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Hi guys spent most of the weekend assembling Sub drivers for various boats.
An interesting issue arose. That is once you have dialled in an adequate size Ballast tank, made allowance for all your on board dry equipment, -should you trim back the WTC to the minimum for all this gear?
One thing that I have learnt through this hobby is any sub performs (handles and turns well) at its best when:
1 -the weight is properly set up around the COG and the ballast tank mid point is on this position
2-the boat's weight is kept down.
Now some would argue that larger WTCs of abundant space save on ballasting foam required, but my thinking counter to this is WTC lexan weighs considerably more than foam, and therefore you can get away with a lower overall weight by cutting down the cylinder. Further WTC space doing nothing can in some cases contribute to another source of buoyancy above the surfaced water line (where you would not apply foam). Sometimes this will need to be put in check with a little more stabilizing weight down below - making the boat again heavier than it need be. So in my mind making the WTC / SD length the minimum length for your gear (not necessarily cramped) is the correct approach, but I'd be very interested in others views. No doubt God has an opinion.
Thanks
John
An interesting issue arose. That is once you have dialled in an adequate size Ballast tank, made allowance for all your on board dry equipment, -should you trim back the WTC to the minimum for all this gear?
One thing that I have learnt through this hobby is any sub performs (handles and turns well) at its best when:
1 -the weight is properly set up around the COG and the ballast tank mid point is on this position
2-the boat's weight is kept down.
Now some would argue that larger WTCs of abundant space save on ballasting foam required, but my thinking counter to this is WTC lexan weighs considerably more than foam, and therefore you can get away with a lower overall weight by cutting down the cylinder. Further WTC space doing nothing can in some cases contribute to another source of buoyancy above the surfaced water line (where you would not apply foam). Sometimes this will need to be put in check with a little more stabilizing weight down below - making the boat again heavier than it need be. So in my mind making the WTC / SD length the minimum length for your gear (not necessarily cramped) is the correct approach, but I'd be very interested in others views. No doubt God has an opinion.
Thanks
John
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