Mine Warfare Ship

[ctwaterman]

I want to build a mine warfare ship its job will be to either lay mines or more likely clear them.  Obviously some will be built using military standards but I was thinking of building a reserve of these ships utilizing merchant ship standards...   This ship meets the new rules for armor and weapons but do the minelaying capabilities violate the rules...:)

IMS Valliant, Italia Mine Sweeper/Layer laid down 1914 (Engine 1912)

Displacement:
   310 t light; 319 t standard; 380 t normal; 428 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
   174.56 ft / 174.56 ft x 23.00 ft x 6.70 ft (normal load)
   53.21 m / 53.21 m x 7.01 m  x 2.04 m

Armament:
      1 - 3.00" / 76.2 mm guns in single mounts, 13.50lbs / 6.12kg shells, 1910 Model
     Breech loading gun in deck mount
     on centreline forward, 1 raised gun
      4 - 1.06" / 27.0 mm guns in single mounts, 0.60lbs / 0.27kg shells, 1910 Model
     Breech loading guns in deck mounts
     on side, all amidships, all raised mounts - superfiring
   Weight of broadside 16 lbs / 7 kg
   Shells per gun, main battery: 125

Armour:
   - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   0.50" / 13 mm         -               -
   2nd:   0.25" / 6 mm         -               -

   - Conning tower: 1.50" / 38 mm

Machinery:
   Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
   Direct drive, 3 shafts, 1,880 shp / 1,403 Kw = 18.00 kts
   Range 3,500nm at 12.00 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 109 tons

Complement:
   42 - 55

Cost:
   £0.029 million / $0.117 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 2 tons, 0.5 %
   Armour: 3 tons, 0.8 %
      - Belts: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Armament: 1 tons, 0.3 %
      - Armour Deck: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Conning Tower: 2 tons, 0.4 %
   Machinery: 75 tons, 19.7 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 130 tons, 34.3 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 69 tons, 18.3 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 100 tons, 26.3 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     518 lbs / 235 Kg = 38.3 x 3.0 " / 76 mm shells or 0.4 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.07
   Metacentric height 0.6 ft / 0.2 m
   Roll period: 12.2 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 62 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.06
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.16

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has rise forward of midbreak
   Block coefficient: 0.494
   Length to Beam Ratio: 7.59 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 13.21 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 59 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 53
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): -5.00 degrees
   Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
   Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
      - Stem:      12.53 ft / 3.82 m
      - Forecastle (20 %):   9.00 ft / 2.74 m
      - Mid (50 %):      9.00 ft / 2.74 m (6.80 ft / 2.07 m aft of break)
      - Quarterdeck (15 %):   6.80 ft / 2.07 m
      - Stern:      6.80 ft / 2.07 m
      - Average freeboard:   8.18 ft / 2.49 m
   Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 97.1 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 94.3 %
   Waterplane Area: 2,661 Square feet or 247 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 141 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 30 lbs/sq ft or 147 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.92
      - Longitudinal: 2.27
      - Overall: 1.00
   Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is adequate
   Room for accommodation and workspaces is adequate

25t Wireless
75T Mines or Mine clearing gear

[Borys]

and what exactly would be its civilian role? Let's not get carried away by "civilian standards" - an 18 knot,  three shaft 300 tonnes CIVILIAN ship?
Borys

[ctwaterman]

It doesnt have a pure Civilian Job its only be built to Civilian Standards.  It could on the other hand make one heck of a long line fishing trawler as that what it pretty much is... except its supposed to haul Paravanes instead of fishing nets or long lines.

I didnt think a Merchant Standards ship needed to have a civilian job just not be a cheap warship.  This is not a warship its an Auxilary support ship if the Mine Clearing and Mine Laying capability makes it to much of a warship that I can accept.

[The Rock Doctor]

My understanding was that the notion of "merchantile standards" meant the ship was simple enough that it could be built by civilians, using cheaper materials.  It did not necessarily mean there was a civilian function for it to perform.

I'll ask that you allocate weight between sweeping and laying gear - they're not spontaneously interchangeable.

[ctwaterman]

Not a problem with allocating the Gear I will be doing that on individual ships and the refit rules for a ship this small should be a half month so turn around is pretty quick if needed.

So I will have this ship in an MC or Mine Clearing and ML or Mine Laying configuration.  This ship isnt really built for offensive mine laying but for laying mines off my own coast or harbors.  I guess they could be escorted somewhere to lay mines but its risky.