Mankster

I hope its not too much of a nightmare getting your sub back in trim. Looks like you will have to sacrifice your surfaced waterline to dive

Screw Loose

I know its always a gamble or compromise isnt it !

One way or another I dont want to sacrifice the clear water line. Even if it came down to it the aluminium cable tie can be removed. It really bugs me when you see subs that are sitting too far down in the water.
I think I would modify the frount plane holes if I had to, to counteract the warping.

But it takes about 12 seconds for the boat to take on enough water to submerge it to begin with, after about 12 seconds the tower is just going under. And the main drive battery I am using is lighter than the Engel one they recomend. By about 400g, so I had to add more ballast to make up for it. But as I said, I have put lots of foam pieces in the lower hull on both sides to ass a little bouyancy to it. I can remove them as neccesary.

I dont think I will know how it will go till it hits the water on tuesday. But its back to the old balancing act to get it right I suppose.

Anyway time will tell.

Paul

Mankster

Too be honest I am really amazed your hull warps so much. Is it ok when its indoors and only in problem when its in the sun or in the pond. Or is it a permanent warp that has been since the start. My top and bottom hull didn't meet at the front, but after filling the gap, its been perfect ever since, no stingers needed.

Screw Loose

its funny because when I first got it and during the winter months it was fine. But since the weather has got warmer, and the garage is warmer, thats when it warps.

When I had it at the lake the other day, it was cold the morning when it went in. And by the time it came out later on it had warped so much the frount planes wouldnt come out as the hole had shifted.

What swung it for me was when you pulled the sides out to there proper place, the holes lined up again for the forward planes.

I am taking it to the lake tommorrow, so I will see how it performs then. I really dont like putting any extra weight up top, so I will see what it does Monday.

Paul

Screw Loose

Its been back at the lake this morning, and for once it behaved itself !

The only problem was one of my owm making, in that I forgot to take my spare crystals down and someone was using the channel I had! I borrowed someone elses but they went 100% compatible with my gear.

The warping is solved now, the lid hasnt budged. I have removed a little of the lead from the bow, and put 2 bits of foam to balance it on the underside of the lid, and apart from that its ok.

The boat now sits with the water just under the forward hydroplanes and just covering the props at the stern. I think I may call it a day at that point, before I knock it out of balance again.

Does anyone know why they specify the reciever aerial in the boat should remain on the inside of the WTC ? Would it make a difference if it was outside the WTC for example ? Just curious to be honest

Paul

subzero

Doesn't make any difference to signal, However if it was outside the WTC you would have to plug another potential leak and the end of the aerial wire would have to be sealed so it was isolated from the water.

Sub.

Screw Loose

Thanks for the reply sub, it was just out of shear curiosity.

The sub now looks like one of the Russian derelicts knocking about. I have weathered parts of it, and made the vents rusty etc. Just the old method of wire wool and salt water, very dilute.

I was surprsied how scruffy it has came out, so I might ease back on the weathering before it looks like one of the scrap boats It still has a few chips in the paint and the handrails need altering etc, but its mainly cosmetic now.



The picture actually makes it look worse than it does in real life to be honest, it doesnt look as scruffy when its in the lake !

I have made mesh grills for the vent holes, but I have been putting it off for weeks now, so I suppose one of these days I will get onto it. One of those jobs you know is going to be a pain!

Paul

Screw Loose

Yipeeeee

I put it in the lake this morning, tweaked the ballast and set it away and it worked fine!!!!! At last, its done

I must admit I wasnt sure it was ever going to work perfectly, but it seems to have came together all of a sudden.

I have modified the ballast, it now rides a little higher in the water, and still submerges stopped in the water. I moved the reciever batteries a little further back, and it now sits level.

I sent it out in the lake and managed to navigate round the delapedated pedaloes in the lake, and back to shore. I must admit I was glad to get it back to arms length retrievability, call me a coward if you will !

Turning the thing is still a challenge, even with the bow thruster. I think a stern thruster may be on its way before long. Once you break the surface tension and get it under way it gets up a decent turn of speed. But like any sub its about learning how to handle it.
I have found like on most boats, if you turn the props in opposite directions and turn the rudder, and as the rudder turns the bow thruster activates, it does turn !Just.....

I wont be entering in any navigation challenges I know that !

So after 20 minutes of getting my courage up I filled the tanks and go for a powered dive. I only got the base of the tower wet, and moved forward. The props powered it forward, tops of the prop cowls came out of the water and the forward planes drove it under. A little positive deflection on the planes and it levelled out and I brought it straight back up.

After that it was about making it go for longer submerged, or confidence really. I can get it to porpoise quite well, but I need to take on more water to keep it under for any lenth of time and control it. Thats the next step. But at that time the reciever batteries were getting low. So out it came. And the bloody periscope mechanism failed so I didnt want to guess where it was. One of the control wires came off, which isnt a first. There getting replaced and re-wired soon.

It sems to hover reasonably well, but our lake is quite shallow, and its hard to get a clear idea. But twice I got a little cocky and drove it forward while it was submerged, only to lose sight of it. So a VERY long 15 seconds to wait for it to surface and back it came!

But all in all I am very happy with it. Once you get the hang of it, its not too bad to get a handle on.

Sunday, its a fully submerged run round the lake. Well I can dream anyway !

ps Thats if my better half will lend me her car ! Tip of the day, if your into boats this big dont buy a sports car like me! Its damned annoying having to steal hers all the time ! Sounds like an excuse for a new car to me with a bigger boot!

Screw Loose

Here is a ropey quality video of an attempted turn.



http://i228.photobucket.com/player.s...3/MOV00013.flv">

subzero

Hi Paul,

Glad you have finally got it to work ok, persistance and patience is rewarded with Subs you just carn't rush them, well not if you want them to work correctly that is.

Well done

Regards Sub.