Recovery floats

Are they verboten? It seems like such a logical thing to have that I was going to build one into my Duke of Edinburgh.

 

Not verboten in the IRC and I doubt they are in the MWC

 

MWC allows them.

 

I use my whole superstructure as a float. It has only failed once when I tangled the line. It clips to the main ship somewhere strong and lowers the ship down.
People also use a tiny bobber and string. (most of what I've seen do not work)

 

I am planning on having the fore superstructure as the float. A Duke of E. does not have the massive structure that an Arizona has, but it should be adequate for the purpose. How is the structure held on enough to be stable yet able to float free?

 

I plan on making a bubbler in the Nagato. Just adding another solenoid, on the 6th channel, with a variable purge valve on the solenoid output. Then control the solenoid with a Dimension Engineering relay board. When the radio has sync the relay will be on, but the solenoid will be across the normally open contact. When the boat sinks, the receiver unlocks, the relay closes, it powers on the solenoid. With the purge valve almost closed, it will just blow a small stream of bubbles, enough to see where she went down.

I have not had much luck with the floats, mine in my first 2 ships only deployed once, the rest of the time they got tangled up like Rob said.

 

I've got an unintentional bubbler in my VU. When I got my HPA tank hydro-tested, the company that did it banged up the burst disk threads on the high-pressure regulator (the expensive part of HPA bottles). Metal-on-metal seal, with a very tiny ding. Now there's a slow leak, that trickles a small trail of bubbles for as long as the gas lasts. Not a big deal for my local club's usual 15-minute sorties, even with my gas-guzzler of a battleship. Very handy, though, for locating the wreck. It's saved my bacon a couple times when she does a nose-dive into 5-foot-deep weeds.

 

the superstructure is recessed into the deck and I have pins on 4 corners, it won't fall off but lifts off easily

 

Thanks, I had figured out that pins would be needed but did not think of recessing it into the deck.

 

the recessing allows for a silicone gasket (semi waterproofing but whatever helps...)

 

Did anyones float deploy this weekend at Rob's? I know Bill's on his VU did not even after a couple of sinks, she rolled over both times. Gingers deck came off and floated free of her NC, but did not have the line attached.

 

I'm pretty sure when Rob A.'s Bismarck sank on Friday the super came off with the line attached to the hull as designed. Just didn't need to use it cause the pond isn't that deep. His system works pretty well.

 

Mine did also, but the boat was near shore so it was not exciting!

Marty (NC)

 

The float deployed as designed and we were able to recover the boat by pulling it to us with the string. It recovered so quick, most were unaware that it happened.

 

I saw Rob's go down, but turned away and missed the recovery. Marty's was so shallow I did not even think his floated off.

 

Hmmm... Depending on the model, why not make a life boat or two be the floats? Basically mount them on a pin and then anchor a sturdy line to a rib or some other hardpoint.

 

A general rule is that the smaller the float the more likely it is to foul on something. Large superstructure sections are the best bet.