My Seaview Build

[bigdave]

I will try and get

I will try and get back to the Seaview this week. I have been busy filling orders. Which as Martha would say, "Is a good thing" BD.

[bigdave]

I got a few hours

I got a few hours to work on the Seaview.
I worked on the rudder and rear planes.
This is a very similar arrangement to what I use in the Gato and VIIc. The trick with the Seaview is I have this large PPJ/TD that has to get assembled inside of the rear section as the two half's are bonded.
There is no way any of these assemblies can go in after the rear section is cemented.
I have added copper tube bearings to the right half of the hull only. Once I assemble everything these will align the rear plane shaft so I can add the bearings on the other side and still keep it straight.
I am modifying the kit supplied rudders and planes as I feel they will work fine. I will couple the three rudders together. It is really tight back there for the rudder arm, but it should work OK. Here are a few photos. BD.

[anonymous]

BD good job. I have

BD good job. I have David's fittings kit and I'm not sure yet until I go over it how much I'll use. Most likely everything but the props since you system doesn't use them.

Keep at it. Good you can squeeze it in were you can. I'm hoping to do the same soon as I get a BK built and your kit send to you.

Steve

[Rogue Sub]

Hey Dave how do you

Hey Dave how do you plan to get the control horn out for the dive planes if you need to? Looks like your gonna make them permanently installed.

Not worried about it at all?

[mickelsen]

I'd like to ask a

I'd like to ask a newbie question. I'm really wowed by the engineering that you've done to put an R system into that Seaview. I'm wondering if it would be possible to put a standard RCABS system into it if you put the bladder into the ballast compartment as you have for the R system. You then use the dry space as your air reservoir and don't need the extra space for a separate pressure vessel. There's probably a good reason that won't work. Maybe because the WTC is so small. But I'm a newbie and don't know so I would appreciate it if someone would explain to me if there is anything wrong with that idea.
Thanks a lot.
Mark

[bigdave]

You are correct Kevin. I

You are correct Kevin. I do not intend to get them out.
There is no reason I should have to.
It is a silver solder joint and should last without problems. I use a drop of STP now and then on the copper bushings. It has worked great in my VIIc for many years.

You answered your question too Mark.
Not enough air inside of the sealed parts of the cylinder to supply a bladder the size that would be needed. The bladder would also have to be custom made. BD.

[bigdave]

Got a little more done

Got a little more done today. I made the mount for the PPJ/TD and installed it.
I will be able to get the PPJ itself out, but the TD will stay in the boat. It will require no maintenance so it is OK. I also have a view looking up into the intake.
There will be grates across the intake to keep large foreign objects out of the impeller. The intake scoop is at a 45 degree angle so I can get some reverse thrust.

[seahorse]

Dave, I still think the

Dave, I still think the large whoope cushion would work!

Nice job, keep it going !

[bigdave]

So you keep telling me.

So you keep telling me.
Don't want the boat to sound like it is passing gas. BD.

[chips]

For what it's worth, I

For what it's worth, I looked through some old issues of the SCR for SEAVIEW articles.

SCR #36 March 1999 - SEAVIEW by Rick Teskey. A scratchbuilt 38" model. He had to open up the bottom front of the propulsor nacelles to get enough water flow.

SCR #45 June 2001 - SNAPSHOT column by David Merriman, "Improving the Teskey 52" SEAVIEW." Has some hints for controling the sail planes, rudders, & stern planes.

SCR #48 March 2002 - SNAPSHOT column by David Merriman, "DeBoer SEAVIEW, A Success Story." Has some additional hints for making the sub work.

I plan on opening up the bay doors for the mini sub. I've glued one door in the open position, and made a template for a scoop to direct more water into the hull. My plan is the mini sub bay doors will be opened up like the bomb bay doors on a B-17. A "Y" shaped piece of styrene will be glued between the doors, acting like a scoop - think of the belly radiator on a P-51.

[bigdave]

Thanks Bob. The old SCR's

Thanks Bob. The old SCR's are a wealth of info. I have them all. I started at #6, but purchased the rest to complete my collection.
You have to have some way to get that water in the hull or the impeller will suck it dry in a heartbeat.
Nice idea.
Well today I finished everything up that I had to do so I could cement the two rear half's together. Which meant making the linkages, and cutting out the rest of the Dad-Blasted side vents.
Square vent holes S__K!!
I sliced my finger tip open of course on a new #11 and as usual I kept hitting it all day.
A few drops of thin CA kept me from leaking on the hull.
I also found out to get the port nacelle on I have to slit the already cemented seam.
No biggy, but there is always something you forget.
But she is cemented now and hopefully I have not forgotten anything else.
I tell you I could not be happier with the quality and fit of the hull parts. Nice heavy plastic too.
Here are a few more photos.

[bigdave]

I finished installing the port

I finished installing the port nacelle and it went well.
With the PPJ/TD installed and the rear section finished power system wise I had to give it an in water test.
So I installed the cylinder, connected the front and rear sections, and hooked up a battery to the power input. Then I filled the laundry tub and set the rear of the sub inside. I am happy to say it all worked quite well.
The foreword thrust is very good, and I get a decent reverse as well.
I can't wait to hook up the planes and rudders to see how the vectored thrust will work. If everything works out I should have it running by the regatta. Cool!! BD.

[bigdave]

Well I have good news

Well I have good news and bad news.
Good news is the cylinder works great in the sub. Bad news is the Manta bow is so wide it will not fit in my test tank.
I guess I will have to use the bath tub.
I really wanted to put the cylinder in the hull, hook up a battery, see how she floated, and maybe add some thrust.
I was just able to float the hull tilted a bit so the bow did not hit the sides.
It was enough to prove that the hull floats and the thrust was excellent. Even reverse thrust was better than I had hoped. Here is a photo of the nacelles churning the water. BD.

[anonymous]

Cool BD!

Steve

Cool BD!

Steve

[bigdave]

I did a bit more

I did a bit more basic trimming today and found out that I will have to call my Seaview. Crisco. (Fan in the can) It will be an interesting bit of trimming. The hull itself is quite heavy.
I can see a lot of foam in my future. The pink block is what I had to stick under the PPJ/TD to get it to sit about level. I also tested the rudders and planes under power and the rear end moved up / down, right/ left, with stick movements. Cool .
I also have to figure out where I want to have the waterline. It will not be the ridiculously high one in the TV shows. At that height the impeller would be sucking air and not water. Something I would feel a sub of this type would have. BD.