Amazing Underwater Flight!
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The Aqueon, want to "fly" underwater up to 6 mph under your own power? If so, read on ... Calvin A. Gongwer, "Cal" graduated from CalTech in Aeronautical Technology and has approached design problems from that perspective. Fluids include both air and water and are governed by fluid dynamics. So shifting from airborne travel to underwater in practical design is no big change in things, right? Wrong. This 92 year old renowned hydrodynamicist and inventor is still going hard at it through his company, Innerspace Corporation along with his son, Dr. Robert Gongwer. http://www.innerspacethrusters.com/. Over time he has amassed over 71 patents in underwater technology. His fertile imagination has resulted in the creation of numerous innovations, including thrusters used on many important platforms such as the submersibles Alvin, Deep Rover and numerous Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) including the Triton, Oceaneering, Perry and other vehicles. http://www.photolib.noaa.gov/700s/nur07546.jpg The Deep Rover sporting gray Innerspace Corporation thrusters Cal first had the idea for a oscillating foil propulsion system about 55 years ago. He was inspired by fish and dolphin tail fin propulsion. How to adapt the motion into a man-driven device? So came about the Aqueon. The Aqueon is a man-powered diver propulsion device capable of producing speeds of 5 1/2 kts. A 165 lb. diver was measured to develop static thrust of 87 lbs. exceeding most electric diver propulsion vehicles that come to mind. For two years he traveled the world promoting his device in the 1960's. The world may not quite have been ready. Cal tells me it took about 50 years for the bicycle to catch on and now look at it today. In U.S. Navy trials two UDT swimmers equipped with twin 90 cft. diving tanks (Northhill aluminum 90's, had a pair myself with UDT Frogs back in the day, sssh) and fins swam for all they were worth a distance of 1500 yds. The divers made it in 44 min. 20 sec. and were exhausted. They did the run again two hours later with Aqueons in 24 minutes and arrived energized and ready for more. These swimmers had minimal experience with the Aqueon. Wonder what their time might have been with some more practice? Let's think about that, you have a commando force that becomes knackered swimming full speed with fins but arrives in almost half the time and in fresh condition with the Aqueon. The teams are still primarily using fins and electric DPV's, 50 years later? Cal related a demo he did for the military in one of the towing tanks at the David Taylor R&D Center in the mid '70's. He was on his game and could really rip with the Aqueon. He was moving in excess of the speed to create skin ripples on his back around 4 kts.. So, he was likely the first diver to break the "wrinkle speed barrier." You can review full product literature and performance test results HERE http://www.fksa.org/albums/album290/Rick_Aqueon_2_s.jpg Last weekend I took the Aqueon out on the Wreck of the Inchulva off Delray Beach, FL. We were treated to some excellent 70 ft. viz. in bluewater. Cal has quite a lot of time on the Aqueon naturally enough and some notable crossings. He crossed length of Lake Tahoe, 22 miles in 14 hours when he was 52. The next year he topped that by towing a man on a paddle board across the Catalina Channel in 11 hours. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album290/..._1_s.sized.jpg Looking back to the mainland from Avalon on Santa Catalina Island He told me about sneaking up on basking sharks and giving them a jolt with this strange looking device on the way to Catalina. He described another case of a fit 185 lb. man who towed his similarly sized brother for 100 m (plus turn at 50 m) in an underwater breathhold dive in a pool. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album290/Popular_Science.jpg I was lucky enough to find one of these in my early UW exploration days as a teenager in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. My good friend Vic and I used to tool offshore at speed over the reefs. It was an amazing way to check things out, with minimal exertion. Vic still has two of these in Alaska, the Bahamas, the Middle East or wherever he lands next with the requisite dolphins and water. Recently I contacted Cal and acquired another Aqueon. Some pictures and videos of the device in action appear throughout this article. Moving out across the wreck A short video clip of the device in action. NOTE: All of the recent still and video Aqueon images were taken with the new Olympus 770 SW amphibious camera.* The stills are processed with Photoshop, but what else is new? Apologies for the distracting spine-like brown phytoplankton that show up in the shots on an otherwise very clear day. The camera is an impressive device all on its own and in a very small water & shock resistant package. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album290/8_G.jpg You can work up a nice head of speed with the Aqueon. The unit requires some ease in the water and a bit time to get used to it. Still when you see someone moving out naturally enough you may want to do it yourself. Gliding underwater with minimal exertion is an unusual sensation. Ripping loose on a speed run is only more so. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album290/6_G.jpg Moving around the boilers The Delray Wreck or the Wreck of the Inchulva is comprised of several sections including the boilers shown above and this section of hull. