This is a second ROV design David created and assembled. This image shows the first sea trial this weekend held off Misery Island. Two propulsion motors and the chum cannon are seen mounted on the frame.
Today we launched the original ROV design for the first time in Manchester Harbor. To reduce buoyancy, we drilled holes in the lower frame to let water in. We encountered a small water leak in two of the bulkhead cable seals. The lesson learned is that we must use a full length connector seal (including a silicone filled tube beyond the barb) and cannot get away with a short version!
We face a critical path challenge as we do not have a working match of ROV buoyancy to decent motor power. We will experiment with weights and likely a decent second motor.
