Thread: By A Hair!
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Old 08-21-11, 04:04 PM   #7
Bubblehead1980
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sailor Steve View Post
No, they didn't. They were called 'Fleet Boats' because they were originally designed to travel with and support the surface fleet, which did indeed travel at 15 knots. The concept was that the boats would be refueled at sea, just like their surface counterparts.

Best cruising speed was 10 knots.
http://www.valoratsea.com/gato.htm
http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/08212a.htm

Hmm, nearly every account i've read says they would cruise at ahead standard or around 15 knots to and from area unless fuel was low or were assigned to area far away.Example would be the Tang's second patrol(or first), they cruised slower to save fuel since were traveling to Palau then Truk etc

Do the sources you posted account for the ballast tanks being converted to carry extra fuel? Prob not is my guess. Like I maintained during the max speed debate we had, there is what is officiially listed on paper and what went on in RL.When read multiple accounts by O Kane, Galatin etc etc talking about cruising to and from area at 15 knots(in most cases) I'm going with their account, plus it makes sense.While those are decent sites, my guess is they operate strictly off official specs/data about what they were designed to do, not what they are capable of in RL due to different variables.

11,800 miles at 10 knots? okay, but a typical patrol from Pearl to the Empire would include a stop at Midway for fuel enroute.Then empire waters is what? 2300 nautical miles from Midway ? okay so would cruise there at 15, slow down or not once in area, depending on the skipper and extra fuel, then cruise back at 15(unless burned a lot during the patrol chasing targets etc) and refuel at Midway on the way home.Sure, if they have no where to refuel etc they would prob cruise there slow, stay slow and come back at 10 knots but with tank conversion and place for pit stop, they could do more.Even if patrol was in far reaches of East China Sea, its 3500 orso roughly, but with the extra fuel and pit stop to and from the area, can operate at more than ten knots and be just fine.

Like I was saying ahead standard in TMO is 15 knots, believe ducimus said he made it so to be more accurate.

Everything is not so black and white Steve.
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