Re: Old RN terms

Vince <firelaw@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

guy wrote:
On 12 Oct, 01:32, "Vaughn Simon" <vaughnsimonHATESS...@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
"guy" <guyswetten...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message

news:1192130711.653240.18350@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Mooring Board

Just a guess from a guy who was basically a snipe, but I remember
that when a ship was in a mooring area the deck watch had to take
regular bearings on shore points and the other ships to assure that
nobody's anchor was dragging. Am I warm?

Vaughn

From an RN Captain:-

<quote> A Batteburg was named after Mountbattens father who invented
it. It is two discs joined at the centre, one of them of them in
clear perspex on which you can work out relative motion when changing
station or intercepting an enemy. There are two arms with a screw
stop on each. You put the guide or enemy's speed on one arm and your
speed (there will be a stationing speed signalled) on the other.
For all naval relvel (relative velocity) problems you had to remember
"own and enemy diverge" (Kate used this for years teaching rel vel).
To get your relative course to your new station you turned a lined
perspex disc underneath the arms and joined up the screw stops. You
could work out your reative velocity and tell the captain how many
minutes to take up your new station or you knew what relative course
you wanted and worked out your course. All pre radar of course but
very good bridge training for young officers to this day.

A mooring board was much simpler and was just a grid on which you put
the coastline of the anchorage and where all the ships would be. If
you were genuinely mooring the ships would be much closer together
because you dropped two anchors and then middled them with a swivel
piece inserted. Your swinging circle would be much smaller. When
you anchor of course you put out just one anchor and cable. For both
you hope the fleet navigator has done his sums correctly. It is a
demanding manoeuvre because if you get it wrong you have to re-anchor
or moor in front of all the ships with the flags Negat Bravo Zulu
flying in the flagship "manoeuvre not well executed".

I have not heard of "4 and an onion". Convoys and ships were much
slower and smaller than today of course.

</quote>

Guy


Hard to tell form your description but this sounds a lot like a

Submarine Attack Course Finder
http://www.hnsa.org/doc/attackfinder/index.htm

Admiralty Manual of Navigation Volume 1 B.R.45(1) of 1955 has a
depiction of the Modified Battenburg Course Indicator Mark 3 on page
330.

The description reads:

(a) A fixed outer rose marked in degrees. This is used for laying off
and measuring necessary courses and bearings.

(b) A circular metal base plate engraved with alternate red and black
parallel lines on a white background, and figures representing
distance and speed. The base-plate is rotatable.

(c) A perspex disk of the same size superimposed on the base plate.
This disk is marked with concentric rings for every two units of
dictance or speed and radial lines for every ten degrees of direction.
The disc can rotate independently of the base plate and has a matt
finish so that ordinary pencils may be used on it.

(d) Two metal speed-bars pivoted about the centre and engraved with
figures from 0 to 30. Each bar has a movable cursor which can be
clamped in any required position.

(e) A separate metal distance ruler graduated from 0 to 70 units, the
length of one unit being the distance between adjacent lines on the
base plate of the instrument. With its aid distance and speed may be
measured..

Apparently the great innovation and advantage of this model was the
perspex disk and the white painted base plate.

If anyone is still vaguely interested I'll post on how it's used. I
could scan the depiction of it if really persuaded.....

Eugene L Griessel

Always remember you're unique, just like everyone else.

- I usually post only from Sci.Military.Naval -
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Old RN terms
    ... To get your relative course to your new station you turned a lined ... A mooring board was much simpler and was just a grid on which you put ... the coastline of the anchorage and where all the ships would be. ... you anchor of course you put out just one anchor and cable. ...
    (sci.military.naval)
  • Re: Old RN terms
    ... shore points and the other ships to assure that nobody's anchor was dragging. ... station or intercepting an enemy. ... A mooring board was much simpler and was just a grid on which you put ...
    (sci.military.naval)
  • Re: Old RN terms
    ... To get your relative course to your new station you turned a lined perspex disc underneath the arms and joined up the screw stops. ... A mooring board was much simpler and was just a grid on which you put ... the coastline of the anchorage and where all the ships would be. ... you anchor of course you put out just one anchor and cable. ...
    (sci.military.naval)
  • Re: Sound signal conundrum
    ... Maybe he thought you wouldn't have enough speed/manoeuvrability under sail ... He may perhaps have had his anchor hove fairly short already. ... prepared to allow small vessels to approach their ships. ...
    (uk.rec.sailing)
  • Re: Old RN terms
    ... To get your relative course to your new station you turned a lined ... the coastline of the anchorage and where all the ships would be. ... you anchor of course you put out just one anchor and cable. ...
    (sci.military.naval)