#ballast

Just a friendly reminder that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity, respect, and kindness. Love is love. And we can’t wait to see what kind of crazy ships you guys come up with when more of our characters are fleshed out.

We also plan on including cannon LGBT representation where possible, too! So we hope you guys stick around to see what we have in store for the future. ❤️

If anyone has any questions, please feel free to message us. 🏳️‍🌈

Heya! I'm Kara! I'm one of the three lead devs of Ballast and I'm the one kind of spearheading the project! We're not the only devs by any means, but we're the ones in charge. Everyone working on this is pretty passionate about it and all have some amazing ideas, so I'm excited for you all to see what we come up with! I'm an artist by trade; I've worked on Homestuck as one of the artists under the first wave of the Art Team back in the day (under my deadname), and I also designed a poster that made its way into Bendy and the Ink Machine! (Under my old username-- it was the Siren's Serenade poster!) Needless to say, I'm comfortable with digital art as well as 3D modeling (I make stuff for VRchat, too)... but game development is a whole different beast! I'm learning Luau and animation as I go, I'm the one making the rooms, helping with props and concept art, and trying to dabble in music to help out there... it's a lot to juggle! All of us are adults (a few of us 30+!), and most of us have full time jobs, so what we do is where we can in our free time. I tend to have a lot more time than the others, so I'm working my hardest between my other obligations. As a result, DEVELOPMENT IS VERY SLOW, but it's coming together, piece by piece. We don't want to rush this, but we don't want to just sit on it without talking about it, either! We're doing our best to consolidate concept art, screenshots of props and the very few rooms we have so far to at least give you guys an idea of where we're heading with this. We've also got LOTS of lore; we won't share everything, but we'll share plenty! ♥ I had been a big fan of Pressure, like a lot of people. Around October/November of 2024, I had made an OC, a scientist, that I had wanted to utilize in that universe and explore his dynamic with the world and other characters. I got the idea for him while listening to EPIC; for obvious reasons, I needed to repurpose him... and so the idea Ballast kind of came about.

Buying Guide: RC Submarines for Hobbyists — ballast, fail-safe surfacing, waterproof servo bays and FPV underwater.

RC submarines are a rewarding branch of the model boating hobby and choosing the right craft depends on a few specialist features that are less relevant to surface boats, so this guide focusses on what to prioritise when you buy your first or next submersible model.

Ballast is the single most important system to get right because neutral buoyancy and trim determine whether your submarine will behave predictably underwater, and whether it will recover from a sudden weight shift or leak. Fixed ballast is simplest and fine for display models, but an active ballast tank or pump allows precise depth control and is the common choice for dynamic operation and fail-safe surfacing systems. Look for models with adjustable internal trim plates or moveable weights so you can tune fore-aft balance without rebuilding the hull.

Fail-safe surfacing must be a top buying criterion because electronics do fail and batteries do run down, and you want a model that will return to the surface rather than sink. The two main methods are positive-buoyancy fail-safes, where a small gas bladder or foam ensures the model floats if systems die, and ballast-dump systems that automatically jettison weight on signal loss or low battery. Choose a model with a proven, tested failsafe method and redundancy if possible, and for build guidance see my practical reviews at WatDaFeck which explain the pros and cons of different surfacing systems in plain language.

Waterproof servo bays and sealed control compartments are another essential area to inspect because servos and linkages are failure points if water intrusion occurs. Look for pressure-rated bulkheads, O-ring hatches, and accessible service ports so you can change servos without splitting the entire hull. Some builders prefer to use waterproof servos in a dry bay filled with desiccant and silicone grease around the shafts, while others use fully flooded, pressure-balanced bays with magnetic couplings to eliminate shaft penetrations entirely, and this choice affects maintenance and long-term reliability.

FPV underwater is a specialised capability with its own trade-offs: cameras must handle low light and colour shift at depth, and wireless signals attenuate quickly through water so onboard recording or a tethered link is often more reliable than attempting a radio link to the surface. If you want live video, consider a tethered system or a hybrid that stores high-quality footage on board while streaming a low-resolution feed for navigation. Also check the hull rating for camera housings and whether the model provides mounting points and power for LED lighting to illuminate your shots effectively.