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album290/20_G.jpg http://www.fksa.org/albums/album290/21_G.jpg Nice viz. for a warm summer day http://blog.modernmechanix.com/mags/...speed_mask.jpg Cal put this design together consisting of a low drag face shield/faring, integrated snorkel and even compass display for the run to Catalina as shown in Popular Mechanics, November 1968. It might look funny to some but it serves a variety of essential functions for distance runs in cold water. He had 14 painful hours experiencing elevated convective heat loss from his head the year prior in crossing Lake Tahoe to think up this design. Necessity as always the mother of invention. His bride of 67 years sometimes requests that some of the accumulated inventions from over the years move on from the family garage. Lots of history there, if you ever have a garage sale, let me know! http://www.fksa.org/gallery3/var/res...g?m=1497385048 Cal's wife Jean taking a turn on the Aqueon in 1964. She is using a forward stabilizing foil I don't recall having seen used before. http://www.fksa.org/gallery3/var/res...g?m=1497385289 A copy of the more recent Aqueon patent from 1974. The day prior we headed out to the nearshore reef off Deerfield Beach. The viz. wasn't nearly as nice as off Delray the next day, still you get a feel for the performance of the Aqueon. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album290/3_G.jpg Exaggerating the stroke to enter into a dive. Still figuring out ways to use the Aqueon for best effect in free diving. It had a secondary trait that I wasn't expecting. There was also a small turtle, perhaps a male cruising for a likely female to create some eggs with. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album290/t1.jpg Swimming along and off into the haze. I followed along for a while and I think the guy fell for the Aqueon. He wasn't running away and when I veered off and stopped he actually turned and came over my way. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album290/t2_s.jpg http://www.fksa.org/albums/album290/7_G.jpg So, for a fifty year old design it is pretty incredible. Makes you wonder why you don't see them out all over? Well, like Cal said, it took 50 years for people to embrace the bicycle. Perhaps a new day may be coming for the Aqueon. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album290/4_G_001.jpg * Olympus 770 SW 7.1 Megapixel Camera http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_se...der_silver.jpg 3.6” W x 2.3” H x 0.8” D ! For more info: http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_se...p?product=1287 Copyright FKA, Inc. 2007 |
Excellent, Rick. I'd like to try the Aqueon and maybe even buy one. Are they available? The photos from the Olympus look sharp, especially the turtle. Video even looks good.
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Thanks George! The units are out of production. Then again, with enough interest that could be put BACK into production. Fingers crossed on that one.
I copied some material from the Innerspace website about Aqueon performance below: http://www.fksa.org/albums/album290/a.jpg http://www.fksa.org/albums/album290/Plot.jpg From: http://www.innerspacethrusters.com/Aqueon.htm Note the plot including compressed air consumption from a 71.5 cft. tank (how many guys today have even used one of those?). We used to do lots of stupid stuff with single 72's. Anyway, take a look at the ratio of regular fins to Aqueon consumption at 1.5 kts. It works out to about 1.5 to 3.8 or roughly 40% LESS air consumption when moving at 1.5 kts.. That is significant to say the least. It would be interesting to see comparative stats. for free diving. Cal calculated a propulsive power ratio of Aqueon to fins of 6.37 or over 6 times more effective. |
That's one of the more cooler inventions I've seen in quite a while! I'm crossing my fingers along with you, have to keep checking their site in the hopes that they'll produce some more of these. Thanks for posting this Rick.
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I took the Aqueon over to Bimini in the Bahamas recently. Taking some extra time to sort out editing the clips but decided to toss a couple out as teasers. There were taken on the wreck of the Sapona, a ferrocement ship blown aground in the 1930's. The Sapona was a rumrunner and seagoing casino in her day and once grounded a target for Army Air Corp aircraft mustering out of SE Florida.
The diver shown here had been on the Aqueon for about 30 minutes at this point. She was a very quick study and natural at using the device. Moving along inside the grounded vessel. More to come, stay tuned ... |
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The tricky part comes in coverting back into the normal foils down configuration for the ascent. You don't want to spend too much time messing around with attachments, potentially dropping foils off the axle, etc. at depth. I think some innovation of rapidly adjustable and secure attachments are in order to implement this mod for deeper free diving. I thought about having two attachment points with hooks for each of the two foils. That way the lengths are preset and attachment might be accomplished more rapidly. Doing something to secure the foils on the axle would be in order should this option be pursued for securities sake. Have you picked one of these things up? |
I've been looking at the pictures trying to figure out how it goes together and what makes it work. How you get it to reverse seems so obvious now, I feel foolish I asked the question. I've never picked one up, I just read about it on the web this week. From what I've seen and read, I want to try one. I've asked Innerspace how much they cost with a view to buying one. Although after reading your post, I'd guess unless there's one or two in the back of their stores somewhere, theres not likely to be one for sale, so I expect if I want one I better figure out how to make one.
