26 - Sunday, July 8, 1990 - North Shore News Thruster pack gives divers new scope THE ADDITION of a thruster pack to the Newtsuit at- mospheric diving suit developed by North Vancouver-based International Hard Suits Inc. (IHS) has opened up a new world for divers working at below sea level. The Newtsuit, already in use by military divers and commercial divers involved in offshore oil and gas exploration, eliminates the need for divers to undergo time- consuming decompression after completing deep-water dives. The atmospheric suit originally broke new deep-diving ground by incorporating fluid-filled rotary north shore high tech Michael Becker joints that allow a diver up to 75 per cent of normal dexterity while either dangling from an umbilical cord or roaming about on the ocean floor. But with the recent development of a thruster pack for the Newtsuit, divers are now able to propel themselves to various depths. The thruster pack was designed and built over the past year by IHS technical director Mike Humphrey. Said IHS sales manager Scott Morrison, ‘“‘With a thruster pack you can just fly up off the bottom and hover there and do the work. It was a needed tool. We realized depths of up to 1,000 feet right from the start that it was a needed tool for mid-water capabil- ity."* Morrison sees the Newtsuit with thruster pack being deployed for offshore oil] and gas surface-to- sea-floor platform inspection as well as drilling and pipeline in- spections. The equipment allows a diver more speed in the water, a handy capability for search and recovery tasks. Sonars installed on the suit would enable search sweeps. The first $125,000 production version of the thruster pack will be delivered along with a $360,000 Newtsuit to Toyama Divers of Japan within the next two weeks. The thrusters attach to a Newtsuit by way of a waist ring. Each of the two thruster units is electrically powered via an aux- iliary power unit and a 1.5 HP motor linked to two propellers. Power is distributed from the sur- face and travels through an umbil- ical cord attached to the suit. IHS is presently developing a cocoon shell to replace the lower half of the Newtsuit. The new configuration would reduce maintenance and make the diving suit more cost-effective. Said Morrison, ‘‘We're looking at eliminating some of the joints. There are 10 joints on the lower half of the suit. We’ve seen that as he flies around he doesn’t use his legs much. “The cocoon also give us more buoyancy. The problem we have with any submersible is the more stuff you add or the less buoyan- cy,’’ he added. The company is also working on a shallow-water version of the Newtsuit. The target price would be about $100,000. The new Newtsuit would incorporate the rotary joint technology in a lighter aluminum, carbon fibre or com- posite material shell. “= 14. 1 % GOVERNMENT BONDS EQUIVALENT PRE-TAX YIELD* GOVERNMENT 113.2% 12.95%! 12.8% T-BILL RATES* 3MONTH | 6 MONTH | 1? YEAR 0, | 8.197|12.0% 12.00% cat DAVID BLAIR .: 682-1751 We offer a NO-FEE RRSP 500 1066 West Hastings Sire. Vancouver, British Cotumbia V6E 3X1 * All rates are subject to change without notice. SunLife Trust MEMBER: CANADA DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION MEMBER SUNLIFE GROUP OF COMPANIES | GiC—Interest Paid Annually. G.R.S.P. interest Compounded Annually Short Term GIC’s — Interest paid at maturity 12.75% 12.75% 13.00% 30-59 days 60-89 days 90-119 days Teresa Black Hughes Manager, Deposit Services 1735 Marine Orive, West Vancouver, 8.C. 120-179 days 180-269 days 270-364 days Carol Torrance and Nancy Williams Service Representatives for you! Rates subject to change without notice Tel: 925-3112 INTERNATIONAL HARD Suits Inc. technical director and thruster pack designer Mixe Humphrey displays a Newtsuit fitted with a newly designed thruster pack. With the addition of the new pro- pulsion pack, a Newtsuit diver turns into a one-person sub- marine. bil LAKES RESORT BC's West Ucigue High Counday Adve For a lost weekend or a full vacation, the magnificent scenic solitude of Cathedral Lakes Resort is unbeatable. NO T.V. - NO TELEPHONES. just good food, fresh clean air and mountain solitude. You should try it! Call Joan or Bill CATHEDRAL LAKES RESORT (604) 499-5848 or write: R.R.#1, CAWSTON, B.C. VOX 1CO NEWS photo Nel! Lucente The “M” stands for Management You've chosen a career in accounting because you want to move up. Fine, but remember one thing, In today’s competitive marketplace, smart accountants manage. 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