> >> A lot of derision was recently heaped on a submersible luxury yacht
> >> concept bruited by an Italian shipyard and reported by CNN. But
> >> something in the article struck me as a challenge to those "in the
> >> know." A spokesman for the shipyard said that they were looking for
> >> consultants.
> >>
> >> What if one or more of the leading lights of the personal submarines
> >> networks were tapped to advise these builders? What would he/they tell
> >> the yacht designers about the concept they have now, and what
> >> modifications would he/they recommend, and why?
> >>
> >> Although I am NOT a leading light in the field of personal submarines, I
> >> have fantasized for decades about a personal submarine large and
> >> comfortable enough for cruising, or even living aboard, and even done
> >> some calculations and formed some opinions. I would like to try
> >> launching the discussion, which I hope will be fruitful. Referring to
> >> the CNN report:
> >>
> >>
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/TECH/innovation/07/01/concept.yacht.designs/index.html?fbid=owi0rlu2C1-
> >>
> >> It's fairly clear from the graphics that the outer hull of this thing is
> >> the pressure hull (portholes visible), not a "soft" external casing,
> >> which means that ballast provisions must necessarily be "hard" and
> >> located inside the pressure hull. That, and the sheer size of the round
> >> wiewports located just aft of amidships tell us that this beast, as
> >> conceived, is meant only for shallow submergence. The absence of
> >> internal stiffeners and bulkheads in the interior drawings reinforces
> >> this, and also dictates the use of an inherently stiff, thick hull
> >> shell, possibly of sandwich construction.
> >>
> >> That said, what advantages would the ability to submerge to a modest
> >> depth give the submarine yacht that might justify the vast additional
> >> cost of building a huge submersible? The most obvious is the ability to
> >> sightsee, to view the wonders of the shallows: reefs, lagoons... But
> >> this could probably be adequately provided by a glass-bottomed surface
> >> vessel. Handling rough weather is another advantage - one that
> >> absolutely requires the ability to submerge. Equipped with a snorkel,
> >> the yacht could use the full power of its diesels to make a rapid
> >> passage through even the roughest weather. Even though, snorkeling, it
> >> could not submerge below the convection zone of large surface waves, the
> >> power of its propulsion system, allied with powerful hydrovanes and an
> >> automatic stabilization system, would iron out most of the bumps and
> >> allow a fair body like the sub to power through a storm at over thirty
> >> knots. If the hull shape were optimized to minimize wave-making near the
> >> surface, it might do better still.
> >>
> >> There are disadvantages, of course, besides the greater expense of
> >> building the beast. Like water ballast, all fuel tankage must be
> >> internal, which makes venting, and protecting the passengers and crew
> >> against fuel fumes and spills, a major design task. At snorkel depth
> >> there's no problem because there is a continual influx of fresh air and
> >> aspiration of interior air into the engines and expulsion out the
> >> exhaust. With the boat completely buttoned up and on electric
> >> propulsion, the problem gets more complicated.
> >>
> >> The big viewports will have to be altered - I don't know of any outfit
> >> that could mold a one-piece acrylic port that large. The result would be
> >> mullioned, and might resemble a rose window more than a porthole.
> >>
> >> Best,
> >> Marc
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
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