The big girl returns.....

[QuarterMaster]

Heywood Floyd: What? What's going to happen?
Dave Bowman: Something wonderful.
Heywood Floyd: What?
Dave Bowman: I understand how you feel. You see, it's all very clear to me now. The whole thing. It's wonderful.

Returning Spring 2016 to a pond near you.......

I plan to focus on one thing only this winter, my DeBoer SEAVIEW return to service.
Complete internal refit including new custom propulsion system.
Start as a surface runner test platform for the propulsion, and go from there.
Some minor cosmetic repairs as well.
I have soooo many spare parts from the old fleet I should be able to scratch build most everything.
In the past she started as a dynamic diver, then Gas, then pump.
I think a LPB with Gas backup is the way to go.
Oh yeah...GoPro in the bow! Just because I can lol

The way I trimmed her was to sit high, bow up on the surface, so once she gets underway she pulls water from her interior out the stern tubes and the stern lifts out of the water.
The bow is driven downward by her shape as well and she runs fairly true to the show. nice and level.
I found once the tank is vented, she just needed decks awash and I then could increase speed to shove her down to PD, maintaining it fairly well on speed alone all thanks to her unique bow shape.
Maneuverability is problematic so you need the skeg rudder working.
To hover I always thought fore and aft trim tanks would be needed. Maybe 2017?
Considering she last ran in the late '90's, it was nice to see the lights work after some 15 years in storage!!

I'll post progress!!

"Sub" Ed

[greenman407]

Great! Welcome aboard and looking forward to your build.

[trout]

Ed,
Yes, welcome! I learn so much from what others do, so selfishly, I look forward to your work. One thing I enjoy about this forum is the sharing and willingness to help. You have set some great goals, using a piston is on my to-do list, so again it will be fun to see all that you do.
Peace,
tom

[QuarterMaster]

I am pleased to say the yard crew have arrived and the long awaited refit on the USOS SEAVIEW has begun!!



So with all this help, I'll have NO excuse not to be ready come the spring for the launch.

The initial planning stages for the refit is almost complete.
This included (but not limited to):

1-Hull Discrepancy list (dings, cracks, old running gear hardpoint removal, cleaning etc.)
2-Design Goals
3-New Equipment design and layout.
4-Budget and purchase schedule.
5-Build Schedule

On thing I like to keep now (now that senior moments are more pronounced) is a dedicated notebook to plan and record what I do.
I'm finding things from the original build I can't for the life of me remember what was for! lol



This goes a long way in planning and remembering why you did what.

FWIW, I've conducted some initial testing the new pumpjet system and it looks quite promising, Over the holiday I plan to finish a test bed and do a comparison between the old 2" fixed prop and the new design. You can see the new nozzle in the 1st photo, the brass/copper affair just fwd of the sanding block.

I'll have a video of the test to share.

Everyone enjoy their year end festivities and catch you in the deep end.

"Sub" Ed

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Where's the frig'n pictures?!! (Typical QM ballast ingot!)

M