Exciting development!

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

The first test was with the meter…..and it worked!

A full 12 volts…..Followed by the bulb test, which was ok

 

Followed by the Galvanometer/ Morse code test…

The light moved to the right of left……..Clever eh?

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Jonathan Hare of the Coast team watches GE make an impressive start!

 

We say goodbye to the Coast Team after a very successful trial run

[Mark Beard 1Participant @markbeard1]

Great updates on a great trial! When’s filming?

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello Fellas and Ashley

 

I`ve been thinking about this taught cable problem, and as our dear friend, Ashley points out…….It ain`t good enough!………He`s such a stickler for attention to detail!

 

So the latest idea, with the Beeb`s blessing of course, is to have the cable drum on terra firma and pay out the cable in a nice civilised manner, in co-ordination with the boat`s speed……using the cable winder?

 

The cable would start at the bow terminals, pass through the hull and out the back….to the cable drum?

 

It would look more authentic, but one snag, would be the debris at the bottom of the pond…….as we encountered same, only yeterday!

 

Of course, the rotary visual indicator would not rotate.

 

Do we like the idea, chaps…….and ladies?

 

I think it`s an improvement……Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Before the sea trials, we had a short test, to check out the wiring and equipment.

And, sure enough…….Sod`s law!…..There was no circuit there!……..We blamed it on the hasty installation of the cable drum, while the boat was bobbing up and down like this, on the choppy water

But, as already seen, all was well at Heart`s Content……Phew!….Was I on pins!

 

Bob looking in total disbelief at the unlit bulb!

[Mark Beard 1Participant @markbeard1]

Bob,

 

If I recall correctly, the cable paid out much better in your initial sea trials so the principle and equipment are sound.

 

I would also be concerned that as the pond was crossed, and more cable needs to be dragged across the bottom, the increasing friction would be as bad as, or even worse than, the recent disappointing performance.

 

Plus you’ve spent so much time and effort putting together an excellent and very realistic cable laying model, to abandon much of that work now and jump to a cable dragging solution, would seem a hellova shame to me.

 

It seems to me that you have identified a very plausible cause for the increased resistance, when you talk of buried turns of cable on the drum. I think there is much to be saved by unwinding, and re-winding carefully with neat layers of cable wound the full length of the spindle, so they can’t separate and allow a turn to slip between lower turns.

 

Also, check the entire cable route to make sure any jockey-wheels run smoothly and there’s no debris fouling the cable. A lump of dirt in the PVC tube could wedge between tube wall and cable, causing a lot of drag, so making sure the cable is clean before re-winding is also important.

 

If you feel the need for a plan-B, which would be sensible, perhaps you could make a second drum so you could pay out the cable from the shore without having to modify the model, save for a clip to stop the on-board drum rotating. A radial slot in one side would allow you to load the cable with access to the connecting end.

 

What do you think?

 

Mark

 

[Trevor HollowayParticipant @trevorholloway99134]

I get the impression the excess drag is forcing the cable into the unwound coils on the drum.
If the cable is wound VERY carefully and the rear winch powered propotionaly to the vessel speed, there would be a controlled pull on the drum rather than the already laid cable exerting excess force.

Just my 2p worth.

[Mark Beard 1Participant @markbeard1]

Trevor, I think that’s precisely what’s happening, and the more turns get buried, the greater the resistance and the problem gets worse. The ideal solution is an offset jockey wheel which is sprung, so that the greater the tension on the cable the more it moves into line with the cable run. The jockey wheel position then controls the speed of the motor driving the winch, so the winch runs faster when there is more tension. The result will be the winch rotating at just the right speed to maintain a set cable tension, without having to know the speed of the model through the water. But at this stage in the game? Adding winch motors and speed controllers? All needing extensive testing? I don’t think that’s practical in the time available. Plus, Bob has already had his current rig working nicely, so it shouldn’t be too hard to get it working nicely again. But I agree on the need for careful cable winding.

[Trevor HollowayParticipant @trevorholloway99134]

Not trying to make work for someone else but hypothetically the winch could be geared / driven off the paddle wheels.

 

Surely it would not matter if a bit too much cable is laid as it should sink out of harms way.

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Thank you for your constructive advice etc……..Mark and Trevor

If I`d realised the problem sooner, then the drum mechanism would have had a low speed motor drive with speed controller etc and great fun would have been had…….driving the boat forward and matching the cable payoff speed!

 

But!………………………..

 

The Coast people have been on the phone, this morning, to sat that they are happy with the present setup and no changes are required whatsoever! That`s good enough for me.

 

Someone has suggested that the drum be wound in a manner where there are no cable grooves to fall into!………By crossing the wire across the drum, from side to side? ……Will have to have a look at this?

 

Today`s bombshell!…………….The Beeb consider New Brighton unsuitable due to possible noise pollution!……Passing traffic and the nearby building site etc!

