Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Recent Eurosub Dive Experience

[Jon Wallace <jonw@psubs.org>]

The Eurosub is a really nice sub and well deserving of notice and 
accolades it has received.  I see it as an alternative rather than a 
replacement for the Kittredge subs however, since calling it a 
"replacement" has a connotation that the K-subs are somehow obsolete 
which I don't think is the case.  While the K-sub plans could use some 
modifications to bring them up to date (about 40 years old now) and into 
compliance with the latest ABS requirements, the base hull construction 
and ballast control systems have proven to be well engineered and 
reliable.  What's interesting to me about having Eurosub plans available 
is that it would offer a design with different enough subsystems (such 
as ballast and controls) to make it an interesting alternative. 

I don't know enough about the Eurosub to understand exactly how 
different it is from the K-sub design, however I suspect someone could 
take the K-sub plans and modify them into a Eurosub, and modify the 
Eurosub plans into a K-sub.  My point being that I think its difficult 
to substantially differentiate one well designed general purpose 
submarine over another, especially for recreational use.  For example, 
is a sub designed for 1,000 feet using hemisphere heads functionally any 
better, or safer, than a sub designed for 1,000 feet using 
semi-elliptical heads?  Once you've achieved a safe hull, many of the 
other systems are merely preference and do not substantially offer more 
or less benefit over another design; batteries inside or outside, fixed 
or movable motors, ballast fore and aft, amidships, or both.

I do hope the Eurosub plans become available sometime.  I also hope 
PSUBS can complete our Open Source Submarine (OSS) project which I think 
will offer another option to home-builders.

Jon



Steve McQueen wrote:
> All,
> I recently had an opportunity to dive in Eurosub at Kreidesee (1 hr. 
> and a max.
> depth of 50 meters) and to visit with Carsten and view both Sgt. 
> Pepper & Euronaut. I was very impressed and appreciated the 
> hospitality I received.
>
> Let's hope the Eurosub drawings become available some day as I believe 
> (my humble opinion) this design is a logical replacement to the 
> Kittredge.
>
> I really liked the hard ballast tank design as it also acts as an 
> internal stiffener. The soft ballast tanks were also well designed and 
> nicely integrated to the hull.
>
> While I am far from construction of my own project I have now had the 
> experience of diving in 4 different subs and I can attest to the value 
> of doing so.




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