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The Lusitania Resource History, Passenger & Crew Biographies, and Lusitania Facts Home » SM U-20 The SM U-20 was a German U-19 Type submarine built for the Kaiserliche Marine. She was commissioned on 5 August 1913. During World War I she sank 37 ships for a total of 145,830 tons and damaged 2 ships for a total of 2,643 tons. The largest and most famous ship sank by U-20 was the Cunard passenger ship RMS Lusitania in May 1915, that sinking being one of the major events leading up to America’s participation in the war in 1917. Later in the war, on 4 November 1916, U-20 ran aground at Vrist, near Thorsminde, on the Danish coast. Her crew detonated her bow torpedoes to destroy her the next day. Specifications and historyU-20 was a U-19 Type submarine (the U-19 types being U-19 , U-20 , U-21 , and U-22 ), ordered on 25 November 1910. She was built by Kaiserliche Werft in Danzig (now Gdansk, Poland), where her keel was laid on 7 November 1911. She was launched on 18 December 1912 and commissioned on 5 August 1913. She was part of the III Flotille of the Kaiserliche Marine. Her armaments included four 50 cm (19.7 inch) torpedo tubes, two in the bow and two in the stern, that could carry a total of 9 torpedoes. Additionally, U-20 was equipped with a 1 x 88 mm (3.46 inch) deck gun. In 1916, she would be refitted to have an additional deck gun. U-20 had two commanders through her career. The first was Otto Dröscher, who was her commander from 1 August 1914 to 15 December 1914. Her second commander was Walther Schwieger, who was her commander from 16 December 1914 until the submarine was beached and destroyed on 5 Nov 1916. Throughout her career she had 7 operations, the most infamous being the one where she sank Lusitania . The fateful voyageUnder the command of Kapitanleutnant Walther Schwieger, the submarine departed Emden, Germany on 30 April 1915 heading northwest across the North Sea, reaching Peterhead, Scotland on 2 May. From there, U-20 proceeded around the north of Scotland and Ireland and along the western and southern coast of Ireland. The plan would be to enter the Irish Sea through the St. George’s Channel to target ships going in and out of Liverpool. During this time, British Naval Intelligence in Room 40 of the Admiralty was tracking submarine activity, but the information that Room 40 received was not always accurate and not always properly relayed due to micromanagement and excessive secrecy. On 5 May, U-20 sank a merchant schooner, the Earl of Lathom . U-20 also fired a torpedo at the British steamer Cayo Romano , which was flying a neutral flag, but missed. At 10:30 that night, the Admiralty sent out a general warning simply stating, “Submarines active off the south coast of Ireland.” At midnight a clarification “submarine off Fastnet” was added. On 6 May, off the south coast of County Wexford, Ireland, and near the Coningbeg Lightship, U-20 sank the SS Candidate in the morning. The submarine also sighted to the White Star Liner Arabic but was not able to attack because the ship was too fast, despite sailing a straight course. That afternoon U-20 sighted and attacked the British SS Centurion , which had not been flying a flag and had her name painted out. In both instances Schwieger provided ample time for the crews of the attacked ships to evacuate before sinking the ships. Furthermore, the ships, as small as they were, took a long time to sink despite the submarine torpedoing and firing on the ships. Even though the survivors of these sinkings were rescued, news of the attacks on their ships did not reach Vice-Admiral Coke at Queenstown, who could have relayed this information to Lusitania . Lusitania did not receive any specific warnings related to the U-20 sinking these ships as the large ocean liner entered the war zone. On the morning of 7 May, visibility was poor. U-20 was low on fuel and only had three torpedoes left. Schwieger decided not to take the submarine into the Irish Sea