USS Marlin, lost..... then found 231 days later

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  • Ken_NJ
    Captain
    • Sep 2014
    • 743

    USS Marlin, lost..... then found 231 days later

    Last August (19th 2018) we were running our models at our usual place in Leisure Village. My Marlin was making a surface turn by the boats (see arrow in overhead shot), that was the last I saw of it. Could not see or find it that day. There were weeds that came up about 2 feet from the bottom so I think it somehow got caught in the weeds, but we could not see it at all. I made a foam barge and hung a GoPro 18 inches under the barge and towed it alongside another model. I covered the entire area around the docks. Nothing. A gentleman who lives there was always going down to the lake to see if the Marlin showed up. 231 days since I lost it, this past Saturday, he saw the Marlin about 25 feet out from the dock (rectangular yellow area). He went out in his boat and picked it out with a fishing net. The water was only four feet deep. I suspect since that time the weeds dissipated. The model came out of the water just the way I last saw it, except covered in growth. I have it now soaking in the bathtub until I can clean it off. I removed some of the algae but it looks like the paint blistered some, maybe just the clear coat. There was a few tablespoons of water in the SD so there is some water damage to the electronics, don't know how bad.

    So any advice how to clean it up? I scrapped algae of the hull with a toothbrush, but the paint appears to be stained. Maybe sanding with 5000 grit sand paper? I'll be taking the electronics apart the next few days to begin checking things. The motor feels like its seized. This will be like building the model from the beginning.

    Also found a hitchhiker, which was dropped back where he came from.

















  • Ken_NJ
    Captain
    • Sep 2014
    • 743

    #2
    Rest of the images...









    Comment

    • Albion
      Captain
      • Dec 2008
      • 651

      #3
      Great story and great weathering. Soak in clean water and regularly change the water would help on the algae.

      also is it possible for you to post some more details of your mast system.
      Next time someone points out it takes 42 muscles to frown, point out it will only take 4 muscles to b1tch slap them if they tell you how mnay muscles you need to smile:pop

      Comment

      • He Who Shall Not Be Named
        Moderator
        • Aug 2008
        • 12241

        #4
        Let me know what you need, Ken. I'll fix you up.

        David
        Who is John Galt?

        Comment

        • trout
          Admiral
          • Jul 2011
          • 3542

          #5
          Some people never attain that level of weathering!
          Spray a clear coat over it and call it good

          I think I would start conservatively with soap, toothbrush, and water. Then go back to very fine sandpaper and work your way up from there. I wonder if a mild bleach solution would help with some of the internal stains. I can relate to the feeling of losing a sub, but yours is back and that is something to celebrate! Ken, you do good work and will have that back in shape.
          If you can cut, drill, saw, hit things and swear a lot, you're well on the way to building a working model sub.

          Comment

          • HardRock
            Vice Admiral
            • Mar 2013
            • 1609

            #6
            I really like your servo set up. Did you make those connectors yourself? (Also like the catfish - but that's another story).

            Comment

            • redboat219
              Admiral
              • Dec 2008
              • 2730

              #7
              Originally posted by Ken_NJ


              How did she end all the way out there?

              Make it simple, make strong, make it work!

              Comment

              • Groot689
                Lieutenant Commander
                • Mar 2016
                • 135

                #8
                I agree with Trout- What an amazing paint job and the weathering is, so realistic! Seriously, I would start with mild soap and a fairly soft bristle brush. Its algae and should come off but will probably leave stains behind. The interior, is another matter. I am also interested in your mast setup. Installing a GPS in the sub before the next dive perhaps? Congrats on being reunited with your sub.

                Comment

                • Bob Gato
                  Captain
                  • Feb 2019
                  • 826

                  #9
                  Good thing that the Russians didn't find it first..

                  Comment

                  • Ken_NJ
                    Captain
                    • Sep 2014
                    • 743

                    #10
                    Thanks guys for the awesome support and advice. Going to spend my Saturday attacking the hull and electronics. Its heartbreaking to see the model in this condition. As cool as it might look with the 'weathering' I'd prefer how it looks as built.

                    Thanks David!! Can always count on you!!

                    Don't think GPS signals will penetrate water. But I have an idea to add to the model to help see where it is underwater as long as the batteries are good. That's a future refurb project.

                    The servo connectors were made by a friend of mine. Think I have a video on those. Let me find it.

                    Comment

                    • Ken_NJ
                      Captain
                      • Sep 2014
                      • 743

                      #11
                      Here's a video I have on the sail. Some of my video's are on Photobucket and my account is restricted. Will have to get those moved over to YouTube.
                      I have the entire sub build on RC Groups... https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show...Subtech/page18





























                      This one is a running test in the pool
                      Last edited by Ken_NJ; 04-11-2019, 10:29 AM.

