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I gotta believe anybody building a sub must be smart enough to test the
damn thing "empty" before going down in it.
By "testing" I don't mean just sending it down once or twice to see if it
leaks. You're putting your life out there on a very small branch.
Tests before it even gets wet are first. Then dunk testing while attached
to a cable so you can be popped up quickly if there's even the hint of a
problem. Like I said, you're looking for way more than whether it leaks or
not.
Instruments that collect real data must be included, and a thorough
analysis of the results carried out so you know exactly what happened and why.
I'm a ways off from this stage of my build but I've spent a fair amount of
time researching and trying to educate myself on what is prudent before I go
down in it. Still have a long way to go before I'll be satisfied with the safety
factor thing but sure as hell won't be "hot dogging" my boat into the great
beyond before I'm sure it's safe.
That Seeker sub obviously wasn't tested empty to twice it's operating depth
or they would have seen how fragile it was.
After dunking mine and doing all the shallow tests etc. I'll be sending it
down empty real deep a few times to collect the data I need.
As I said, not there yet, but SOME of the things I've planned are
onboard video,( of the inside), sound recording, ( listening for creaks and
drips ), stress deformation on the hull and windows, ( got some little
devices designed to measure what moves ), recordings of gage readings for
the plumbing/air systems,( the onboard video ) and a cable to bring it
back up if it screws up. I've talked to the guys at the harbor with the crane
barge and they've got more than enough capacity to drop it down to 800 feet. It
may seem a little expensive to go through all this but it's a lot cheaper than
being DEAD!
I'm really aiming for 1000 feet but I'll never get it in water past 600
feet manned and don't expect to actually drive it any deeper than 300. This of
course is all subject to change depending on the test results.
I'm still researching what kinds of things will give me a thorough
picture of exactly what happens when it goes down. This is all part of the fun
in building it.
I see where most subs being advertised have a fail-safe system built in so
the sub can't go deeper than it's operating depth. That's deserves a
little discussion on how that might work.
Anyway, as psub guys, it's up to all of us to "promote safe design and
operation" of these things and anything less would be reckless.
Better get off my podium now......Frank D.
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