through the St. George’s Channel and decided to begin their way home. Schwieger ordered the submarine to submerge at 11:00 a.m. after sighting a fishing boat that he believed might be a British patrol boat. Shortly after, the cruiser Juno passed the submerged submarine at high speeds while zigzagging, leaving Schwieger once again being unable to target a ship. Juno had received warning of submarine activity off Queenstown at 7:45 a.m. Sinking the LusitaniaU-20 ’s chief engine room artificer, Friedrich Sellmer, sighted Lusitania at 1:20 p.m. Greenwich Time (2:20 p.m. German time). Schwieger ordered the submarine to submerge five minutes later to a depth of 11 meters. Observing Lusitania through the periscope, Schwieger did not think that his submarine and Lusitania would be in a line suitable for attack. Then, Lusitania turned. Seeing the opportunity, Schwieger brought U-20 into position. At 700 meter range, Schwieger ordered one gyroscopic torpedo to be fired, running at a depth of 3 meters. According to an unsubstantiated story, Quartermaster Charles Voegele, an Alsatian, refused to carry out the order to fire on a passenger ship and was subsequently court-martialed. Oberleutnant Raimund Weisbach carried out Schwieger’s order and fired the torpedo at Lusitania . Schwieger’s log states that U-20 only fired one torpedo at Lusitania . While the German Government may have had incentive to alter this log after the international fallout from the sinking, the other crew members of the submarine, in addition to radio reports sent from the submarine to Germany, confirm that only one torpedo was fired. Schwieger had observed the torpedo hit Lusitania and the second, internal explosion that followed. The second explosion had been so powerful that it even rocked the submarine. The official log notes the possibility that Lusitania had suffered a boiler or coal explosion, although the account by Weisbach states that the submarine crew had concluded that illegal munitions had caused the explosion. Through the periscope, Schwieger could see the unfolding chaos aboard Lusitania . The official log states that Schwieger was so disturbed by the sinking that he could not “fire a second torpedo into this crushing crowd of humanity trying to save their lives.” Schwieger gave the periscope to anyone else who wanted to look. Those who did look recalled at the horrible scene unfolding in front of their eyes, and how they had caused it and were unable to render any assistance. Later German accounts would say that only then did the submarine’s pilot, Lanz, identify the ship as Lusitania , although this is unlikely, as documents from earlier in the war had identified Lusitania as a prime target. According to the official story, by 2:25 p.m. Schwieger and his men had seen enough. They dropped the periscope and headed out to sea. Some Lusitania survivors’ accounts, however, state that they saw a submarine surface, fly a German flag, and walk along the deck of the submarine. These claims have never been corroborated by any German accounts. U-20 maintained radio silence on the attack until she was almost back to Germany. The sinking of the Lusitania was initially received as a great triumph in Germany, although some voices within the country in Vorwärts and the Berliner Tageblatt , criticized the brutality of the action. By the time U-20 reached Wilhelmshaven, the United States had formally protested to Berlin against the sinking, and Germany attempted to do damage control to save her international reputation. The Lusitania sinking was no longer on occasion to be celebrated, but one of great concern for fear of drawing the United States into the war. Even though Kaiser Wilhelm II did not agree with the statements within the American note of protest, in order to keep the United States out of the war, Kaiser Wilhelm suspended unrestricted submarine warfare. On 4 September 1915, U-20 , under the command of Walther Schwieger, sank the passenger liner, the RMS Hesperian , off of