When comparing models, use this quick checklist to keep your buying decision focused and practical.

Ballast type and adjustability for neutral buoyancy and trim.

Failsafe surfacing method and redundancy for signal loss and low battery.

Quality of waterproof servo bays, bulkheads and access hatches.

Camera and comms options for FPV, including tether compatibility.

Spare parts availability, community support, and manufacturer documentation.

Spend time asking sellers about return policies and community experiences, and consider starting with a kit or a proven RTR model if you are new to submarine modelling, because the learning curve for balancing, waterproofing and maintaining these boats is steeper than for surface craft.

RC Submarines for Hobbyists: Practical Tips on Ballast, Fail-Safe Surfacing, Waterproof Servo Bays and FPV Underwater.

Building and running an RC submarine is immensely rewarding and it pays to focus on a few core systems that determine whether a model is a pleasure to operate or a constant maintenance headache.

Ballast is the heart of trim and control for any submarine, so start by deciding whether you want fixed ballast with trim weights or an adjustable ballast system using pumps or ballast tanks, and aim for neutral buoyancy at operating depth to make control responses predictable.

Practical ballast tips include using small lead shot in a sealed container for fine trim adjustments, keeping the centre of gravity low and close to the longitudinal centre, and including a small reserve of buoyancy so the boat will sit slightly positive if systems fail, and for more build logs and parts inspiration you can visit the WatDaFeck blog for project photos and notes.

When designing ballast hardware think about reliability and maintainability, and consider one of these simple check items before your first wet trial.

Test ballast pump and valves on the bench under power for several minutes to detect leaks or vapour lock.

Mark trim positions and log ballast amounts so you can return to a known safe configuration.

Include a manual dump or emergency ballast release that you can actuate if electronics fail.

Fail-safe surfacing is non-negotiable for hobby submarines because radio reception underwater is unreliable, so design an independent mechanical or power-backed method to get the model to the surface, such as a dedicated vent valve driven to open in a receiver failsafe, a spring-loaded ballast dump triggered by loss of signal, or a small independent buoyancy bladder with its own battery and switch so the sub will surface if the main systems stop.

Make sure the failsafe logic is tested repeatedly and that the surfacing actuator is not dependent on the main motor controllers or a single battery that could be depleted, and always run a fail-safe dry test where the receiver is turned off while the boat is powered to verify the chosen method works as intended.

Waterproofing servo bays requires thoughtful design because servos and linkages are frequent leak paths, and best practice is to use a pressure-equalised bay or potting for electronics, gland seals for control shafts, and double O-ring bulkheads for any rotating or moving penetrations so that any minor leak is confined to an accessible compartment rather than the battery or radio bay.

Choose marine-grade servos where practical, fit silicone or nitrile O-rings to housings, use silicone grease on seals to lengthen their life, and incorporate a small desiccant sachet or vented breather in a separate compartment to manage condensation while keeping wiring runs simple and clearly labelled for maintenance.

FPV underwater is a different challenge to surface RC because radio frequencies attenuate rapidly in water, so the two practical approaches are either to use a hard-wired tether for live video or to carry an onboard camera that records to local storage with a surface antenna or periscope for telemetry, and when using live tethering prefer thin coax or fibre with strain relief to avoid interference with manoeuvrability.

Lighting is vital for underwater FPV as even shallow water can be dark and turbid, so fit flood LED arrays with adjustable intensity, use a forward dome port to reduce distortion, and consider pressure-compensated housings filled with clear oil for small cameras to reduce optical problems and depth-related compression of housings.

Finally, build a short pre-run checklist that includes battery voltages, ballast settings, failsafe behaviour tests, servo bay leak checks and tether integrity, and always conduct the first sea trial in a sheltered location with a spotter so you can recover quickly if something goes wrong.