I was wondering how the foils were retained on the axle. I guess I know now. Instead of damaging the wood, how about two fishing rod eyelets bound back to back, to the tubular shaft. For quick change forward/reverse I wondered if I could string the foils with light bungy cord and fasten it with a dog lead clip top-side eyelet/ forward. To change direction release and pass the bungy over the foil and fasten it base side for reverse. If it works, I'm not sure about the foil security. If I wasn't happy with my two hands, I might try using one of those cord clips most fleece jackets and outdoor clothing have and slide it up to the foils first. |
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The foils are retained by light tension by the spring. Despite that you can come close to pulling them off if you set your mind to it. Accidentally during normal operation is a remote possibility in my experience though. If they tension vanishes as might be the case in setting the foils up for inverted operation some mod would be in order to stop the foils from sliding off the axle for safety's sake. The approach you describe for inverting the foils could work. At one time I was thinking about running a pair of cords over both faces of the foil and knoting them in place with loops at each end. They would have to be seized or otherwise secured in place to avoid slipping off the end of the foil. I was planning again on using the hooks on the end of the tension line running through the spring. Lots of approaches just a matter of finding the most simplistic and reliable one. Hope you get an Aqueon. |
Tom Lightfoot on the west coast of Canada acquired an Aqueon and wrote about his sea trials free diving with it. He shot three videos during some of the dives including the one below involving two 45 m (148 ft.) descents.
More observations from Tom's dives appear at: http://www.tomlightfoot.ca/freediving/stories/Aqueon |
I just spoke to Cal yesterday and he told me he has some Aqueons available at $450. plus shipping. If you want an Aqueon, I would buy one while they are available.
More info at: sales@INNERSPACETHRUSTERS.COM |
Rick,
I take it the front foil pivots no? Also what do the cables do? Are they running rigging or standing? I'm quite interested in the workings of this as well as the aquaskipper: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9bmLv6iUj4 I'm currently designing a boat for kite/human power, hopefully to use in the WaterTribe Everglades challenge, and am thinking of using an oscillating foil in lieu of paddling for the human powered part. I'm actually thinking it may be possible to have a foil mechanism that doubles as a means of propulsion when the wind is calm and a flying foil when under sail. Think I could take a look next time I'm down your way? |
The front foils pivot on an axle driven by the moment arm of the kneel attached to your calves. The rear fixed foils act as a stabilizer. The lines and central spring on the kneel provide slight tension to aid in the return on the foils during oscillation. Cal said once you start oscillating the foils you don't really need the return tension anymore. Guys have been using oscillating foils for propulsion concepts for sometime. I even recall one at the first manned UW sub races in Palm Beach. If you're going to be in town, send me a PM.
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Another look at DARPA's efforts to utilize the Aqueon concept using newer materials.
Here is their summary of the program: Program Manager: LtCol John Lowell, Ph.D. The PowerSwim program is developing highly efficient, human-powered swimming devices for use by combat and reconnaissance swimmers. This program explores a new concept in swimming propulsion that uses the same oscillating foil approach to swimming that is exhibited by many fish and aquatic birds. This propulsion approach is more than 80-percent efficient in conversion of human motions to forward propulsion. Typical recreational swim fins are no more than 15-percent efficient in their conversion of human exertion to propulsive power. This dramatic improvement in swimming efficiency will enable subsurface swimmers to move up to two times faster than is currently possible, thus improving swimmer performance, safety, and range. http://www.darpa.mil/dso/thrusts/bio...lly/powerswim/ The actual inventor of this concept and over 50 years ago, Cal Gongwer hosted about four pool parties in which DARPA staff examined, used and questioned Cal at length about the Aqueon. DARPA then proceeded to consume almost $3M of tax payer dollars in the mandated creation of "new" technology. No credit or compensation has been given to Cal by DARPA in any of this. Doesn't inspire much pride or confidence in this government agency. They even have a promotional video now: |
There have been some updates on Tom Lightfoots use of the Aqueon in a free diving competition on http://forums.deeperblue.com/freediv...st-past-6.html
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DYN 100 m With Aqueon 09/18/2011 This is swimming horizontally in a 25 m pool for distance. CWT 40 m With Aqueon 09/17/2011 This is a vertical free dive with constant weight Quote:
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I just came across a local article about Cal Gongwer in the Sunsentinel, http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/198...ns-engineering . I didn't recall it but he competed in the first International Submarine Races held on Singer Island in 1989. I shot the race for a local rag at the time. I think I have a photo of his entry, have to go through the archives.
