New SubRonLA Run Dates Announced

[jefftytoo]

Okay guys, here are the dates of our next three runs at our usual spot at Yorba Regional Park. I know some can make some, others others, but I look forward to seeing whoever can make whichever gathering.

• Saturday, April 7
• Saturday, May 12
• Saturday, June 23

Green board,
Jeff

[Ralph --- SSBN 598]

April 7th is upon us. I have 1 boat ready to go. Skipjack.
=====================
Update on Akula II repairs.
Checked tracking and it says package has been delivered to destination.
I will be going to town today with stop at post office to pick box from Engels.

Still waiting on parts from HobbyKing. (no tracking on these parts)

I have been busy and not in the shop much.
Twice in 3 weeks. Mostly for laundry.
===================
Engel parts in hand. ;^)

[Ralph --- SSBN 598]

Here it is, the day before our gathering.
I just finished charging batteries and getting the few tools I like to take.
Need to install battery in the hull and everything is ready to go.
============================
Akula II will not be coming.
It is currently on the work bench in a state of dis assembly.
This was to get to the circuit board that I will be replacing, on Sunday.
Then I will reassemble the electronics tray.
I will leave all the electrical and servo connections un made.

Still waiting on a couple of parts to show up.
Maybe they are at the post office.
Got a notice in my road mail box that there is a package to be picked up at the post office.
Won't get there until Monday.
I think these are the parts because I have no other package coming....that I can remember ordering.

[jefftytoo]

Small turnout for our run yesterday, but a nice time anyway. I got to run both Mike D’s Akula and Will’s Walrus. Ralph tinkered more with his Skipjack, and made plans with Will for more alterations to his new Engel boat. I picked up more experience handling a radio featuring twin sticks on the left side running a boat with a piston tank—after running it wrong for quite a while first. Live and learn. Onward and downward. See you next month, guys!

Here’s Will’s Walrus under my still-inept command. But I’m getting there!

JeffP

[Ralph --- SSBN 598]

Visited Will's submarine repair dock.

Things went well, to a point.
During the setup, we were adjusting the Tx to Rx link and the servo rates.
Then on to the piston tank.
The piston tank full limit switch failed, to engage.
The threaded rod continued until the piston itself contacted the threaded rod bearing binding the two together.

After several attempts to free the rod, it was decided to box it all up for the day.
When I got home, I looked this part over and decided to make a few wooden blocks to clamp the gear and the threaded rod.
This took all of about 1 minute.
When I turned the vise holding the rod, I thought the rod had slipped in the wood blocks.
Turns out, the rod turned and the piston and gear no longer where bond together.

Now to find why the limit switch did not disconnect the power, stopping the travel of the piston.
At least this time it looks like the new circuit board did not go bad.

There is no doubt more to this store.
It will unfold as we get in to it farther.

[jefftytoo]

Hi guys!

My usual reminder here that the next SubRonLA run will take place this Saturday, May 12, at the regular place and time, and I will momentarily send out my usual email reminders re: same as well. Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond my control, I shall be boatless again myself for this venture, but as usual shall enjoy watching you other skippers ply the waters with your own charges. See you there!

JeffP

[Ralph --- SSBN 598]

I finished roof #1 and have done the cleanup.

Now about May 12th.
I will be there.
I am not sure if I will have a running boat or not.
But that really isn't a priority for me.

Parts for the Akual II arrived.
Will I have time to install them...that is the question.

The Skipjack is all part on the bench and the kitchen table.
I could make one part and probably get the Skipjack working.
The evenings are currently warm so maybe I can make the part and get it installed.
Looks like before I started on the roof, I had cut out the plastic sheet to make the part.
Just need to assemble the pieces and shape them then attach them to the ballast system.

I think there was something else that needed to be done but right not I can not think of it. hummm...

[Ralph --- SSBN 598]

The Akula has been put on hold.
Will, who has been helping me figure out the problems and setup the electronics in the boat, is on vacation.
He will be back end of MAy.

So, I decided to make the plastic part for the Skipjack.
Did that yesterday and shaped it this morning.
All the parts are currently sitting while the glue cures.
Tomorrow, I should be able to install the balloon ballast bag and then assemble the cylinder.

I should be able to do water testing and trimming tomorrow afternoon and Friday as a back up day.

So, in my opinion, things are going good in the shop.

If the Skipjack repair is successful, I can run it while I build a new cylinder with the piston ballast system in it.
I will not have to rush to try and finish it.

I will be at the gathering this Saturday and I may have my Skipjack to run.

