977 U-boat

[bobchase]

Originally Posted by Sensekhmet

... With strong wave from the stern and speeds above 25 knots the ship went totally out of control. With the stern rising high and the bow ploughing deep in the water, the ship listed to either side, until the list of 60 degrees (!) ...

It sounds like at 25 knots and above that they would just 'flop' over the top of a swell so suddenly that the rudder (and probably the screws) were right out of water for a period of time. During that time, the ship was basically surfing down the wave and then suddenly 'broached' due to lack of steerage. The swell or at least the next swell just knocked her down and rode over her. Not a good thing have to happen...I saw some East German Missile Torpedo Boats (MTB's) broach-too in high winds and seas. (25 foot swells.) They lost half of the boats that came out to
'greet' us. Not a pretty thought, even after 35 years.

A 60 degree roll seems extreme but when the sea is your mistress, anything is possible when you make her mad. Our ships' roll-meter stopped at 45 degrees but that doesn't mean that theirs had too. Anyway, they were pretty lucky that they didn't have water go down the funnel and put their lights out too.


Bob