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[Umi_Ryuzuki]

Some may know that I lost my ferry boat, the Kaleetan last May, 2015. 

 It was at the bottom of the pond, 12 feet of water, and at least nine inches of duck poo sediment.
 Through pure good fortune the city drained the pond in February 2016, and we found the boat.
 
 That smell still has not gone away, and the Kaleetan is not allowed in the house.
 However, tonight I reached over the hull and grabbed the Mtronik Mirror ESC.
 I thought, how funny would it be if it still works.
 
 Guess What!!!
 
 It lit up. 
 I pulled down a receiver, a battery, and a switch, plugged everthing in, and touched the
 contact to the battery and switched it on, and no smoke. just flashing LED.
 
 So I hooked up a motor switched on the bound transmitter, re-initialized the ESC, and Bazinga, the motor is running, forward and reverse.
 
 Nine months under water, and the Mtroniks ESC is still operational. 

[derekwarner]

Well Umi..........with the vessel now back on dry land you can proceed to hold a Maritime  Enquiry too determine the degree of responsibility, culpability or guilt of the Master, Chief Electrical Engine and any other crew members on board at the time

With being all of the above, are you personally emotionally equipped to remain impartial as now you must also be the Chair Person of the Enquiry? 

A good advertisement for the water resistance of the Mtronics product.........Derek

[Brian60]

A good result Umi. Is the upturned hull part of your ferry?  It looks like the debris field that Bob Ballard followed in his hunt for Titanic.

[morley bill 1]

Made in Yorkshire wouldn't expect anything else  Bill..

[inertia]

I wondered what that funny piece of tubing which fits onto the end of the speed controller was so I went looking on the MTroniks website, but I couldn't see that Mirror ESC listed. Have they stopped making it (not that I'm in the market for one, you understand)?
DM

[craggle]

As it's a marine speed controller it could be water cooled and that is a cooling pipe connection?


Craig.

[Charlie]

Hi Umi, i love this story:)


Are you going to get the Kaleetan running again?


Charlie

[ballastanksian]

I was wondering that. I hope you do despite her ripeness to the nose, a good swill out and clean should at least get her to the point where you can start to repair her.

[J.beazley]

Cant beat a good bit of natural weathering 


Glad its made it back to you and not put in the bin.

[Umi_Ryuzuki]

Kaleetan Sinking 2015
Double, open ended ferry
Built 1997

The marine board determined that the captain was showboating, and running over speed.
The resulting dive of the bow and sea swell, caused the ship to take water, flooding the electronic
systems and disabling control of the boat. Despite efforts to back down, damage to the electronics
prevented the crew from regaining control of the boat. Unable to shut down the engines the boat
foundered and sank. The open ended style of the boat is cited as a contributing factor.
 Tugs dispatched to assist the foundering ferry to shallow water did not arrive
in time, and were unable to locate the stricken ferry. Reports by eyewitnesses claim that the boat
disappeared sank, and surfaced three times before the boat was swallowed beneath the waves.

The back side of some of the older Mtroniks ESC used to have a deep ribbing for air cooling.
It was possible to slip a 3mm brass tube into the grooves and then water cool the unit.

The Mtroniks viper marine mirror 25 was supposed to provide equal thrust to forward and reverse.
However when paired for dual throttle control, something would always throw one out of sync, and
you would end up with a motor in a servo reversed condition. A couple of us had this same issue.
So the ESC were relegated to single engine duty.

That is the hull upside down in the photo. I really think it is the only salvageable part in the model.
The styrene was all very brittle, and was breaking up as I tried to clean up the boat.
We'll really isn't anything above the weather deck that has much integrity left.
And the small spaces inside the model held it's share of trapped dead fish, fingerlings. 

I do miss the boat, there was a lot of work put into the smaller details at the time.
 

[cos918]

Hi Umi
sorry for the loss of your ferry. I know you put a hell of a lot of work in to it.


john

[ballastanksian]

That is rubbish news Umi. I am sorry. Will you build a new one or just write it up as an experience?

[derekwarner]

Umi....it is amazing that your Marine Board was able to meet, deliberate & provide a conclusion in such a short period of time , usually these things drag on for years hoping all will forget the tragic loss of the vessel

It was also reassuring to read that the design of the vessel was cited as a contributing factor , however they could have gone further & suggested that a vessel with such a big mouth was destined for such peril after being placed on the water

One point I found lacking was the explanation on how the fishies wee trapped & died?....and a second point was that no mention of responsibility  was levelled at the electrical engineer ..................

Derek

[Brian60]

Possibly the reason for the Marine board reaching such a fast conclusion was down to facts

The vessel foundered and sunk over a year ago. Only unusual circumstances brought the wreck to light once more. They couldn't be seen to drag their feet over finding somebody to be culpable after waiting for so long. Invariably as is the case, they always blame the master and crew

[Sub driver]

Hi
Just goes to show if you use good quality gear you can even leave it at the bottom of the pond for 9 months till you need it .......and it will still work when collected 

Regards.