubled by Soviet midget submarine incursions into their sensitive naval bases. Current detection techniques were unable to locate these sophisticated craft and so a decision was taken by the Navy to embark on a development program aimed specifically at locating and tracking midget submarines. The Navy attempted to lease a suitable target sub but was unable to find anything to match the speed, mobility and silence of the Russians, until they tried S101. Through an independent diving company, S101 was tested and found to have remarkable range and speed. The Swedish submarine pilots remarked that no matter which direction the submarine was pointed, there always seemed to be a following current. Later S101 was operated for a period by the Sea Shepherds conservation society and is now owned and being refited by a US submarines partner, Ellis Adams."

From old Marline Submarine Web Site

Regards,

Szybowski