[PSUBS-MAILIST] escape & rescue

[SeaLordOne@aol.com]

Shipmates,

I would like your views on escape and rescue.  

As to the original "caught in a net" problem, I have the impression that the average psub would lack the power or bouyancy to escape a large net.  These new mega nets, do they call them drift nets?, are many miles long and many tons heavy.  About 10 years ago I read of a section of net three miles long that had broken off and was killing porposes off the US coastline. I don't see how anything short of Carsten's U-Boat could survive an encounter with that much net.  Does anyone know any more about these mega nets?  Are there still large sections floating loose out there?

Then comes rescue.  Who is going to come to our rescue?  I get the impression from reading the paper that the U.S. Coast Guard has been largly re-purposed for homeland security, and that private boat towing firms are the closest thing to a "rescue operation" most boats see these days.  Do you still think the Coast Guard would/could help us?

Doug Farrow