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To gut a SHARK
After 9 years, more hours and scale sea miles than I can count, 5 major refits and a lot of experimentation and tweaking; the 591 is undergoing what is hopefully the last major refit combining everything I’ve relearned since returning to the hobby. It’s by far not the end of this award winning, well known vessel whose time with me stretches back to 1994. Just a new chapter that will be incorporating what I’ve been working towards this past decade.
But as they say, to make an omelet, you need to break a few eggs.
1. Her S3 T2500 Command and Control box, which contained the brain of the system. These past two and a half years of running in the North Texas mud holes clearly (no pun) indicate the clay like silt accumulation I’ve been suffering. This box was clean for almost 6 years of operations until I moved down from Long Island NY. Note the hinges! For the record, any boat I run gets a complete post patrol check and fresh wash when I get home.
2. Note the silt on her No. 2 (aft), 12V 7.5Ah SLA battery!.
Dallas, Fort Worth area geology lies in the “Cretaceous system”, characterized by chalk formations. The two series of rocks comprising this system occupy the area known as the Black Prairie, the Grand Prairie and the two Cross Timbers, besides unstudied areas in the eastern and trans-Pecos regions of the State.
To these strata the State owes a large part of her agricultural and general prosperity, for they are the foundation of the rich, black waxy and other calcareous soils of this region. It’s quite present in the natural ponds and lakes around me. Houses have specific foundations designed for this region actually riding on the soil like a surfer. Foundations shift, move and tilt. It’s all part of being a Texan.
Going forward the plan is to bring a 3.75l [1g US] universal pump sprayer to rinse the boat immediately upon retrieval as opposed to sitting in the back of the truck under the hot sun baking that stuff right in! Also the new system will be removable as part of a multi-boat modular system.
3. To the extreme left is the 127mm [5”] OD Ballast tank, its waterproof Blow vent servo. In the CnC box, the FrSky “Archer SR10” receiver (2.4ghz), associated “R9” receiver (915mhz) receiver, FAS40 ADV Current Sensor and associated “rats nest” wiring have been removed. To the left is power distribution, 5V Power Supply below, the ancient Jomar “Nautical Throttle, Rudder/Fairwater/Stern Plane servos upon which the Engel LRPro APC is resting. The the right of the CnC box is the feed wires to the Motor compartment and the No. 2 SLA Battery
4. Here at the stern you see her open Motor Compartment. She sported a Redmond 12V 10A Brushed RV HVAC electric motor for propulsion swinging a brass 95mm [3-¾”] 7 bladed screw. Direct drive. Just aft of the motor itself you can see the homemade “torque absorber” which GREALY saved the drive train during emergency maneuvers. Can you say, “No blown dogbones.”? Note the discoloration of this compartment as well.
5.The removed CnC compartment and Ballast tank sitting on the mobile “RC Submarine Tender”. Again, note the discoloration from my local ponds.
6. Having removed the Ballast tank and CnC, we can see the “Low Pressure Blower”. A 12V diaphragm pump that inducts air through the Snorkel at PD to save on the backup gas system. Like her REAL prototype, a modern Combat Submarine conserves its pressurized air (which runs quite a few systems as well) by limiting gas blows to emergencies. Normally we proceed to Periscope Depth, raise the snorkel mast, and conduct a “Low Pressure Blow to all Main Ballast Tanks” wait some extended time and then “Bob’s your Uncle”. I personally have found the actual 1:1 Scale Submarine to be the most easy, efficient, reliant and safer RC systems. It’s like the builders of real world Submarines know what they're talking about. Your opinions will differ. Again, note the discoloration of the ‘glass hull, foam, components, etc from 2-½ years in North Texas. Gets into EVERYTHING and is tenacious as hell! We’re talking 2-4 hours every other weekend or so, then about an hour drive home baking in the back of the covered truck bed where temps easily exceed 52°C [125°F] Kinda like a kiln??
This is why the new system will be completely removable at post mission for immediate rinse. Also why I’m toying as to whether or not to actually deploy “brushless in the wet”.
