Marinetech

Final presentation and flight are complete. It flew really well and the presentation went great also. We choose a video presentation with music and photos. We each took a portion and spoke during the film. We had instructors from SBCC and Cabrillo high as well as a former Marine Tech to grade us. We flew in the tank at MDT and preform a few tasks. It really was not as scary as I thought. I am happy it is over and I think both teams did really well. We all learned some very valuable lessons but I think for the most part it was about working with others and team building. In the end the boys got 4 hose clamps on K.I.S.S. Even covered with electrical tape I knew they were hose clamps!!

This was a good day for me observing how both teams moved toward completion without being stressed under a mandate. Isn't it amazing what can be accomplished when you decide to do something as a group?

I think both teams have built some machines that will perform to what we talked about 7 weeks ago and under budget. Both vehicles are very clean and professional looking.

Clean up the loose ends and be sure to have a good budget report for weds. I will need a VERY clean accounting report and ALL actual reciepts as well.

I am VERY proud of all of you for your work and efforts in this class.

You will be challenged again to to things quickly and professionally in the marine field over and over in your careers. This small project is an example that you have what it takes to succeed as part of a team.

After a day of tweaking props, cameras and buoyancy packs. It flies!!!! It videos!!! It turns!!! It goes up and down as well as frontward's and backwards!!! No problems but cosmetic. The boys put HOSE CLAMPS on her. So we will see how she does again tomorrow. Some paint touch up and I think as far as build out goes... Were done. As for final presentation we have a good chunk bitten out of it. Then all we will need is everyone together for a little presentation practice.

After a 5 hour night last night at the shop we all came really wound up and ready to fly. We potted our camera housing. Straightened out the umbilical, mounted it to the frame. Made a new control box. Our old box proved too small when we finalized our wiring. Thanks to Cox for his great sanding and construction ability. Great ideas come when we work together and share our ideas.

Well today is the BIG day. We stuck her in the tank. She initially sunk. Like the Titanic. So we made some minor buoyancy adjustments, Notice the pretty white tubes? Now she is neutral or at least the debate is on about neutral. Does she fly is the next big question!!!! Yes and No are the right answers. She turns on a dime. Goes forward and back really well. Thanks to the use of the airplane props modified to the thrusters. But the model boat props well, THEY STINK!!! She does not go up and down so well. So I guess it is off to the hobby shop for more airplane propellers. We gave team 2 our extras so now we need more.
We had to ballast or umbilical today as well. That proved to be no problem.

Friday proved to be a very busy day for our team. I think that is an understatement..
We started out the day by threading out wiring and video cable through a length of 1/2 inch line. Building an umbilical proved to be more time consuming than we thought. Once the umbilical was complete we moved on to bigger things.
One half of the group mounted the camera housing to the frame. To do this we chose springs over U-bolts. The other half of our group tested our thrusters and the wiring.
Can you say "Direct Short"????? Yes melting wiring. We tested all our wires found that our new on/off power switch was the cause of all our problems. After a lot of time and frustration, problem solved.
We think we are ready to attach the video cable, "pot" the hole and mount the thrusters. Test flying this afternoon was looking good. Looks can be deceiving. We ran the video cable backwards..... Yes backwards!!! Our cameras would have to be on the surface with our monitor on the vehicle...
On to our next challenge... More for documentation purpose than I think anything we wanted to test our thrusters with props to see how much the amperage changed in water verses air.... So off we went with Don's amp meter, a bucket of water and high hopes.... Let's just say Murphy's Law..... "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong"
Next, initially we were running good and the test was a success then the amps dropped suddenly. I discovered that our props were free spinning on the shafts. At the end of our rope and all most out of time it was very apparent that the only water we would see today was the bucket full that our prop test problems were born in. We were all ready to call it a day. So we packed up the "Ugly Orange Bot" and moved to the shop to find more solutions for what the day had produced a growing list of problems... The truth we the 4 of us sat around and debated for about 30 minutes, Threw in the towel, and called it a day. With plans to return on Sunday we left. Sunday produced no work for the team. But it did produce a visit from the umbilical fairy. Who came by the shop and re-routed our video cable..... Another problem solved.

We have spent so much much time building I have negected our posting..... We have the frame glued together and painted. After many hours, miles and several hobby shops we have props/propellers. I have modified Air plane propellers to fit inside our thruster housings. Since there seems to be a prop shortage. They are so hard to find...They have been filed down to fit on the custom alumiun shaftes and given the "Home Depot Bucket Test". Man do they move the water. Let only hope they preform as well on the frame as they do off.With Final wiring almost complete, We should be in the water bouyance testing today.