                      Comment

                      • Ken_NJ
                        Captain
                        • Sep 2014
                        • 743

                        #12
                        The servo links as well as most of the guts of the sail were made by a friend of mine.
                        Here's a video of the servos operating

                        Comment

                        • Bob Gato
                          Captain
                          • Feb 2019
                          • 826

                          #13
                          Besides having scale RC boats, I also have a submarine. Being a static diving sub, I am quite afraid of losing it...so I only use it in my pool where I can see it. I've been working on a locator buoy. I've found that a 1000mg tums tablet will dissolve in just about 1hr in ph neutral water at 65 degrees F.-give or take 15 min.
                          So I've taken a wine cork and a tablet and 5min epoxied them to a base and wrapped 10FT of cord around them. This should cover the depth of most ponds. It should last for the time of sub usage without releasing. Of course I envision replacing the unit after each run. I could see painting the cork red, possibly some kind of disguise for boats like a lazarette, and coming up with a quick install attachment. On the sub it would probably be a throwaway but on a boat it would last until something "no bueno" happens. Am I reinventing the wheel, is there something out there that does this already?
                          I remembering reading Laser110's post in scale boats (Boat down & found) about taking days to find his sunken tug boat..if one of these were hidden on deck he would have had it back in 1 hour...I'm looking for suggestions on the engineering and operation of this buoy. Yes the base shouldn't be plywood (should be aluminum) Remember that the attached picture is only a prototype...thanks.


                          I posted this on RGC in 2017-at the time I was thinking of surface craft-where the E.P.I.R.B. would last the season unless something bad happened-but in that case the season was over! It could well be adapted to subs..I envision a hand full of these in your tool pack maybe with a clasp on it to the structure and a magnet to keep everything in place. It could be fashioned with a hatch cover over a chamber that was free flooding. The units would have the hatch cover attached to the float as not to lose it when released. They could be simply cast for your individual boat. At the launch of the boat the time starts ticking...in about an hour it will release or you probably would have pulled your boat out by then- Maybe you do an inspection on the boat or change the battery and want to run some more-just change out the EPIRB for a fresh one and you have another hour.As I am typing I'm thinking-have the cork stand vertical with the hatch glued (hot glue) to the cork end and the magnet glued to the tums and the Tums glued to the cork other end -upon the Tums dissolving and leaving the magnet stuck to the boat and the Buoy with the hatch cover floats to the surface unwinding cord as it goes.


                          They cost nothing but the cork, fish line and the Tums.
                          Last edited by Bob Gato; 04-11-2019, 05:37 PM.

                          Comment

                          • He Who Shall Not Be Named
                            Moderator
                            • Aug 2008
                            • 12241

                            #14
                            Originally posted by Bob Gato
                            Besides having scale RC boats, I also have a submarine. Being a static diving sub, I am quite afraid of losing it...so I only use it in my pool where I can see it. I've been working on a locator buoy. I've found that a 1000mg tums tablet will dissolve in just about 1hr in ph neutral water at 65 degrees F.-give or take 15 min.
                            So I've taken a wine cork and a tablet and 5min epoxied them to a base and wrapped 10FT of cord around them. This should cover the depth of most ponds. It should last for the time of sub usage without releasing. Of course I envision replacing the unit after each run. I could see painting the cork red, possibly some kind of disguise for boats like a lazarette, and coming up with a quick install attachment. On the sub it would probably be a throwaway but on a boat it would last until something "no bueno" happens. Am I reinventing the wheel, is there something out there that does this already?
                            I remembering reading Laser110's post in scale boats (Boat down & found) about taking days to find his sunken tug boat..if one of these were hidden on deck he would have had it back in 1 hour...I'm looking for suggestions on the engineering and operation of this buoy. Yes the base shouldn't be plywood (should be aluminum) Remember that the attached picture is only a prototype...thanks.


                            I posted this on RGC in 2017-at the time I was thinking of surface craft-where the E.P.I.R.B. would last the season unless something bad happened-but in that case the season was over! It could well be adapted to subs..I envision a hand full of these in your tool pack maybe with a clasp on it to the structure and a magnet to keep everything in place. It could be fashioned with a hatch cover over a chamber that was free flooding. The units would have the hatch cover attached to the float as not to lose it when released. They could be simply cast for your individual boat. At the launch of the boat the time starts ticking...in about an hour it will release or you probably would have pulled your boat out by then- Maybe you do an inspection on the boat or change the battery and want to run some more-just change out the EPIRB for a fresh one and you have another hour.As I am typing I'm thinking-have the cork stand vertical with the hatch glued (hot glue) to the cork end and the magnet glued to the tums and the Tums glued to the cork other end -upon the Tums dissolving and leaving the magnet stuck to the boat and the Buoy with the hatch cover floats to the surface unwinding cord as it goes.


                            They cost nothing but the cork, fish line and the Tums.
                            Pretty slick. a piece of pasta is also a fine water soluble agent for such use.

                            David
                            Who is John Galt?

                            Comment

                            • HardRock
                              Vice Admiral
                              • Mar 2013
                              • 1609

                              #15
                              The WSRR (water soluble retaining rod) strikes again!

                              Comment

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