Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST]

[Clifford Redus <cliffordredus@sbcglobal.net>]

Likewise,  this is the first I had heard of the incident.  I think it is important to discuss the event from a safety perspective.  What was the root cause of the failure?

Cliff


Cliff Redus

On Jan 16, 2011, at 3:05 PM, David Bartsch <dbartsch2236@hotmail.com> wrote:

>  To all:  
>  
>    In the course of my sonar testing, I make a point to share not only my successes but also my failures. The reason I do this is so that anyone following in my footsteps could avoid the same mistakes and pitfalls as I have and in so doing be more productive as a result. Some mistakes made with submarines end up being fatal.
>    This past July at the PSUB convention in Fort Pierce, Florida, the only attending operational submarine literally sank during this event.
> This is to say that without outside rendered assistance, this vessel would not have been able to again see the surface. 
>    In that none of the three persons aboard were killed or even injured and the submarine once resting on the bottom of the dive site posed no navigational hazard, I would downgrade this ordeal a simple incident.
>    It was put out that a club only forum discussion of this mishap so as to determine what exactly led to this event would take place by years end. I may have missed this discussion but have thus far heard nothing.
>    It is my opinion that this club could learn volumes on how best to conduct safe submarine operations from this single event if only we as a group could see past any embarrassment or bruised egos this would inflict if placed out for open for unbiased evaluation. 
>    To me it is disappointing to see that rather than be transparent that some mistakes and laps of safety may have taken place at this event, we as a group would rather completely forget it happened and hence learn and share nothing. The next time we may not be so fortunate. History has a way of repeating itself...it's best not to ignore it.
>    I have heard much on our forum regarding standards  and codes of construction but what about operational checklists and procedures? Are these not of equal importance?
>    In other dangerous sports such as high powered rocketry, a single individual whose word was unquestioned could terminate or alter an activity by simply giving the order to do so. From what I could tell (and in my opinion) at this activity no such authority exists. This simply must change.
>    It would be very unfair if I also did not bring up the fact that we as a team were able to salvage this submarine. In that the subject of recovering a sunken submarine has come up from time to time in our forum, I would think we would have been proud of having performed this feat and share just how this was accomplished.
>    Not all went well even at this task and for this reason in my opinion this should be discussed in great detail as future salvage operations would go a whole lot smoother if it were. Some important items could be built into these small submarines that could aid in this area a great deal. How many people then present will now be carrying loose cloth rags aboard seeing how these hindered this salvaging effort?
>    I feel it less important to have an unblemished safety record than it would be to ensure we all go home at the end of a day of diving. With safety there should be no secrets or compromise...ever.
>    As my wife's health continues to decline and this finds me evermore in the role of caregiver,  it would seem my contributions to this hobby are soon to come to an end.  I do feel that this last act of honest criticism should make each of us take pause.
>    To the many of you with whom I have worked closely I bid you a fond farewell and wish your days be filled with smooth sailing and a following sea.
>    Perhaps someday I can once again devote more time to this area of study I find so interesting.
>  
> David Bartsch
>  
> P.S.: If anyone finds a pair of eyeglasses near our submarine operations area in Fort Pierce, chances are there mine.



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