They already have another pond selected and I`ll do a recce tomorrow.

 

What`s that?…..Where is it?……..Sorry M8!……Can`t divulge the new location yet!

 

Bob

[Mark Beard 1Participant @markbeard1]

Well if you’re off up the M8 then you’d better take yer kilt and sporran. Och aye!

[Trevor HollowayParticipant @trevorholloway99134]

Certainly wasn’t meant as criticism, merely hypothetical solutions – I find these sort of problems and solutions facinating.

 

Well done – will we be allowed a sneaky preview video before it airs ?

[Mark Beard 1Participant @markbeard1]

Trevor, couldn’t agree more, which is why I poke my nose into technical problems all the time

[DermisParticipant @dermis]

Hi Bob,

 

Totally agree with the guys here, the cable is probably snagging on loose coils. Also agree that the cable should be wound very carefully across the drum and then in neat layers. It might be an idea to try and keep constant light tension whilst winding. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

 

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello there Neff….You are right again!

 

Got to admit that the cable was poorly wound from the previous trial and was still full of twist.

I rewound it on the lawn, but it is really a two man job.

It certainly won`t happen again!

In the meantime, here`s another picture taken by your Dad with the little Fuji camera…

Click on the pic for a bigger version

It`s very nice as a desktop

 

UB74

Edited By Bob Abell on 10/08/2011 20:21:10

[DermisParticipant @dermis]

Yikes!

“Full of twist” suggests that the cable has been wound by hand at some stage! If the drum is held in one hand, and the cable wrapped around with the other, then the cable will be twisted once per revolution! I know this from flying multi-line stunt kites!

The cable must be wound and unwound in a similar fashion. Like a sea fishing reel! At 90 degrees to the axis of the reel. You might want to consider a new reel of cable!

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Just read about GE`s 1865 cable laying caper………You won`t believe it!

 

About two or three days from Hearts Content, Newfoundland, the cable snapped in a terrible storm!

The weather was so bad, they could not retrieve the broken cable…….as it was 1.25 miles down!

So, guess what did they did?……….Not the foggiest!………..They marked the position with a giant red buoy!………..Wow!

Then what did they do?……….No idea!

They sailed back to the UK!…………..What?

Then what?…….What?

They came back the following year and retrieved the cable!………..Geeeez!

 

Excuse the funny stuff, chaps……..I`m in a buoyant mood today!

 

I find that story absolutely incredible!………When they found the buoy, which is a minor miracle in itself………..the grappling hooks broke three times in the process, due to the weight of the cable.

The fact that they had a giant buoy on board, really means that they planned for the event in the first place?

 

To celebrate this momentous piece of nautical history, I`m making a replica buoy and winch mech……..to be on deck for the filming!

 

I simply love rivets!………….Nice?

 

Bob

Edited By Bob Abell on 11/08/2011 09:33:41

[Mark Beard 1Participant @markbeard1]

Excellent! Plus, the bouy must have had at least a mile and a half of chain! How will you manage that?

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello Mark

 

I think they must have tried to find the cable with the grappling hooks and failed and just simply fastened the buoy to the grappling wire….After all, it was made up in 600 feet lengths and shackled together

 

Dead simp!…….Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

The new venue

We`ve selected a new pond for the film set now, and it`s Hoylake.

A nice pond and very suitable for our purposes Plenty of space, quiet, ample seating and high level work benches.

 

What a pretty Victorian water fountain, which was probably here when Great Eastern was around.

Before she was scrapped at Rockferry, she made a few trips to Ireland.

 

See what I mean?……Plenty of seating and work benches for setting up

 

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Finished the crane and marker buoy now, which, considering the great occasion, and having removed number four chimney, and added winches and stern pulley etc just for authenticity……The big red buoy and crane was really an important item.

So when you see the film next year, you can look out for all these lttle features and recall the story behind it all?

 

Bob

[Phil Winks 1Participant @philwinks1]

Hi Bob is that a sea fdishing rig clip I see doubling as a hook on the crane? excellent work as usuall mate

 

 

Phil

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello there, my M8

 

Thanks for looking in and your kind comments

 

I used to be a champion fish hook maker in the olden days….Using bent pins!

 

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Should have done this earlier!

 

Completely forgot about the grappling equipment at the bows! Anyway, it`s not too late, and just in time for the film…….Phew!….. That was a close call!

 

Should have had five hooks, but who`s counting?

 

Can`t imagine, how they managed to snare the broken cable….in all that vast ocean!…….One mile and a quarter deep!………How did they join the cable with such a tremendous load pulling down?………How did they find the cable end without it slipping back?…..etc……etc…..etc….Endless mysteries!

 

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Just found this on the web….

 

Great Eastern…..Armed to the teeth?……..She must have sailed in hostile waters somewhere?

 

And what`s that rope dangling over the port side?

More mysteries

 

Bob

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