Zigzaggers

Zosimus · 09-10-14, 06:29 PM

I hit my first zigzagging ship today. In heavy rain with poor visibility I followed the target by hydrophone for 4 hours. I stopped completely and began the four-bearing method... except my hydrophone guy lost the contact. He finally picked it up when it had passed us by. Cursing his ineptness, I went scope up and spotted the bastard. I lay in pursuit at 5 knots submerged and established his course as 256º give or take.

Surfacing I planned to jet out to 1 km distance and reacquire the target along its track, but it seems that 1 km was too close and we spotted each other before the required time. I didn't realize that I'd been spotted, of course, I just went hard starboard and then resumed course once I'd lost visual contact.

Waiting for him downstream and guessing 9 knots as his speed, I submerged and waited for him, but while watching his track it became clear that he was zigzagging. Swearing to myself I lowered the speed to 7 knots, set torpedo speed to fast, and went to 5 knots underwater. Closing distance to about 600 m I figured at 000 gyroangle and scored a hit on the ship's stern at 9:32 A.M. I went scope down after the hit and turned port to 256º at ahead slow to follow him. He lost power 80 minutes later and sat dead in the water. I watched him for another 20 minutes on the scope until he sank.

Tramp steamer around 1300 tons.

09-10-14, 06:29 PM	#1
Zosimus XO Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Chorrillos, Lima, Peru Posts: 401 Downloads: 3 Uploads: 0	Zigzaggers I hit my first zigzagging ship today. In heavy rain with poor visibility I followed the target by hydrophone for 4 hours. I stopped completely and began the four-bearing method... except my hydrophone guy lost the contact. He finally picked it up when it had passed us by. Cursing his ineptness, I went scope up and spotted the bastard. I lay in pursuit at 5 knots submerged and established his course as 256º give or take. Surfacing I planned to jet out to 1 km distance and reacquire the target along its track, but it seems that 1 km was too close and we spotted each other before the required time. I didn't realize that I'd been spotted, of course, I just went hard starboard and then resumed course once I'd lost visual contact. Waiting for him downstream and guessing 9 knots as his speed, I submerged and waited for him, but while watching his track it became clear that he was zigzagging. Swearing to myself I lowered the speed to 7 knots, set torpedo speed to fast, and went to 5 knots underwater. Closing distance to about 600 m I figured at 000 gyroangle and scored a hit on the ship's stern at 9:32 A.M. I went scope down after the hit and turned port to 256º at ahead slow to follow him. He lost power 80 minutes later and sat dead in the water. I watched him for another 20 minutes on the scope until he sank. Tramp steamer around 1300 tons.