7. Gutted. Took about 10-15 minutes to get here. Most of which was remembering the order of operations to safely remove everything from the CnC. ALL my boats have fairly easy access to everything for Maintenance, repair or replacement. The motor compartment is easily removable by backing off the shaft and a single hold down screw. After a thorough scrubbing, the new, yet to be revealed system will be installed.
As I’ve said, the new system will employ everything I’ve played with. About the only items in the dry will be the LiPO’s Sensors and receiver itself. The ballast tank will be adjustable as she’ll be shared among a minimum of 6 hulls including single and twin screw boats. That’s the 101mm [4”] system for the larger boats, a smaller 76mm [3”] will be shared on 4 hulls.
The features will include:
1-Dual 2.4Ghz/900Mhz (redundancy) FrSky Stabilized Receivers TD SR12 coupled with the X20S Transmitter.
2-No APC. Utilizing the built in flight stabilization with gain for adjustment for each individual hull's handling characteristics.
3-LiPOs. The 101mm [4”] will employ 2x 3S 8000mAh batteries that are remotely monitored and remotely switched among them. Run one down to storage mode and switch over to no 2. Spend a weekend away and run all day! The 76mm [3”] can employ a single 3s or 2s depending on the hull's need and performance requirements, monitored as well for "Return to Port" switch out.
4-First 7 channels/RX Pin (TD SR12) standardized and in compliance with FrSky system:
CH1-Smart Port Sensor In-RX Pin 1
CH2-Proportional-Stick Stern Planes (Elevator Gyro) Left Stick-Rx Pin 8
CH3-Proportional-Knob ESC (Primary) Rotary: S1-RX Pin 2
CH4-Proportional-Stick Rudder Right Stick-RX Pin 3
CH5-Proportional-Stick Bow/Sail Right Stick-RX PIN 10
CH6-Button: Momentary Gas/Vent Servo FS3/FS2-RX PIN 11
CH7-Button: Momentary Snorkel Mast Induction FS1-RX PIN 12
5-The remaining channels are for options and are hull specific:
Battery switching
Lighting
Dual Shaft w/separate ESC’s for differentials thrust.
Weapons
Etc.
6-Channels 13-14 are reserved for Gyro (APC) gain Rotary S1, and Stabilization On/Off, which would NEVER really be off! AKA FrySky Auto Level Mode. This is now my Pitch Controller with adjustable gain.
7-Telemetry: Included, but not limited to:
a-Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI): measures the strength of the received signal. It helps avoid loss of radio signal.
b-Valid Frame Rate (VFR) running from 0-100%. The percentage of received frames of data that contained usable data. A measure of signal quality rather than strength (RSSI). One can determine how dirty the local radio environment is. Think of distinguishing a single voice in a stadium.
c-Rx Voltage: Built in, nice to know what all the CnC equipment is doing to the voltage.
d-Main Battery Voltage: Real time monitoring of the battery state of health. Stop your run at storage or drop to just above the danger level.
e-Main Current draw: Know what the boat is pulling at any one moment. Probably my 2nd most useful number as I set my speed to it. Once you learn your boat’s handling and your favorite speed, note the number. Better than counting clicks on the stick.
f-Onboard Gas pressure: Two hours into running, Failsafed a number of times….Am I out? One can actually see the pressure drop, then rise after the gas blow.
g-Depth Pressure sensor: At a venue when I can run deep and see it, how deep am I? Using FrySky you can convert PSI to your preferred unit of depth. Cm, Meter Decimal In, decimal Foot, scale Feet/Meters!
h-Roll:Built in to the stabilization unit. Seeing how she rolls in a turn helps teach you how to maneuver thaty particular hull.
i-Pitch: Boats in the distance (75m [250ft] plus) are difficult to make out the pitch and ascertain quickly if she's in a bad “angle” before she drops out of sight thereby reducing pucker factor. Also useful in turns to control that “bow up broach” before it occurs. Finally a great tool in initial trimming to know that she's EXACTLY at “zero bubble”. My #1 telemetry. For the record that's my typical range as I run with Texan's, who LOVE their go-fast boats. Yeeeeeehaw!
Having run telemetry for about 5 seasons, I find I’m hard pressed to run without it in terms of quality and enjoyment of my submerged operations. I can see with my glasses off, it’s just no longer the same lol.
