Stupid Sub Tricks - Any special talents that your sub has?

[bob the builder]

During my recent sea trials of my Nautilus last weekend I found a pretty cool thing out.

If I leave the ballast tank about 1/4 full of air and hit full reverse, I can actually stand her on her tail 100% vertically! With proper manipulation of ballast levels, she can stay statically that way, or continue right on down to the bottom (not that I'd DO that, of course).

Anyone else with a neat quirk that their model possesses?

[Guest]

Think you need to baffle

Think you need to baffle that ballast tank, shipmate!

Andy

[anonymous]

Yes indeed. On a slightly

Yes indeed. On a slightly more serious note I think this was the prime cause of my sub sinking, last year.

This was with a pressurised tank ballast system. I was "showing off" the R class sub to some children, diving at steep angles and lost all the compressed air from the system. Negative buoyancy stayed negative!

We located her by propwash at the surface and hooked her to the surface with a pool brush.

Over winter I put a lot of baffle plates in the tank. The sub is now noticeably more stable and she hasn't sunk again. Or could it be that I am just more cautious!

[Guest]

Yes indeed. On a slightly

Yes indeed. On a slightly more serious note I think this was the prime cause of my sub sinking, last year.

This was with a pressurised tank ballast system. I was "showing off" the R class sub to some children, diving at steep angles and lost all the compressed air from the system. Negative buoyancy stayed negative!

We located her by propwash at the surface and hooked her to the surface with a pool brush.

Over winter I put a lot of baffle plates in the tank. The sub is now noticeably more stable and she hasn't sunk again. Or could it be that I am just more cautious!

How did you lose air on a pressurised tank system? I thought they were completely sealed- or did you have a dodgy valve?

Andy

[bob the builder]

Andy,

My ballast tank is almost

Andy,

My ballast tank is almost square at 6" diameter and 5" length, as close to a sphere as most can come.

I think that her little quirk has more to do with her design (again) as she will suck under in reverse even with a completely empty tank. My aft planes just help this along and once she's under and pulling downwards, she just wants to keep going that way, that's all.

It takes concentration and practice to make it go like this, so I'm not worried in the least that she'll do this on me by accident.

[Antoine]

like you,Mr the Builder http://www.subcommittee.com/forum/icon_wink.gif

like you,Mr the Builder , I found that my Delphin full reverse + full planes down could do a funny move (that Dave M. called a "BAT TURN" )



BAT TURN

[mr t]

wow i thought that sub

wow i thought that sub in the video was a fish!

It moves like one!