scott154 wrote:Pretty cool theory Bruce, But that means it needs to be fully water tight around the running gear and if I was to go as far as that you might as well go the whole hog. No its just going to be a surface runner.
Hi Scott
I would seriously forget the surface runner stuff and model boat approach. The bottom of lakes globally have enough of these type of subs in them. Seriously you might as well tie a wallet full of fiftys to a slip knot string - throw it in the lake, and haul it back in, hopeful that its still there. It really is folly, and sadly what all model boaters first think of - including myself some 20 years ago. Its a good theory of a cheap fun boat, but its simply amazing where the water will come in from. You might sail it successfully for awhile and then when you least expected it the combination of low freeboard, wind, and a minor leak and it all goes wrong. By the time you notice the boat in trouble, usually the story of these surface running deaths are at a point where the electrics are clagged by the ingress of water and render you in a position of not being able to head to shore.
The only effective and reliable mechanism to house the electronics and provide access is via a dedicated water tight cylinder (even for a surface runner). As you have alluded to -if you are going to that effort you may as well make it dive -be it dynamic or static.
You might want to consider a ready made water tight cylinder unit and instructional DVD, and the backing of the best in the business.
see
http://www.caswellplating.com/models/sub-drivers.html
When people usually see the cost of these things
(effective proven parts) they normally embark on what they believe is a cost saving alternative rig of their own. I was guilty of this at the start as are most newcomers. 2 decades and many subs later for myself and clients, economy = proven parts and back up by the manufacturer.
Problem is there are but few effective ways to approach RC subs and many many more ways that all start from the premise of economy but practically end in much higher cost and tears. The internet is littered with the garbage of best low cost intentions towards RC subs and sadly the over opinionated skilled internet trolls that can't and don't build a thing. The best place for information and help amongst guys with a proven track record for subs is over at the Sub Drivers Forum.
http://forum.sub-driver.com/
What makes this site different is that its essentially "peer reviewed". You won't find meaningless discussion or reinvented bad wheels or net experts who can't build leading you astray.
There are some real tricks to the Gato for any RC use. You need for example to shed almost all the heavy plastic beneath the deck - left there, it is a massive stability issue. You also need to join the halves together left and right and convert it to upper and lower. Side access is folly.
I'd also dig out from this site the Course 072 article on the Revell Gato.
Hope this helps. - I do hope you enjoy the Gato, and you get it successfully running. There are unfortunately a lot of bum steers people get when they start out in subs, and I hope you avoid them.
J
