Tom Chalfant - Bronco Type XXIII

[vital.spark]

I mentioned in the past, " keep the gas system" but all I got from you guy's is verbal abuse on how great the SAS system is. Serves you right!!! I must say also, That I'm sorry for your loss!

[redboat219]

No propel back up?

[greenman407]

maybe the backup gas system like I put in the Skipjack, might not be a bad idea.

[trout]

Yesss, it is true......I did lose the Type XXIII.
Here is the attempt to find it.


So, what happened?
I ran it on Friday and at the very end of my run the pump stopped working. No smoke or smell of a burned motor. I could see the green light working, but still no pump. If I sucked on the tube, it would free up and begin running. I tried to flush the motor out and tested it. It seemed to work fine. On Saturday, I took the sub out and was able to run her. Surfacing and diving, surfacing and diving, boy that sub looked good, then I dove her a little deeper than I wanted tried to fire the pump to empty the tank, but she kept going down and the pump did not bring her up. I did an all stop. Tried a whole bunch of maneuvers to bring it up, but nothing. I thought the dive would have found it, but he did not. He tried also on Sunday.
I should not have run with a possible bad pump. I should have followed good safe practices.

The Gato ran well. It did a funky dive (like a surface boat attendee turned on his radio), but the gas system brought it up. My heart did not do so well. Visions of another diver came to mind. Since then I did not want to run the Skipjack or Gato. Lost my confidence.






So, am I going to give up the hobby? Definitely NO! Plans are being made to make a Type XXIII Mark II - Tina (my wife) had pity on me and gave me the O.K.
The next sub to be built will be the one Sam (my son) and I build together - Skipjack mini. Then on off days I will rebuild the Type XXIII.

[redboat219]

Hope it has nothing to do with SAS...

[greenman407]

Here is a Target that I lost back in the early 90s. It about broke my heart! The handsome Gent in the photos is "yours truly". LOOK! I even had hair back then!......................WHAT HAPPENED??????????????

http://forum.sub-driver.com/showthread.php?887-Dumas-3-5-Hot-Shot

[greenman407]

I am very sorry to hear that. Ive not lost one yet but Im sure it will happen, and ive been real close with my heart up into my throat, a couple of times. Boy.............thatll take the wind out of your sails! Tom.....take a breather....................................and then full throttle it.

[redboat219]

Just learned that Mr. T. Chalfant's boat was lost with all hands at a recent subregatta.

[greenman407]

Just remember that the rudder shaft is only 1/16" in diameter. I have bent the shaft several times trying to get the set screw loose. Since you have not cut yours open, you wont be able to straighten it.

[trout]

Great suggestions Mark! Unfortunately the screw faces forward. Tightening and pinning the rudder shaft like you are suggesting, will be done. It just feels right to do that.

[greenman407]

Tom, as far as the bellcrank is concerned, you might be able to access it without cutting it open. First get you a mirror and a light and see if you can see up into that area to determine if the grub screw is facing perfectly aft. Remember its location from the arm is not 90 degrees but a little more, perhaps 110 degrees, so turn it where the arm is forward of amidships. Then, just drill a small hole in the tail end and put your allen wrench up thru that hole and feel around with it until it engages.

[trout]

Thanks Mark, to say I did not think that would be a lie. :-)

[greenman407]

Very nicely done Tom. I thought that you were going to run into the side of the pool right there at the end.

[trout]

O.K. here is a little video.

If you watch the sub as it comes around for the first pass, initially the bow has the bubble trapped. Once a slight speed up, you will see the tower do a little list and bubbles will be released. It then will submerge and just keep running, until the rudder gets squirrely and loose. Other than that this sub runs fantastic. I might have it a little too heavy and not enough buoyancy, but I like the slow going movement I can achieve the way it is.

[trout]

Not sure if it is the rudder proper or the bell crank grub screw needs tightening. Either way, I think I need to open a access panel to verify and correct. It is an area, as much of a pain it was tightening the grub screw or set screw initially, that I feared if I ever needed to do maintenance it would be impossible. Should have done it in the beginning, the old saying of "a Stitch in time saves nine".

Mark, the pool is at Grandmother's retirement place. The usage of it may dry up when she moves in with us. Someday, I hope to haves a pond or pool of my own.