Actually, if my design, doesn't sink...., split in half,....drown me and otherwise works, besides being a neat "toy" addition if one is so inclined, I have one real world use for it.
Approaching the Florida Keys from the outside at night can be nasty business in a 3.5' draft partially submerged vessel, it would be nice to "see" the channel markers and turns long before you could with the light. My fuel range endurance will be some 20 + hours @ 2500 rpm, I am almost certain to get caught out at night.
Carsten's simple solution may be just the ticket! I was going to bring the quick release 6" dome inside with me when submerging, I may consider his suggestion now.
Joe
From: "Sean T. Stevenson" cast55@telus.net
Reply-To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org
To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org
Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] radar
Date: Wed, 15 Feb 2006 07:33:05 -0800
>Well Dan, I think it is necessary to point out that, while the vast majority of
>us can not afford to undertake large scale projects like the Euronaut, the
>defining factor that makes a sub a Psub is not its size, but rather the fact
>that it is a non-commercial venture undertaken by a hobbyist. That said, there
>certainly are boats out there which are designed to operate untended, by virtue
>of having the capabilities normally relegated to surface support - sufficient
>power, range, endurance, weather handling ability, communications, crew comfort,
>collision regs compliance, etc. Unless I am mistaken, the Euronaut falls into
>this category. (I'll leave it to Carsten to comment further). Such a sub would
>likely be of sufficient size to accomodate outfitting it in accordance with the
>equipment normally carried on surface vessels - and be capable of supporting a
>superstructure that can get a radar scanner high enough to be useful. My design
>is a design exercise only, but it is of a larger vessel with design criteria
>including sufficient freeboard to maintain a weather deck large enough to
>accomodate an evacuation via stretcher lift (one person lying down, tended by
>one or two more), and a weight buoyancy statement which will, with all tanks
>empty, maintain stability with the entire ship's complement (6) on the weather
>deck in a reasonable sea state - this is in case of fire or other event which
>necessitates evacuating to the deck, in the surfaced condition. The point being
>that for most smaller psubs, you're probably right, but there is a place in the
>psub universe for vessels designed to cruise on the surface, and in this
>context, radar is not a bad idea.
>
>-Sean
>
>
>Quoting "Dan H." <jmachine@adelphia.net>:
>
> > Is RADAR really necessary?
> >
> > First of all, it's not the smartest thing to operate a P size sub without
> > some surface support out there with you. If you feel you need radar, that's
> > the place for it.
> >
> > Second, a P-sub is way to close to the surface of the water for radar to see
> > very far. Unless there is fog, in which case it's highly unlikely you'd be
> > out there anyway, just a few feet off the surface I can see as far by eye as
> > a radar can.
> >
> > There are better places to spend the budgeted money of a P-subber.
> >
> > Just my opinion,
> > Dan H.
>
>
>
>
>
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