SNORT snorkel

[Bill Harris]

I'm starting the build of a Trumpeter Seawolf that will use a 2" SD with a small SNORT system.

For the air intake I plan to run a 1/16" ID (3/32" OD) brass tube into through the sail and through the kit-supplied snorkel mast (the thick one at the rear). Using either an angle fitting or a 90degree bend on the tubing inside the hull for connection to the 1/16" ID SNORT hose.

Will this be OK?


In a semi-unrelated question, which of the several periscopes/antennas in the sail would normally be extended when running at "periscope depth"?

Thanks,

--Bill

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

I'm starting the build of a Trumpeter Seawolf that will use a 2" SD with a small SNORT system.

For the air intake I plan to run a 1/16" ID (3/32" OD) brass tube into through the sail and through the kit-supplied snorkel mast (the thick one at the rear). Using either an angle fitting or a 90degree bend on the tubing inside the hull for connection to the 1/16" ID SNORT hose.

Will this be OK?


In a semi-unrelated question, which of the several periscopes/antennas in the sail would normally be extended when running at "periscope depth"?

Thanks,

--Bill

Bill,

Yeah, the snorkel extension above the top of sail will work, but will present you with two (in my opinion, not worth the effort) problems:

1. you are adding a significant amount of weight well removed from the vehicles center of rotation -- you'll need more weight in the keel to keep the boat stable about the roll axis. With the 2" SD you'll have the annular space for that, along with the countering foam up higher in the hull.

2. You're going to have to work out how to interface the SD plumbing with that running up to the sail -- exasperating as you remove/install the upper hull onto the lower hull. A total pain-in-the-ass!

Don't do it.

Get fancy somewhere else ... how about the paint job and weathering?

What should be sticking up into the wide blue yonder, you ask?

Try this arrangement: One of the two periscopes and one of the RF antennas and -- if you insist on that stupid practical snorkel idea of yours -- the snorkel mast. Maybe the ECM (or whatever they call the thing these days) should be up there too giving the world above the hairy-eyeball treatment ... got to be on the lookout for bad-guys all the time.

David,

[Bill Harris]

David--

Nah, I'll nix that SNORT schnork idea. Seemed like a neat idea at the time, but yes, there are problems as, you point out. Go to Plan B...

This will be a several-month project-- being on a retirement budget, I can't get in a hurry over hobby expenditures. I'll bide my time getting the hull prepped and detailed and ready for the SD. In the meantime I'll also be scratch-building a smallish RC boat, using available bits and pieces. This will give me some background with boats and let me get my sea legs (or, rather, pond legs).

I'm not sure what I want to have sticking up top-- those periscopes, etc, look very breakable. I'll have time to decide...

Thanks,

--Bill

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Yeah, walk before you run. Good plan.

Use the LPB, but with the induction hose projecting off the top of the SD, into a hole in the upper hull under the sail -- that hose to project up and about a 1/4" shy of the top of the sail when the hull halves are assembled.

Vent the sail by opening up the bridge. done. No gymnastics required to fit the SD induction hose into the upper hull hole as you assemble the two hull halves.

David,

[Bill Harris]

That sounds like a good plan. The sail is already well-vented-- the bridge is open, and there are five 3/16" holes in the hull where the sail attaches. I had planned to use the sail as a "hidden" air vent for the hull interior.

Looking at the 15" SD length, the front end of the SD ends up in the sail area. I could either use a hose fitting block to run the hose upward into the sail or waterproof the SNORT pump and mount it outside on the outside of the front cap of the SD. Or if I can move the SD a couple of inches forward, _or_ make the SD tube a couple of inches longer I could put the SNORT pump at the front of the (lengthened) battery compartment.

But, whatever-- I'll tackle that detail as I'm fitting the SD to the hull.

Short-term issue now is dealing with the "limber" hull halves-- the plastic is thin and very flexible. I need to fabricate some "hull stiffening rings", or something.

New day, new challenges. This may be fun... :)

--Bill