Just don't. That's my advice.

In any case you spend more real time in underpant staining evasion travelling through der canal than you do simply sailing round Britain picking off targets as you go.

As pointed out before - only use in an emergency.

If you really must, just for the experience, then I'd recommend submerging close to the french coast near the straights of dover and then proceeding through at night and on the surface as fast as possible. Try to clear it before daybreak. Obviously if there are enemy in visual range you will have to lower your speed and at worst submerge.

It's not impossible. After June 1940, just stay within 10km from the French coast and you'l be fine.

After following the real exploits of U48, and noticing that they went through, in early war, I decided to give it a shot.

Winter of 39/40 was worth it, considering the location of my grid (VIIB).
I think an important step is to be at the narrowest points before diving.

Warning: Although your boat will save a lot of time, you as the simmer will spend much more time getting to your grid.

It can be done mid war but don't take Jimbuna's advice of:
BE MORE AGGRESSIVE!!
It does not work
There's a time and place for everything Jim
Be silent, and when you need to, run away and fight another day!:DL

BE MORE AGGRESSIVE!!


http://www.psionguild.org/forums/ima...bubblegum2.gif

Recently, in a WAW patrol using GWX 3.0, I returned through the channel, it was in a VIIB, late 1940 I think, just before the transition to the French coast bases. I was lucky enough to have really crummy weather so I began the journey at night on the surface. Kept the speed up and mainly hugged the French coast. Dived before first light and stating down all day then surfacing after dark. When a ship was heard I went to SR until the danger passed. The trip only really became dicey around the narrows in the Dunkirk area. We did that stretch surfaced with decks awash in the rain if I remember correctly.

I survived with only a few close calls but I wouldn't do it again as I think it was just plain luck that I made it.

Im a complete coward when it comes to the channel, i only attempt it in 39 and early 1940.
I usually run on silent speed at 15m through the narrow bits (dover>calais etc) and stick more or less centre channel, maybe a few km closer to the french coast.
As soon as its dark and i get a bit more room i surface and run at flank speed, if i spot anything i dive straight away (even a seagul tends to make me jump!). + i dive briefly every 1-2 hours the listen for contacts.

As soon as im passed the channel islands (jersey/gurnsey/aldernay) i usually feel a little safer and run surfaced until im out of the channel.

KEEP OUT OF THE ENGLISH CHANNEL!! http://www.psionguild.org/forums/ima...ies/pirate.gif

In my career right now it is mid-1943 and I've saved my Falke torpedoes for missions like this. My base in Brest but for some moronic reason I was ordered to patrol a grid northwest of Norway (can't they assign some U-Boat from Bergen/Kristiansand/Narvik etc. to do that!?).

Anyway, while in the channel I was discovered by a V&W Class Destroyer. No problem, I head straight for him at about 4 km distance, fire off my deck gun to provoke him, then I go to periscope depth. He's basically zig-zagging in front of me. At 1.4 km I fire off a Falke torpedo, go silent and veer hard right. These Falke torpedoes hit almost everytime and this destroyer was history. Direct hit in the bow, he sank within minutes. All of a sudden my sonar man picks up four more warships heading my way. I was able to see them through the periscope after a few minutes. A V&W Destroyer, two Armed Trawlers and an Elco Torpedo boat. Depth below keel was about 30 meters so I figured I'd fire off three Falke torpedoes in their direction. And it worked. The big ships were sunk. Then I surfaced and attacked the Elco torpedo boat with my deck gun.

Well, then I managed to reach my patrol grid only to be heavily damaged by some Liberty ship merchant! :damn:

I had to stop at Bergen for repairs.

I don't like the channel at all.

The water is too shallow to get away easily so I will waste a lot of eels on small fry because it's trying to kill me.
Not having any torpedos left for proper targets in my designated patrol era sort of defeats the point of the missions; I might as well raid a port, ignore my patrol area and call it a day.

The constant airplane attacks don't exactly make it any more pleasant.