[PSUBS-MAILIST] deep test

[Alec Smyth via Personal_Submersibles]

Thanks for sharing, Hank! We spend so many hours building and so few
operating these little boats, I really enjoy getting these dive reports,
and particularly ones that provide a dose of reality to our dreams.

Best,

Alec

On Sun, Apr 24, 2016 at 9:35 AM, hank pronk via Personal_Submersibles <
personal_submersibles at psubs.org> wrote:

> We decided to go for the test a day early because the weather forecast was
> more favourable for Saturday.  We arrived at the lake at 12;30 and the lake
> was almost dead calm.  Imagine my joy!  we backed the sub into the lake and
> found the ramp angle not steep enough for my usual slick launch.  The sub
> would not float off on its own, I was not going to let that stop this
> operation.  I figured I will deal with loading the sub later.   I pushed
> the sub off by hand and got her situated and the boat loaded.  The boat was
> very heavily loaded with all the spare stuff and emergency stuff I may
> need.  I was off!  after about 20 minutes of towing, my dive site was in
> sight.  I calculated it would take 46 min to get to the deepest spot in the
> lake.  Without warning the wind went from a gentle cooling breeze to a
> strong wind and I was in white caps.  I thought it might blow over so I
> pressed on for another 10 minutes or so, but finally the following swells
> were coming over the transom and I was bailing because I could not out run
> the waves with the sub in tow.   I decided to turn around and go back to
> the dock.  It kept getting worse, if I did not have the sub in tow it would
> be no big deal.  I just could not maneuver on the waves and I had no
> speed.  The sail was almost submerged when the waves hit the sub, quite
> impressive really.  Well I made it back to the dock to find my wife
> practicing backing up the trailer.  She needs work LOL.  Okay,, time to
> load the sub and try again in the morning.  The lake is typically the
> calmest early in the morning.  I backed into the lake and submerged my
> bumper hoping to get the depth.  I emptied the sub of temporary ballast
> earlier to get her higher.  I pulled the sub onto the first cross member of
> the trailer and pulled it on part way.  I do not have a deck on the
> trailer, the sub just sits on the cross members.  Well that is bad! if the
> launch is shallow.  The sub tipped forward on the rear cross member as slid
> forward so my landing skids went under the next cross member.  Now it was
> stuck because I have a groovy rake to the front of the skids.
> I decided to secure the sub and pull it out of the lake because I was
> getting worried about my truck being submerged.   I dragged it all out and
> I spent two hrs with help from a guy from Prince George BC  to get it on
> the trailer properly.    All this could have been avoided if I left the
> front idler wheel on the trailer and I could have rolled the trailer in
> further with a tow strap like I used to.  I have been spoiled at Premier
> lake and forgot the misery at other ramps.  Clearly I need a change to the
> trailer before I try again.  We made it home at 10;30 last night with
> slight damage to the sub and no injuries except to my pride.
> Hank
>
> _______________________________________________
> Personal_Submersibles mailing list
> Personal_Submersibles at psubs.org
> http://www.psubs.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/personal_submersibles
>
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://www.whoweb.com/pipermail/personal_submersibles/attachments/20160424/95c4f5e3/attachment.html>