Topic: Blue Marlin - Heavy lift semi submersible ship (Read 52258 times)

boatmadman · « **Reply #25 on:** September 01, 2008, 08:07:37 pm »

Got bored with working on tanks etc so I started on a ballast tower today. This one houses the steering servo and will (hopefully) keep water pout and allow access to the servo. More to be done on it yet.

Ian

boatmadman · « **Reply #26 on:** September 02, 2008, 05:50:51 pm »

Today I have cut off the remaining build supports - trouble is, one was useful as a handle, ah well!

I have levelled the hull frames to allow a deck to lay flat and started working towards sealing the pumped ballast tanks.

I have lain a pce of MDF on the deck to give an idea of what she will look like, and, loaded 2 springers on bard!

Ian

boatmadman · « **Reply #27 on:** September 07, 2008, 07:44:47 pm »

Marlin now has tank tops made for the pumped ballas tanks and engine rom.

The air vent pipes for the pumped ballast tanks are also now in place.

Ian

boatmadman · « **Reply #28 on:** September 07, 2008, 09:52:55 pm »

The air vents are the clear silicone tubing held in place by the 'L' shaped bits of wood. The tube passes through the watertight bulkheads and exits to atmosphere.

Ian

boatmadman · « **Reply #29 on:** September 07, 2008, 10:02:00 pm »

the two forward tank vents will go up through the forward structure and out the funnel, the two rear vents will find a way out somewhere - probably through a ballast tower.

boatmadman · « **Reply #30 on:** September 17, 2008, 03:40:05 pm »

Marlin has had a test in the new madboatworks test tank!

It all went quite well, a couple of small leaks on a tank cover to sort out.

And then I found water getting into the engine room and bows

Now, where the flippin 'eck is that coming from I muttered. I discovered it is coming down the cable conduit. Further investigation revealed that when drilling pilot holes for the tank cover screws, I drilled into the conduit in two places DOH! Fortunately, the cables werent in at that time, so no damage there. Anyway, an easy fix.

Ian

boatmadman · « **Reply #31 on:** September 23, 2008, 03:37:24 am »

No real progress at the mo, been working stupid hours.

But, been thinking about the superstructure and it will need lots of small windows cut in to it.

How do you all cut windows in plastic so they look neat, straight and regular, bearing in mind this thing is about 1:175 scale?

Ian

boatmadman · « **Reply #32 on:** September 28, 2008, 12:15:55 pm »

Bigford, might be worth investigating that idea, thanks.

Umi, I may be picking your brains soon for detailing at that scale.

Update:

Did a first submergance test last night - all went sort of until... put a small load on the deck, turned around to get my camera, turned back to find Marlin half way to a capsize!!! So, sorry no pics, will try again this week I hope.

I hadnt appreciated just how tender it would be when submerged, I havent put any stabilizing buoyancy in yet, I thought it would be ok in a flat calm test tank!

Ian

boatmadman · « **Reply #33 on:** October 02, 2008, 08:28:55 pm »

Hi,

I tried the punch method and couldnt get consistently straight rectangular holes, also, i found I was having to straughten and re file the punch after 2 or 3 holes.

So, I went for the UMI method - 1 at a time! Took a while but I think its come out ok.

I have taped the bridge wings on just to give an idea of the dimensions of this thing.

Ian

boatmadman · « **Reply #34 on:** October 05, 2008, 07:03:08 pm »

Good idea Andy. However I am putting blocks of foam in the outermost tanks to gain buoyancy - pics to follow eventually.

Meantime, some more work on the superstructure, and started on two cranes.

Ian

boatmadman · « **Reply #35 on:** October 15, 2008, 01:13:25 pm »

Carried out sink and load trials this morning.

All went surprisingly well, I put her in the tank, filled the pumped ballast tanks, filled a plastic tool box with 4l water and placed it on the hull at midships.