[jefftytoo]

Another pleasant day yesterday at the pond—or rather morning, for me, since I had to leave early to run an important errand at a place which closed by noon.

In attendance were Will, Mike, Ralph and myself; those regulars not on hand were missed and hopes were expressed for more robust attendance at our upcoming June 23rd run.

Being still boatless myself at the moment, Will once again kindly let me run one of his piston jobs (the Swede bruiser) all morning, still attempting to (with limited but gradually improving success) teach me to be less hamfisted on her delicate controls—all as practice for running my forthcoming Nautilus, which is engineered and will be radio-configured exactly the same way.

Will, Mike and Ralph all had satisfying runs with their own boats—Mike in particular, after some recent tweaking: his Engel 212 now rock solid at PD—and we all called it a “good day.”

Till next time, still readying for my closeup,
JeffP

[Ralph --- SSBN 598]

Follow up on Jeff's report.
My SKipjack made 2 runs of 30 minutes or more.
Not a drop of water in the cylinder.
This included several trips to the bottom at about 4'.
Hovering at about 3'.
A lot of periscope running. Slow and fast.
My sail planes are operational and control the depth once ballast is set.

Now about Jeff.
He must have ran Will's boat for more than two hour continuously.
Surface, diving, periscope depth.
He still gets crossed up with the rear planes and the ballast system, occasionally.
But the boat runs so well that even crossing up the controls a little, the boat still reacts to the input and does what is asked.

I was watching as Jeff ran with about 1/4" of the sail above the surface.
He was inputting a little rear plane to lower the boat.
It looked to as if the planes were working hard to d this but they did.
I was wondering if just a little more piston would have done the same thing and then the rear planes may have been natural.
I did not ask because the boat was still running just below the surface, not varying a 1/2"

Will makes sub systems preform extremely well.
His boats will static dive vertically, never vary from level and hover where every he want them to sit.
----------------
Example.
Mike's boat was running well but the boat would dive statically with the stern heavy.
Will ask Mike if he had cycled the piston to get the air out.
Mike dove the boat.
Surfaces the boat and a little air bubble broke the surface.
Second static dive the boat stayed level.

One little air bubble not cycled out of the piston sure cause a lot of trouble.

Will knew exactly what the problem was and how to fix it.
Will, I am listening. EF Hutton has nothing on you! ;^)

[Ralph --- SSBN 598]

I have several thread going over at SubPirates.
That is were I normally post my stuff.
After last Sauturday's run, I posted a report on what happened.
This evening I got an e-mail asking me to post the same here which is appropriate because it continues the information above.
So here goes.
I will try to copy it over here.
------------------------
What happened on the June 9th at the lake.
------------
Got to the lake, early and set the Skipjack up.
In to the water it went.
Did the pre run static dive and surfacing to get all the air out of the ballast balloon.
While sitting on the bottom (4'+-) I watched for those little bubbles I have been getting.
No bubbles. (finally found where they were coming from and fixed it.

Surfaced the boat and then submerged to periscope depth.
Began the patrol of the shore line and then ventured out to deep water.
Ran about 45 minutes or more at periscope depth and with maybe 3/4" of the sail out of the water.
The Skipjack has working sail planes and depth control is maintained with the sail planes.
Finished the patrol and back to the table.
Opened up the hull to turn the power off.
Inspected the cylinder for water.
None.
A successful run.
===============
Now for the Akula.
With Will's help (he did it all), the Akula was setup after a new controller board was installed and then trimmed in his test tank.
After some time the boat was riding level in both surface and submerge attitude.

At the lake, Will showed up as I was finishing the Skipjack run.
Prepared the Akula and in to the water it went.
Time to start.
The boat surface trim looks good.
Began the static dive to empty the air from the ballast piston.
Full dive and the boat got down to where just the top of the sail was above the water surface.
This is not right.
The boat is suppose to be trimmed a little bit negative.
Cycled the ballast piston twice and got the same results.
Out of the water.
Open the hull and Will added 2 small weights.
Back to the water.
Cycled the piston again.
Air removed ordered a full dive.
The boat submerged and this time the boat made it to the bottom.
This is good.
Now to hover.
Emptied a little water from the piston and the boat raised about 1' off the bottom.
Hovering was good but the boat was not level.
It was bow heavy.
Surface and back to the table.
Open the hull and Will moved the small froward weight back about 4". (length of the battery pack)
Back to the water.
Cycled the piston 2 times and then did the hovering thing again.
This time the boat was almost level.
When the boat was submerged to where the top of the sail was about 1/4" above the surface, the rudder bulb was at the surface and should have been about 1/4" to 3/8" below the surface to be level.
Good enough to leave it alone., because there may be trapped air in the tail cone.
This will fix itself after running the boat forward getting water flow through the tail cone.
This did happen.

