FYI: VERY INTERESTING!! (Fwd)

[Ray Keefer <Ray.Keefer@ebay.sun.com>]

Hi,

Reply directly to Richard as you think appropiate.

Regards,
Ray

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Date: Sun, 17 Oct 1999 19:20:15 +0800
From: "Richard Macrae Gordon" <lrrg@wantree.com.au>
Subject: VERY INTERESTING!!
To: ray@psubs.org

My name is Richard Macrae Gordon and I am a 20 year old Australian business
owner who is a great personal submersible enthusiast. I built a small unmanned
submersible with a friend of mine for science fair in 1996(and won) and ever
since then, I have been interested to find a way into commercially marketing
personal submersibles for a living. 
 
I am currently studying business at the Perth campus of Notre Dame(yes, it's
the same one!). I would be eager to hear anything more you may have to say
about submersible construction as you are obviously somebody who has spent a
great deal of time learning about them and constructing them. I have been
researching the area for the last 5 years (slowed down considerably by living
in different countries since I began).
 
 It is my aim to produce a high-quality submersible that is capable of diving
to around 75ft and can carry 3 passengers and 1 pilot at around 5 knots. I
have around 16 detailed designs floating around my study (excluding variations
on each one) that would possibly fit the bill. I have chosen the specific
systems configurations that in my opinion would be the best. Here is what I've
decided on;
 
overall length- around 20ft
overall beam- around 6ft 
hull material- reinforced fibergalss laid on a welded frame
view-ports- hemi-sherical plexiglass
pressure-hull configuration- seperate pressure hull for passengers/crew and
running gear (possibly with yet another one for aquionics) ballasting system-
50lb positively bouyant with vertical thruster for depth-stability. 100lb
detachable lead ballast , or inflatable bladders for emergency 'blows'
propulsion- 4x1hp brushless motors  +  1 vertical thruster(having no
mechanical linkages through pressure-hull is crucial to safety of design)
manouevering- achieved by altering throttles to each motor and to vertical
thruster power supply- simple lead acid batteries (unsure how many are
required) life-support- lithium hydroxide CO2 scrubber rebreather with reserve
oxygen  and emergency scuba tanks. 4 hours operational supply with 16 hours
reserve. gas monitors and warning indicator tabs(aircraft style). Internal dry
cabin maintained at constant 1 atmoshpere. 

If there is anything you think may need to be changed, or in fact if you have
any completely different ideas about what I have in mind, I would be eager to
hear anything you have to say. Thank you very much for your time. 

Kindest regards,
Richard Macrae Gordon
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