I then added lead and foam to submerged load line draft and what seemed to be a reasonable amount of buoyancy (will need more trials on this before completion).

I then pumped out the tanks and WOOHOO up she came, but not quite to the right waterline, so needs a little more work there.

Got a bit of a leak into the engine room to sort out, and the stbd ballast tower needs to be extended vertically.

Pictures below, sorry about the quality but the camera is playing up.

Ian

boatmadman · « **Reply #36 on:** October 15, 2008, 02:08:30 pm »

As the extra's like drive motor, batteries (lots of) and electronics add to the weight of the bare hull, I wont need to add as much extra lead ballast in the tanks to get the right draft.

Ian

boatmadman · « **Reply #37 on:** October 30, 2008, 04:59:33 pm »

Hi,

Having taken delivery of some action gizmo's, I thought I would spend the day on wiring and stuff.

In the pics you will see, 4 2 way switchers and one esc. The esc is for the bow thruster, the switchers for the ballast pumps. There is another esc, nor shown as it lives down aft for the main motor.

You will also see: 2 busbars, for power distribution, a fuse box - home made to accomodate action gizmo's, the row of sockets in the back of the pics are for plugging the gizmo's into the motors, enabling easy removal (I hope).

Still to squeeze into that space is an 8 channel rx plus battery and a 3700ma battery to power pumps and bow thruster, oh and switches and charging sockets!

Ian

ps. I am still sorting out final positioning, they are only roughly laid out

boatmadman · « **Reply #38 on:** November 18, 2008, 12:37:16 pm »

An update at last.

I have been doing some more on the wiring, I now have a control block, a right mess of wires and not much room to fit it all in.

All the switchers have been bench tested, next step is to install, connect and test tank.

Ian

boatmadman · « **Reply #39 on:** November 18, 2008, 08:12:57 pm »

Have now finished the control block, and it fits - just! Not much room to spare, must have been made for the job

Next, chuck it all in the test tank and check for correct rotation of the pumps. Later this week.

Ian

boatmadman · « **Reply #40 on:** December 13, 2008, 10:49:46 pm »

Right then, having spent the last few weeks earning Brownie points - decorating - I will be back at Marlin within a couple of days.

Ian

boatmadman · « **Reply #41 on:** January 14, 2009, 04:38:13 pm »

Well Santa and the family stopped that last attempt to re start, but today I got going.

Here we have the deck on, its 2mm styrene sheet. Some more sorting to do before painting yet.

Ian

boatmadman · « **Reply #42 on:** January 19, 2009, 04:45:00 pm »

Done some detail work on the starboard ballast tower, some minor finishing off yet to do.

Ian

boatmadman · « **Reply #43 on:** January 21, 2009, 02:12:44 pm »

Several hours hunched over the cutting mat has produced a little detail for the tops of the ballast towers and the foredeck.

boatmadman · « **Reply #44 on:** January 27, 2009, 05:41:48 pm »

And yet more time over the cutting mat produced this, think they are now ready for painting.

Ian

boatmadman · « **Reply #45 on:** January 29, 2009, 06:09:13 pm »

I started on the detailing of the superstructure today - flippin fiddly!!

Some of the things look a bit wonky, but thats the camera!

Ian

boatmadman · « **Reply #46 on:** January 31, 2009, 03:34:16 pm »

Last night I got the hull painted. It now needs to harden for a few days before getting a coat of satin varnish.

Ian

boatmadman · « **Reply #47 on:** February 05, 2009, 06:24:09 pm »

I have made the lifeboat davits today.

Ian

boatmadman · « **Reply #48 on:** February 18, 2009, 04:42:49 pm »

Here we have the ballast towers painted and finished.

And one of my dog - he's at that damn model again - I want a walk

boatmadman · « **Reply #49 on:** February 18, 2009, 04:54:49 pm »

Missed the doggo, here she is!

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Author Topic: Blue Marlin - Heavy lift semi submersible ship (Read 52258 times)