Next was to start surface patrol.
Made a few circles then stopped in front of me to do a static dive to periscope depth.
I am using a new radio and it has a Will Dive Control installed.

I use Futaba 9CAP radios because I like the control knobs.
These knobs have clicks you can feel.
The Will control does not have these clicks.
The problems I was having with the Akula was trying to control the piston movement.
1 click on the Futaba gave me 3 to 4 turns on the piston threaded rod.
This seemed normal to me but Will kept saying things like, move the piston half a turn of 1 and a half turns.

What was he talking about? 1/2 a turn.
My minimum was 3 turns at best.

Now with this new radio and WIll's DIve Control knob, Will would tell me to give a it a little more dive.
I found myself feeling for the clicks and then I found myself putting the boat on the bottom.
Then words of encouragement from Will, "That's too much."

Back to the surface and slowly dive the boat down to the top of the sail even with the surface of the water.
Several thing I learned.
There is a lag time from control input on the piston until it actual reacts.
Move the knob a little...I mean a very little, in fact I would look at the control knob and I could not see it move but the boat would go down a little.
This new control knob is so sensitive, I continued to get those words from Will. "Not so much!"
What? I didn't even see the knob move!
I also learned that all the controls are working so closely together you have to use a precess to get depth control trim adjusted.
1. Find the speed you want and leave it along. (set it and forget it)
2. Starting with rear planes centered, dive the boat. Dive the boat slowly, pausing for several seconds between adjustments.
3. Get the boat down to where the top of the sail is at the surface.
4. Run the boat by in front of you so you can see if the boat is level, bow high or stern high.
5. Run by again and while watching, adjust eh rear planes up or down to get the boat level with the control stick.
6. Once you have it close to level, use the fine adjustment slider for the stick because 1 click on the stick is going to be Too Much.
7. Now the boat is level submerged.
8. Run circles at periscope depth and watch the boat. "Do Not make any adjustments."
9. Run several circles.
10. Watching the boat I see that in one area the boat is with the sail under water and just the masts up.
11. But then on the other side of the circle the boat will rise up to where there maybe half the sail above the surface.
12. This may be caused by the changing water temperature. One side of the circle and an aerator in the lake and the water is bring up cold water from the bottom.
13. This made me realize something I had not thought of. Thee boats are far more sensitive than I had ever thought.

I ran the boat for almost 2 hours trying to get use to the new radio controls.
Most of this time was submerged.
I think I can change the depth by not turning the control knob and just turning the Tx on it's side and back again or raising and lowering the Tx. (joking.. I think)

Finally remove the boat from the water an back to the table.
Opened the boat to find it completely dry inside.

A month ago, I was watching Jeff run Will or Mike's boats with this radio system and controls.
My thoughts as I watched where confused because I thought Jeff might try this or that to control the boat a little better.

Well, I have learned that Jeff was doing exactly what was needed with a boat that is trimmed perfectly with this radio and ballast system.
I owe Jeff an apology.
I didn't know what I was talking about at the time.
============
Now a point of interest.
Some where I read or hear someone refer to Will's Dive Control System as "Dial Depth".
I am not sure that person realizes how accurate that statement is.

I know I have thanked Will several times but I am sure I will thank him again for his help and guidance.
Thanks, Will!

I am making a modification.
I had built all new masts for the Akula because the plastic ones didn't even survive the work bench much less out in the wild.
I took the tops of the masts and made brass tubing masts and put the plastic detail parts on top.
I made them scale.
Turns out when the boat is out about 100' , I can not see the tallest mast to determine depth control.
The tallest mast has a piece of .028" piano wire on top and it disappears at distance.


The modification is, I built one more mast using just brass tubing with no wire.
I made the mast 1/2" taller than the whip antenna.
On the table I can put the scale mast on the boat for looks.
In the water, I can remove the whip antenna and put the taller fatter mast in it's place so I can see it farther out.
In the photo you can see the whip antenna but there is a tubing mast on this side of it made from two pieces of tubing.
I just made a bigger version of this and it is painted all flat black for better visibility.

I could run at depth and not know it because the wire would disappear on me.

Now some photos.
Unfortunately they are of the Skipjack early in the morning.
.................. Skipjack run ..................

[Ralph --- SSBN 598]

Looks like was able to copy the post over.