The Silent War : The Cold War Battle Beneath the Sea by John Pina Craven

[taneal1]

Hello There,

First post to this forum...

I'm looking for information regarding the vibration issues encountered by Nautilus, and the applied fixes (which are probably still classified... ))

"The Silent War : The Cold War Battle Beneath the Sea"
by John Pina Craven

The Amazon "peek" at the above book discusses this subject, but it abruptly ends when specifics should be mentioned. Can anyone tell me if there is additional info elsewhere in this book? Can anyone recommend any other books that address this issue?

Thanks for any info, and/or leads...

Tom

[David F]

I read the book some years ago and I have it in front of me as I write this. He mentions using multiple gauges to measure pressure fluctuations. Yes, he is fairly sketchy about fixing the resonance issues in the free flooding areas causing hull damage(Chapter 1).

The fix was, I quote, "a simple , straightforward and still classified modification of the ballast tank openings".

Without reading the whole book again I don't think he returns to the topic. In the index, Nautilus is mentioned only once after Chapter 1 and it is not relevant.

So probably not worth getting the book.

I hope this helps your search for information.

David

[taneal1]

I don't think he returns to the topic. In the index, Nautilus is mentioned only once after Chapter 1 and it is not relevant.

So probably not worth getting the book.

I hope this helps your search for information.

Thanks, David. This saves me some time, money and effort.

Tom

[PaulC]

My understanding is the grates that you see on modern nuke MBT floods were the solution arrived at for the vibration problem with Nautilus. Someone with more experience feel free to correct me.

As an aside, I found Craven's book a very frustrating read as well.

[wlambing]

The lower bow had to be redesigned and rebuilt. The vibrations generated by 571 bludgeoning its way through the water were the problem. The MBT flood grates were a separate issue, actually done as a backfit in the Skipjack class. As designed, 585 had solid "flapper" valves installed, each pair with its own hydraulic actuator. That went by the way-side very quickly!!

[X Bubblehead]

Being a first-of-its-kind development boat, a lot of changes started occurring as soon as sea trials concluded to deal with a number of unforeseen issues. The majority of the limber holes on the side of the superstructure (with the exception of those on the bow) were removed before she deployed under the ice. Eventually, the forward limber holes were removed too.

The sail had two major make-overs, (one intentional for under-ice duties, the other not so much, when successfully calibrating the sonar range gates to zero after making physical contact with the Essex) but the one thing that always remained with the boat was a tactically-show-stopping higher level of generated self-noise, relegating the good ship Nautilus to flag-waving and test duties for the majority of her career.

[taneal1]

My understanding is the grates that you see on modern nuke MBT floods were the solution arrived at for the vibration problem with Nautilus.

Thanks for the info, Paul.

The only photos of floods with grates that I can find are on RC models. I'm thinking those are for filtering the flow into the ballast tanks.

As an aside, I found Craven's book a very frustrating read as well.

Frustrating due to his bringing up a subject, whetting your appetite for MORE info, and then terminating the subject with an 'I can't tell you...'?

Tom

[tom dougherty]

The book has a considerable amount of “I was deeply involved in really neat stuff…which I can’t tell you much about.”
That line gets tedious after a while. Why bother to write the book in the first place?

[salmon]

There as another issue and it was discussed on another forum and possibly this one - There was a discussion on the front planes. Where they fully extended or where the bow planes partially extended? In the discussion vibration was the reason for running partially extended. As far as why, i do not recall. Just throwing that out here.

[wlambing]

Back in the 80's, deployed to Med., I was on Trepang and we picked up a horribly noisy contact at an extreme range. Reported same to SubRon 22, and was informed it was 571, broken, and being towed back to La Maddalena. When I was on Narwhal, 671, we used to come to work on Monday's with our full seabags, because we would usually end up having to cover 571's weekly ops. She was NEVER the "Finest", as advertised!!!!

[feet wet]

Well now Bill, I have know some noisy, broken down 30 y/o's in my day too............

[wlambing]

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