Mini duikboot "sgt. Pepper's" / Midget submarine "sgt. Pepper's"

First dive after rebuild fase 1   date 2-3 september 2005

Well, the rebuilt is done. Carsten came to the Netherlands on launchweekeind On Friday we made a check and "doing the last things"
On Saturday morning we put the craft on the trailer and want to a lake near Amsterdam where is a good concrete ramp. Carsten had launched the boat 10 times before thus that was a learn-moment for me.
In the water everything worked perfect. Especially the new trim tank and piping were a great improvement. What was really pity was that it was bow heavy and to heavy in general due to the new dome.
To go on with diving we had to remove the LSS and emergency battery. This limited diving to 20 minutes. In the evening we replaced a bow thruster pipe by plastic for a better trim. You cant work on subs day and night so later in the evening we went to the old city of Alkmaar and have a beer with our girls.

Next day we went to a place with a better visibility (still not good in this time and too many divers) And having the boat launched with a crane.
Because the poor surface performance and the lack of freeboard, the surface trip to the dive site was terrible. often the Wake of the many yachts caused water in the boat.
But we made some nice dives. Best was hovering in perfect trim at 9 meter and wave to a unknown diver!

The weekend produced a long list with repairs and modifications.
First : going to make it lighter by putting the air tanks to the outside and make a new hatch from Aluminum; this will also improve stability. Also I have to take a look after the thrusters; the seals are bad so some water has came in the compensation system.

Sgt. Pepper' s 2-sep-2005  ( Gallery Rebuild FASE1 )

  These man are the 2 skippers, one at the time only ;-)

Left Carsten Standfuss / right Emile van Essen

Emile van Essen his first time under water

This page was last updated on 12/27/07