GUARD AGAINST MINES
PARAVANE EQUIPMENT One of the many defensive steps against the danger of war at sea shown among shipping on the Auckland woterfront has been the use of the paravane, a protection against mines, which has appeared on a few overseas vessels visiting the port. One liner has a large paravane boom at her bow with a number of paravanes stacked in readiness on deck. The paravane is an ingenious apparatus for sweeping up submarine mines and rendering them harmless. In appearance it resembles a short, squat torpedo fitted with large fins and serrated steel jaws which cut through the stout mooring cable of a mine. When required the paravanes are rushed to the forecastle and made fast io the boom, which is swung in front of the ship. Once in the water the paravanes dive and remain at a depth of many feet, while the action of the fins cause them to stream out from the ship. If the taut paravane wire makes contact with a mine cable the cable is deflected into the toothed jaws and instantly severed. When the released mine comes to the surface it can be sunk by gunfire.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/THD19400119.2.90
Bibliographic details
Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21556, 19 January 1940, Page 8
Word Count
196GUARD AGAINST MINES Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21556, 19 January 1940, Page 8
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Timaru Herald. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Log in