"Near 74, Calvin Gongwer Is Competition`s Old Man Of The Sea. June 23, 1989|By ELAINE A. ELLIS, Staff Writer Call him the sage of the sub races. Calvin Gongwer, who turns 74 on Sunday, is the oldest participant in the International Submarine Races being held this weekend off Singer Island. But this California guru of hydrodynamics research and engineering doesn`t confine himself to the ivory towers of academia. ``He`s so respected in the field, but he`s not a muckety-muck. He likes a good vodka gimlet,`` said Tony Carone, 42, the brawn behind Gongwer`s arm- powered entry in the local race. This weekend, Gongwer is getting his feet wet piloting his unique spherical entry in the race. He calls the clear acrylic orb the Knuckleball. Unlike the unpredictable pitches of baseball greats Phil Niekro and Hoyt Wilhelm, Gongwer`s Knuckleball travels in a straight line. This unique concept has three patents and ``kind of sinister`` potential for use on torpedoes, Gongwer said. Behind Gongwer`s tanned face -- reminiscent of an American Jacques Cousteau -- the wheels of invention are turning. ``He`s an inventor basically,`` said Joe Grosser, Gongwer`s son-in-law, who helped drive the 2,700 miles from California with Gongwer to the sub competition. ``He`s got a good imagination. That`s what it takes.`` Gongwer holds a degree in mechanical engineering from Columbia University, a master`s degree in aeronautical engineering from Cal Tech and about 80 patents, mainly for underwater devices. He has his own marine engineering company called Innerspace Corp. ``I made my first pair of swim fins in 1935,`` said Gongwer, who grew up on Washington`s Puget Sound. ``I love to fool around with anything related to water.`` Working in his California garage in the 1950s, Gongwer developed 15 submarines similar to the vessels assembled this weekend -- sleek, cigar- shaped tubes with funny fins and innovative propellers. Several of the concepts were patented and snapped up by the defense industry. One of the subs even ended up slipping behind the Iron Curtain on a spy mission, Gongwer said. He also invented the Aqueon swimming aid. ``Swim with no more effort than walking -- at speeds never before possible. Inspired by the efficient swim thrust of the porpoise using only leg power,`` the brochure boasts. With the Aqueon clamped to your legs, you can slice through the water at more than 6 mph. To prove his product, at the age of 52, Gongwer swam across Lake Tahoe. ``It was after that I got on this physical fitness kick,`` Gongwer said. ``I quit smoking. I`ve been on a fitness kick ever since.`` Once, Gongwer took up the land-lover`s sport of golf. ``I went through the game mathematically,`` he said. ``I invented clubs. I could do everything but really play golf.`` For the past eight years, Gongwer has been concentrating on building a massive tri-hulled, diesel-powered steel ship. The vessel can carry 135 people and weighs 400,000 pounds fully loaded. It can travel from Los Angeles to Sydney, Australia and back to Honolulu before refueling. ``I want to build one three times as big,`` Gongwer said. ``It would be ideal for a cruise ship. ``But that`s dreaming.``" |
I am sorry to learn that Cal passed away in 2012. We used to talk by phone from time to time about the aqueon and experiences
of folks who used his device. He was a prolific inventor and will be remembered fondly for his many accomplishments, rest in peace Cal. http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1394811729 http://d27vj430nutdmd.cloudfront.net...29ba2d5ea1.pdf . |
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMwT2N55raA I have read of some disappointment about Phelps not actually squaring off against a Great White in a fin race "Mono e Carcharodon." Ignoring practical issues with gaining the shark's full cooperation with shooting ques, instructions, makeup, etc., there may have been a larger lurking problem, potentially bad for insurance premiums if not ratings? The Lunocet fins Phelps was using rely upon a pair undulating foils for propulsion. Undulating foils can be an efficient means of propulsion for divers but works even better for fish. Here's the rub, I have used a undulating foil propulsion system for a few decades, the Aqueon. It is a neat way to rip through the water at speed. The thing is, it can send some marine predators into hysterics. I have had barracuda whipping all around me gnashing teeth, shaking heads in attack mode when I have been going full speed on one of these. They looked really excited, wanting to bite something but I stopped before they came in for a taste. I had been doing a fast inverted dolphin kick for some minutes gaining the second reef off Ft. Lauderdale from the beach in no time when this happened. I have even had dozing nurse sharks wake up and take interest which can take a lot of motivation at times absent a prod. I didn't have any free swimming sharks conveniently at hand when I've been swimming hard much less a Great White but I wonder what sort of interest the undulating foil might prompt in one of these big boys? I have assumed for all these years that the undulating foils crank out some distinctive sound underwater, perhaps like a wounded thrashing fish, aka dinner bell. It makes sense after all and whatever the cause, a distinctly negative outcome might occur if you crank at full bore with the foils. So, in hindsight, it might be better than Michael and the Great White were joined on a computer somewhere as opposed to together in the water. More about the promotional stunt at: https://www.facebook.com/RosenstielS...0nZ42ufh-H0hmQ ps - I have still failed to watch any produced content from Shark Week start to finish except from odd snatches online, like this. Perhaps the reruns, in a few more years? Some people just don't know what they are missing I guess. . |
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