Submarines

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RunAgroundHard said:
Back in the 80’s frequently in the Firth of Clyde. On one memorable occasion, during a NATO exercise, off Arran, there was a lot of pinging in the yacht’s hull as this frigate searched for a submarine.

Later we saw what looked like a tin can on a stick pop up and move through the water. Quite small and black.

Later again, right behind the boat, a large grey tube appeared, definitely a large periscope, staring right at the stern of the yacht.

At that point, the frigates turbines were heard whining as the vessel turned towards us. It circled the yacht with the loudness of the pinging becoming very noticeable. Later a yellow smoke signal appeared in the water near the Holy Isle. Maybe the sub was virtually depth charged.

The boat I sailed on was well known to those at Faslane. Exciting times back then. It is all a bit bland now.
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Sounds more like a Perisher drill than a wider exercise.
 
Aja said:
Been quite surprised to be overtaken by a Periscope in the Inner Sound a few years ago. No idea where the 'shepherd boat' which normally ushers you towards Raasay was, but fair gave me a fright.
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Didn’t some poor yacht skipper get successfully prosecuted for damaging a submarine when hitting its periscope? Google is not finding so may be wrong. Seemed incredible that anybody should be expected to see a submarine operating in stealth mode under the surface
 
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You might be thinking of when HMS Conqueror was prosecuted for hitting Simon Le Bon’s Drum in the early 80s. I felt sorry for the submarine, they’d put the periscope up and spotted a yacht some miles off, next time they put the scope up the yacht was on top of them. They hadn't anticipated a yacht to be doing about 15 knots.
 
There was also an army skipper who hit a submarine at night , he took the navy to court but his case was thrown out when he admitted he didn't have any nav lights on to save battery power.
 
dunedin said:
Didn’t some poor achy skipper get successfully prosecuted for damaging a submarine when hitting its periscope? Google is not finding so may be wrong. Seemed incredible that anybody should be expected to see a submarine operating in stealth mode under the surface
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Drum?
 
PeterV said:
The submarine is carrying out a ‘cold move’ meaning the reactor plant is shut down so it’s running the diesel generators. As the cooling water is discharged into the exhaust it’s a combination of diesel exhaust and water vapour, in fact exactly the same as most boat exhausts!
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The water 'cooling' into the exhaust is predominantly to collapse the exhaust and reduce its energy.
So when dived and running DGs at pericope depth, the exhaust (which will be under the water) won't be visible at it surfaces.

So it's a anti detection function 👍
 
The white smoke is steam.
All current uk subs are nuclear powered.
The reactor gets hot and generates steam..
The steam drives a turbine and that powers the prop'.
The system is essentially closed circuit, the steam is condensed and the water used again.
If the sub is idling on the surface, excess steam is sometimes released.
I've seen this quite often at the BUTEC range in the inner sound of Rassay. The sub sitting at the southern end of the range, waiting to do a run.
You can get quite close to the subs, very much more relaxed than Gairloch. Close enough to take photos of them.
No big black RIBS with men with machine guns shouting at you, if you get too close.
 
Funny how a number of submariners have already explained this incorrectly :) Come on chaps, even a spotter knows what it really is. Or were you trying to spoof us and preserve the secrecy of your magical black pigs ......😂😂😂😂😂
 
Buck Turgidson said:
Funny how a number of submariners have already explained this incorrectly :) Come on chaps, even a spotter knows what it really is. Or were you trying to spoof us and preserve the secrecy of your magical black pigs ......😂😂😂😂😂
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Diesel exhaust really shouldn't be a difficult concept, even for those who walk sideways...... :cool:
 
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