The ability to customize each boat to the standardized running unit will now allow me to back off the long ongoing R&D period and focus on getting the hulls I have yet to finish and get running on a 6:1 or so cost saving basis for electronics.
Isn’t modern RC Hardware wonderful?!?!
But as they say, to make an omelet, you need to break a few eggs.
1. Her S3 T2500 Command and Control box, which contained the brain of the system. These past two and a half years of running in the North Texas mud holes clearly (no pun) indicate the clay like silt accumulation I’ve been suffering. This box was clean for almost 6 years of operations until I moved down from Long Island NY. Note the hinges! For the record, any boat I run gets a complete post patrol check and fresh wash when I get home.
2. Note the silt on her No. 2 (aft), 12V 7.5Ah SLA battery!.
Dallas, Fort Worth area geology lies in the “Cretaceous system”, characterized by chalk formations. The two series of rocks comprising this system occupy the area known as the Black Prairie, the Grand Prairie and the two Cross Timbers, besides unstudied areas in the eastern and trans-Pecos regions of the State.
To these strata the State owes a large part of her agricultural and general prosperity, for they are the foundation of the rich, black waxy and other calcareous soils of this region. It’s quite present in the natural ponds and lakes around me. Houses have specific foundations designed for this region actually riding on the soil like a surfer. Foundations shift, move and tilt. It’s all part of being a Texan.
Going forward the plan is to bring a 3.75l [1g US] universal pump sprayer to rinse the boat immediately upon retrieval as opposed to sitting in the back of the truck under the hot sun baking that stuff right in! Also the new system will be removable as part of a multi-boat modular system.
3. To the extreme left is the 127mm [5”] OD Ballast tank, its waterproof Blow vent servo. In the CnC box, the FrSky “Archer SR10” receiver (2.4ghz), associated “R9” receiver (915mhz) receiver, FAS40 ADV Current Sensor and associated “rats nest” wiring have been removed. To the left is power distribution, 5V Power Supply below, the ancient Jomar “Nautical Throttle, Rudder/Fairwater/Stern Plane servos upon which the Engel LRPro APC is resting. The the right of the CnC box is the feed wires to the Motor compartment and the No. 2 SLA Battery
4. Here at the stern you see her open Motor Compartment. She sported a Redmond 12V 10A Brushed RV HVAC electric motor for propulsion swinging a brass 95mm [3-¾”] 7 bladed screw. Direct drive. Just aft of the motor itself you can see the homemade “torque absorber” which GREALY saved the drive train during emergency maneuvers. Can you say, “No blown dogbones.”? Note the discoloration of this compartment as well.
5.The removed CnC compartment and Ballast tank sitting on the mobile “RC Submarine Tender”. Again, note the discoloration from my local ponds.
6. Having removed the Ballast tank and CnC, we can see the “Low Pressure Blower”. A 12V diaphragm pump that inducts air through the Snorkel at PD to save on the backup gas system. Like her REAL prototype, a modern Combat Submarine conserves its pressurized air (which runs quite a few systems as well) by limiting gas blows to emergencies. Normally we proceed to Periscope Depth, raise the snorkel mast, and conduct a “Low Pressure Blow to all Main Ballast Tanks” wait some extended time and then “Bob’s your Uncle”. I personally have found the actual 1:1 Scale Submarine to be the most easy, efficient, reliant and safer RC systems. It’s like the builders of real world Submarines know what they're talking about. Your opinions will differ. Again, note the discoloration of the ‘glass hull, foam, components, etc from 2-½ years in North Texas. Gets into EVERYTHING and is tenacious as hell! We’re talking 2-4 hours every other weekend or so, then about an hour drive home baking in the back of the covered truck bed where temps easily exceed 52°C [125°F] Kinda like a kiln??
This is why the new system will be completely removable at post mission for immediate rinse. Also why I’m toying as to whether or not to actually deploy “brushless in the wet”.
7. Gutted. Took about 10-15 minutes to get here. Most of which was remembering the order of operations to safely remove everything from the CnC. ALL my boats have fairly easy access to everything for Maintenance, repair or replacement. The motor compartment is easily removable by backing off the shaft and a single hold down screw. After a thorough scrubbing, the new, yet to be revealed system will be installed.
