|
Arizonan Wes Devore put a lot of original thinking into this three engine Mariner variant, that has a gold dredge built right into the centerline of the craft. Power from the thrust engines is used to run the dredge by shifting from propeller power to pump power by hand with a slider on a common shaft with prop driver pulley and direct pump drive. A 3 cylinder Geo 1L engine drives both lift fans, while each of two Geo 4 cylinder 1.2L engines drives a propeller. The welded extruded aluminum frame craft uses two inflated bladders for flotation. Aluminum sheet is glued and rivetted to the frame for hull structure, and "walk on" panels are foam-fiberglass.(10/03) Another view, the orange object in front of the dredge is the suction tube, which exits through a zipper in the bow skirt between two side by side divider skirts. There is a lot going on when you have three engines. There is a pair of windows (not shown) in the fan bay, which gives some view out the aft of the craft from the helm. A shaft is directly driven by the engine, and the small handle next to the "gate" with 3 slots in it in the middle of the image can be slid forward or backward to engage either the thrust engine, which has the flywheel forward, or one of two mixed flow water pumps that drive the 10 inch dredge jets. Note in the upper part of the image, a wide belt and a shaft, the primary drive for a propeller. The craft can prop itself up on electric jack stands when ready to go into operation. Another Surveyor joins the fleet, by Wisconsonian Jeff Hermes. |
Pictures - page 13
Sevtec Surface Skimmers