Best timing for snorkel?

[Shkval]

Originally Posted by Hinrich Schwab

My routine is battery only during the day. After dusk, snorkel to full charge and alternate battery and snorkeling every three hours. Top off the battery around dawn and repeat.

At what speed during the day... and night... 2 knots...3? And how long is the "black" period of time when Brits got radar and "we" don't have snorkel or any kind of RW... 6 months or longer? Was that the "Black March"? I remember the first time I got hit in the middle of the night out of nowhere... very unpleasant experience...
What do you do in those circumstances?

[Hinrich Schwab]

Originally Posted by Shkval

At what speed during the day... and night... 2 knots...3? And how long is the "black" period of time when Brits got radar and "we" don't have snorkel or any kind of RW... 6 months or longer? Was that the "Black March"? I remember the first time I got hit in the middle of the night out of nowhere... very unpleasant experience...
What do you do in those circumstances?

Speed isn't so much an issue as aircraft will find you regardless. The radar is really that good. Between March and Black May is when the new radar sets start coming out. There is about a 9-month gap between that and the snorkel. Your best bet is to run submerged for three hours, surface long enough to top off batteries and repeat. Even then, you still may be jumped by aircraft. The idea is to minimize being on the surface as much as possible.

[Shkval]

Originally Posted by Hinrich Schwab

Speed isn't so much an issue as aircraft will find you regardless.

I know... I'm not trying to runaway from aircraft, I'm asking how fast you drain your batteries, i.e. how fast you are moving when submerged? If you are moving at flank speed it would mean that you have to stick your snorkel out every hour or so...
9 months ... holy ****! Loooong time to die with a stupidly-surprised look on your face!

[Hinrich Schwab]

Originally Posted by Shkval

I know... I'm not trying to runaway from aircraft, I'm asking how fast you drain your batteries, i.e. how fast you are moving when submerged? If you are moving at flank speed it would mean that you have to stick your snorkel out every hour or so...
9 months ... holy ****! Loooong time to die with a stupidly-surprised look on your face!

When submerged, I never exceed 3 knots except in extreme circumstances. I can usually make it from dawn to dusk on around 40% of a full charge. It takes me forever to get anywhere, but at least i get there.