As I’ve said, the new system will employ everything I’ve played with. About the only items in the dry will be the LiPO’s Sensors and receiver itself. The ballast tank will be adjustable as she’ll be shared among a minimum of 6 hulls including single and twin screw boats. That’s the 101mm [4”] system for the larger boats, a smaller 76mm [3”] will be shared on 4 hulls.
The features will include:
1-Dual 2.4Ghz/900Mhz (redundancy) FrSky Stabilized Receivers TD SR12 coupled with the X20S Transmitter.
2-No APC. Utilizing the built in flight stabilization with gain for adjustment for each individual hull's handling characteristics.
3-LiPOs. The 101mm [4”] will employ 2x 3S 8000mAh batteries that are remotely monitored and remotely switched among them. Run one down to storage mode and switch over to no 2. Spend a weekend away and run all day! The 76mm [3”] can employ a single 3s or 2s depending on the hull's need and performance requirements, monitored as well for "Return to Port" switch out.
4-First 7 channels/RX Pin (TD SR12) standardized and in compliance with FrSky system:
CH1-Smart Port Sensor In-RX Pin 1
CH2-Proportional-Stick Stern Planes (Elevator Gyro) Left Stick-Rx Pin 8
CH3-Proportional-Knob ESC (Primary) Rotary: S1-RX Pin 2
CH4-Proportional-Stick Rudder Right Stick-RX Pin 3
CH5-Proportional-Stick Bow/Sail Right Stick-RX PIN 10
CH6-Button: Momentary Gas/Vent Servo FS3/FS2-RX PIN 11
CH7-Button: Momentary Snorkel Mast Induction FS1-RX PIN 12
5-The remaining channels are for options and are hull specific:
Battery switching
Lighting
Dual Shaft w/separate ESC’s for differentials thrust.
Weapons
Etc.
6-Channels 13-14 are reserved for Gyro (APC) gain Rotary S1, and Stabilization On/Off, which would NEVER really be off! AKA FrySky Auto Level Mode. This is now my Pitch Controller with adjustable gain.
7-Telemetry: Included, but not limited to:
a-Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI): measures the strength of the received signal. It helps avoid loss of radio signal.
b-Valid Frame Rate (VFR) running from 0-100%. The percentage of received frames of data that contained usable data. A measure of signal quality rather than strength (RSSI). One can determine how dirty the local radio environment is. Think of distinguishing a single voice in a stadium.
c-Rx Voltage: Built in, nice to know what all the CnC equipment is doing to the voltage.
d-Main Battery Voltage: Real time monitoring of the battery state of health. Stop your run at storage or drop to just above the danger level.
e-Main Current draw: Know what the boat is pulling at any one moment. Probably my 2nd most useful number as I set my speed to it. Once you learn your boat’s handling and your favorite speed, note the number. Better than counting clicks on the stick.
f-Onboard Gas pressure: Two hours into running, Failsafed a number of times….Am I out? One can actually see the pressure drop, then rise after the gas blow.
g-Depth Pressure sensor: At a venue when I can run deep and see it, how deep am I? Using FrySky you can convert PSI to your preferred unit of depth. Cm, Meter Decimal In, decimal Foot, scale Feet/Meters!
h-Roll:Built in to the stabilization unit. Seeing how she rolls in a turn helps teach you how to maneuver thaty particular hull.
i-Pitch: Boats in the distance (75m [250ft] plus) are difficult to make out the pitch and ascertain quickly if she's in a bad “angle” before she drops out of sight thereby reducing pucker factor. Also useful in turns to control that “bow up broach” before it occurs. Finally a great tool in initial trimming to know that she's EXACTLY at “zero bubble”. My #1 telemetry. For the record that's my typical range as I run with Texan's, who LOVE their go-fast boats. Yeeeeeehaw!
Having run telemetry for about 5 seasons, I find I’m hard pressed to run without it in terms of quality and enjoyment of my submerged operations. I can see with my glasses off, it’s just no longer the same lol.
The ability to customize each boat to the standardized running unit will now allow me to back off the long ongoing R&D period and focus on getting the hulls I have yet to finish and get running on a 6:1 or so cost saving basis for electronics.
Isn’t modern RC Hardware wonderful?!?!
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