All,
I'd definitely recommend any interested psubbers make the trip to New
Orleans (the next UI is in January '12). Lots of toys to look at,
professionals to talk to, and a more or less open forum for the sub stuff that
either isn't available at all, or barely available even by an interested
Googler. The venue is excellent, food good, program excellent and the
girls.....well, let's just say wow and move on.
Jon was being mighty comprehensive in his note, for which I am grateful.
I'll add that there was as much to learn in side conversations as otherwise,
so the personal visit is, as I said, very much worth the trip. We were able to
ask the SwRI project engineers any questions we wanted about the Alvin
replacement hull project, for instance. Want to know about silver-zinc battery
packs? Zoe was there with then answers. Legal ramifications? Mir operations?
Jamstec's new 7000 meter boat? HBOI future plans? All there for the asking.
Nuytco? Antibodes? ABS? Seamagine? Treasure diving? Kirby-Morgan dive gear?
Video Ray? Blue-View sonar? Yup. Everybody was there.
The other good news was that out of all the committee meetings and so on,
the Manned Underwater Committee group (which I co-chair with Wil Kohnen) was
by far the best attended. It was impressive enough that my old boss, Drew
Michel, who runs the ROV side and is the president-elect of MTS itself, made a
special point to come and congratulate us during our committee meething the
last afternoon of the conference. We even discussed money. The MUV committee
wants to parallel the ROV committee and make grants available to deserving
college students studying our particular field. That may be the very best
long-term result from this whole deal.
Also, I would urge everyone to join the Marine Technology Society (you
can do it on their web site). Tons of information available, more to come, and
lots of contacts. For the committed, it's hard to beat for the money. Maybe
for ANY money.
Dan Lance did a great job keeping up with money, paperwork and who was
doing what to whom,. Wil Kohnen, as the MUV committee chair, had gone way and
above in preparation, had most everything at his fingertips, and made the
whole thing move swimmingly. I'm not sure those two would have missed me if I
had failed to show up, but I certainly enjoyed working in such great company.
The whole conference was truly an impressive deal. If you can join us next
year, you will not regret it.
And I will volunteer as of now to buy the first round for psubbers at the
Ugly Dog Saloon.
Vance