Saar class U-Boat Tender
Displacement: 2,646 t light; 2,732 t standard; 3,623 t normal; 4,337 t full load
Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
355.96 ft / 344.49 ft x 49.21 ft x 13.12 ft (normal load) [108.50 m / 105.00 m x 15.00 m x 4.00 m]
Armament:
2 - 4.13" / 105 mm guns in single mounts, 35.32lbs / 16.02kg shells, 1940 Model Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts with hoists on centreline ends, evenly spread
2 - 1.46" / 37.0 mm guns in single mounts, 1.55lbs / 0.70kg shells, 1940 Model Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts on centreline ends, evenly spread, all raised mounts
4 - 0.79" / 20.0 mm guns in single mounts, 0.24lbs / 0.11kg shells, 1940 Model Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts
Weight of broadside 75 lbs / 34 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 300
Armour:
Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 0.59" / 15 mm 0.39" / 10 mm -
2nd: 0.39" / 10 mm 0.20" / 5 mm -
3rd: 0.20" / 5 mm - -
Machinery:
Diesel Internal combustion motors, Geared drive, 2 shafts, 3,959 shp / 2,954 Kw = 16.00 kts
Range 6,000nm at 10.00 kts (see notes)
Bunker at max displacement = 1,605 tons
Complement: 233 - 303
Cost: £0.692 million / $2.767 million
Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 9 tons, 0.3 %
Armour: 3 tons, 0.1 %
- Belts: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Armament: 3 tons, 0.1 %
- Armour Deck: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Conning Tower: 0 tons, 0.0 %
Machinery: 106 tons, 2.9 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 1,127 tons, 31.1 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 977 tons, 27.0 %
Miscellaneous weights: 1,400 tons, 38.6 %
Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship): 8,659 lbs / 3,928 Kg = 245.2 x 4.1 " / 105 mm shells or 2.2 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.12
Metacentric height 2.1 ft / 0.6 m
Roll period: 14.2 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 80 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.04
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 2.00
Hull form characteristics:
Hull has low quarterdeck
Block coefficient: 0.570
Length to Beam Ratio: 7.00 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 18.56 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 39 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 40
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 21.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 3.28 ft / 1.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 21.33 ft / 6.50 m
- Forecastle (20 %): 18.04 ft / 5.50 m
- Mid (50 %): 14.76 ft / 4.50 m
- Quarterdeck (15 %): 8.20 ft / 2.50 m (14.76 ft / 4.50 m before break)
- Stern: 9.02 ft / 2.75 m
- Average freeboard: 15.25 ft / 4.65 m
Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 54.7 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 153.0 %
Waterplane Area: 12,056 Square feet or 1,120 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 214 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 63 lbs/sq ft or 309 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.97
- Longitudinal: 1.79
- Overall: 1.03
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
Excellent seaboat, comfortable, can fire her guns in the heaviest weather
Fuel stores for supported U-boats are simmed as additional bunkers. Actual ship's bunkers are 164 tons for stated range of 6,000 miles. 728 tons of fuel available for transfer.
Breakdown of miscellaneous weight:
460 tons for additional crew quarters and recreational spaces
200 tons for torpedo workshop
200 tons for engineering workshop
50 tons for cranes and handling gear
490 tons for spare torpedoes, ammunition etc.