Operational Procedures: Diving, Crash Dive, Surfacing
 

Routine dive

1. Routine dive only ordered by Captain
2. Captain orders "Prepare to dive", descends into conning tower, closes voice tube on the bridge.
3. Helmsman uses telegraph and switches from diesel to electric motors, then orders ahead half.
4. Navigator takes a depth sounding, reports depth under keel.
5. Navigator marks on chart where boat’s location is at the start of the dive.
6. Captain closes conning tower hatch, says “Conning tower hatch is closed"
7. Dive Officer sets dive planes, tells Captain “Ready to dive”
8. Captain orders “Flood”
9. Helmsman opens the forward MBT #4 vent valves allowing seawater in the main ballast tanks.
10. Navigator opens the aft MBT #2 vent valves allowing seawater in the main ballast tanks.
11. Captain sets depth with order “Go to depth, xx meters”
12. The boat is dived at a down angle of 5-8°. In so doing, the ordered depth is initially overshot by about 2-5 meters, and the ordered depth is approached from below by the Dive Officer's operation of the dive planes.
13. After the report of Dive Officer: "Boat is at xx meters", the order always follows, Captain: "Close vents".
14. Helmsman and Navigator closes MBT vent valves.
15. Navigator reports any leaks or problems, “No leaks detected, Herr Kaleun”.
16. Captain orders new speed, course as necessary. If at periscope depth, the slowest speed should be selected.
17. Helsman reports battery status, “Both batteries at xxxx amps, Herr Kaleun”.
18. Sonar reports any contacts.

Crash dive

1. Order: "Alarm!" Alarm bell activated by Chief.
2. Helmsman switches from diesel to electric motors, then orders ahead flank.
3. Captain closes voice tube on the bridge, descends into conning tower.
4. Navigator takes a depth sounding, reports depth under keel.
5. Navigator marks on chart where boat’s location is at the start of the dive.
6. Captain closes conning tower hatch, says “Conning tower hatch is closed"
7. Helmsman silences alarm bell.
8. Dive Officer sets dive planes to forward hard down.
9. Captain orders “Flood”
10. Helmsman opens the forward MBT #4 vent valves allowing seawater in the main ballast tanks.
11. Navigator opens the aft MBT #2 vent valves allowing seawater in the main ballast tanks.
12. Captain opens the Negative vent valve allowing seawater in the negative tank.
13. Captain sets depth with order “Go to depth, xx meters.” (At the front usually to 80 meters)
14. Once the down angle indicator indicates the boat has a down angle, hold: 8 to 15°
15. Helmsman closes vent valve for negative tank and blows tank to control dive before desired depth is reached. After execution of the order "Flood" and the boat has a noticeable descending tendency, the negative buoyancy tanks are expressed (blown by compressed air), by the Helmsman, who will call out, “Express”. It is critical that the Helmsman perform the crash dive operation competently, otherwise the boat could dive out of control, below safe depth, or with a dangerous down angle.
16. The ordered depth is achieved by the Dive Officer’s operation of the dive planes.
17. After the report of Dive Officer's: "Boat is at xx meters", the order always follows, Captain: "Close vents".
18. Helmsman and Navigator closes MBT vents valves.
19. Navigator reports any leaks or problems, “No leaks detected, Herr Kaleun”.
20. Navigator checks compressed air level and reports, “Compressed air at xx millibar, Herr Kaleun”.
21. Captain orders new speed, course as necessary.
22. Helmsman reports battery status, “Both batteries at xxxx amps, Herr Kaleun”.
Sonar reports any contacts.

Surfacing

1. Captain will order a sonar sweep for nearby vessels.
2. Sonar reports any contacts held and strength.
3. After the Captain has satisfied himself by visual sweep and sound bearings that the boat can surface, he gives the order: "Prepare to surface"
4. Helmsman reports “Vents closed”
5. Captain: “Surface”
6. Helmsman will open the high pressure air valve to blow the main ballast tanks, with the report, “Blowing main ballast tanks”. To surface, the boat goes to Ahead Full because, if immediate diving is required (aircraft alarm), high speed is absolutely necessary. The boat is angled stern down and driven up dynamically with diving planes "Forward hard up", "Aft up 5-10".
7. Dive Officer to Captain: "Boat rises".
8. Dive Officer to Captain: "13 meters, 12 meters…." meter by meter.
9. Dive Officer to Captain: "Conning tower hatch free", order concluded at 7.5 meters.
10. Helmsman closes compressed high pressure air valve and Dive Officer sets planes to neutral.
11. Captain will set the bridge watch (usually Captain and Navigator).
12. Captain ascends the bridge ladder, opens hatch and says "Conning tower hatch open".
13. Navigator marks position of surfacing on chart.
14. Captain opens bridge voice tube.
15. As necessary, Captain may order, “Switch to diesels” and set new course and speed.
16. Sonar reports any radio traffic or messages received.

Now that is immersive!

WOW! we will need to make sooo many drills to achieve that perfection...

Oh boy oh boy, I predict a lot of fumbling around and general chaos, at least on my watch :03:

Just watched a stream by Angry Scott. I suspect they probably ran a uboot for the very first time, but it was enjoyable all the same.
The crew had its hands full! Maintaining depth was tricky, and the depth charges were loud and hurting:o
The creaking, the pumps kicking in, the screws in the distance and right above, the splashes on the surface...

Cheers,
Lost

Patiently waiting for the videos :up:

I can't wait. :Kaleun_Thumbs_Up:

There is this video

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/392569919

Lost

Voice tube?
 

Captain closes voice tube? Haven't found that yet.

Maybe that's why depth control is almost impossible.

:k_confused:

Count me in!