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Surface Vessels => Mine Warfare => Topic started by: John Seal on 12 December 2024 08:49:49 am

Title: Bow boom on trawler minesweeper 1939 1945
Post by: John Seal on 12 December 2024 08:49:49 am
Hello, I am working on chapter about mines, minelayers and minesweepers/hunters for my website www.navtechlife.com
I have several photographs of trawler minesweepers with a boom fixed to port or starboard of the bow and pivoting off the ship's side. It is not the usual SA structure that goes down over the bow. Can anyone tell me what this boom is for - streaming a Oropesa sweep maybe. Thanks for your help !
Title: Re: Bow boom on trawler minesweeper 1939 1945
Post by: PhiloNauticus on 12 December 2024 09:10:55 am

Perhaps the boom for deploying anti-mine paravanes.

See this film about the device :  https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1060023129



Title: Re: Bow boom on trawler minesweeper 1939 1945
Post by: PhiloNauticus on 12 December 2024 02:25:18 pm

Full details of paravanes can be found here -

https://archives.imeche.org/archive/institution-history/first-world-war/paravanes

- see p.05 - illustration of Paravane Type M bow protectors

Title: Re: Bow boom on trawler minesweeper 1939 1945
Post by: John Seal on 20 December 2024 09:21:45 am
Hello, many thanks for your messages and it looks like you are right. Sorry to have taken time to come back to you but I had difficulty in logging in? Enjoy Christmas ! Kind regards, John
Title: Re: Bow boom on trawler minesweeper 1939 1945
Post by: John Seal on 23 December 2024 05:50:24 pm
Hello, I wonder if the structure on the foredeck of this German minesweeper is for streaming paravanes from the bow. Any ideas?
Title: Re: Bow boom on trawler minesweeper 1939 1945
Post by: PhiloNauticus on 29 December 2024 09:21:05 am
Not an expert on German minesweeping gear - they did copy the paravane idea, so it may well be their version
Title: Re: Bow boom on trawler minesweeper 1939 1945
Post by: John Seal on 02 January 2025 08:21:50 pm
Thanks for your reply.