Fastnet, Ireland. Coincidentally, the Hesperian was carrying the body of Lusitania victim and saloon passenger Frances Stephens , making her twice a victim of the U-20 . Schwieger was ordered to Berlin and required to apologize for going against orders not to sink passenger ships. End of the U-20On 4 November 1916, U-20 grounded on the Danish coast at Vrist, near Thorsminde. The U-20 became a curiosity item on the beach and locals traveled to see the stranded submarine. The submarine crew detonated her bow torpedoes to destroy her the next day. Schwieger and his crew had even shouted at the gawkers to stay clear as they blew up the submarine, but many stayed to watch as metal flew into the air. No one was hurt. The submarine wreck remained a popular local attraction for years. The Danish navy removed the deck gun and cut holes in it to render it unusable. The gun was kept in the naval stores at Holmen in Copenhagen for almost 80 years. The deck gun and conning tower of the submarine are now on display at the Strandingsmuseum, in Thorsminde, West Jutland, Denmark. References: Molony, Senan. Lusitania : An Irish Tragedy . Mercier Press, 2002. Preston, Diana. Lusitania : An Epic Tragedy . Berkley Books, 2002. “RMS Lusitania .” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 22 July 2004. Web. 28 April 2011. < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Lusitania > “U-20.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 22 July 2004. Web. 28 April 2011. < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SM_U-20 > “WWI U-boats: U-20.” Uboat.net. Web. 28 April 2011. < http://uboat.net/wwi/boats/index.html?boat=20 >. “WWI U-boat Successes: Ships hit by U-20.” Uboat.net. Web. 28 April 2011. < http://uboat.net/wwi/boats/successes/u20.html >. The U-boats- Most successful
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U-boat EmblemsEvents on this day. What happened on 18 September? Commander file- More officers U-boat of the dayU-boat finder, list of all u-boats. | | | Ordered | 2 Feb 1935 |
| Laid down | 1 Aug 1935 | (werk 550) | Launched | 14 Jan 1936 |
| Commissioned | 1 Feb 1936 | Kptlt. Hans Eckermann | Commanders | 1 Feb 1936 | - | 30 Sep 1937 | | Kptlt. | 1 Oct 1937 | - | 17 Jan 1940 | | Kptlt. ( ) | 17 Jan 1940 | - | 15 Apr 1940 | | Kptlt. | 2 Apr 1940 | - | 15 Apr 1940 | | Oblt. ( ) | 16 Apr 1940 | - | 7 Jun 1940 | | Oblt. ( ) | 8 Jun 1940 | - | 5 Jan 1941 | | Oblt. | 6 Jan 1941 | - | 19 May 1941 | | Kptlt. | 20 May 1941 | - | 4 Dec 1941 | | Oblt. | 5 Dec 1941 | - | 27 Mar 1942 | | Oblt. | 7 May 1942 | - | 26 Aug 1942 | | Oblt. | 27 May 1943 | - | 31 Oct 1943 | | Kptlt. | 1 Nov 1943 | - | 10 Sep 1944 | | Oblt. ( ) |
1 Feb 1936 | - | 1 Aug 1939 | (active service)
| 1 Sep 1939 | - | 31 Dec 1939 | (active service)
| 1 Jan 1940 | - | 30 Apr 1940 | (active service)
| 1 May 1940 | - | 30 Jun 1940 | 1. U-Ausbildungsflottille (school boat)
| 1 Jul 1940 | - | 26 Aug 1942 | (school boat)
| 27 May 1943 | - | 10 Sep 1944 | (active service)
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Scuttled at 2130hrs on 10 September 1944 in the Black Sea north of Karasu, Turkey, in position 41.10N, 30.47E. See the 16 ships hit by U-20 - View the 16 war patrols This boat is a dive site7 Feb 2008 . The 3 boats, U-19 , U-20 and U-23 , scuttled in September 1944 off the Turkish coast have been located. They are reported to be in excellent condition. 27 Dec 2009 . The U-20 was dived on and photographed by Mr. Taner Aksoy. See our U 20 in the Black Sea gallery. See more U-boat dive sites . Attacks on this boat and other events26 Jun 1943 U-20 attempted to torpedo a Soviet submarine chaser in the Black Sea off Tuapse, but the target went on the offensive, dropping eight depth charges. The boat was then kept submerged by aircraft for four hours and subsequently forced to return to base by mechanical failures. (Sources: Ritschel) 1 recorded attack on this boat. General notes on this boat27 Dec 2009 . The boat was dived on and photographed by Mr. Taner Aksoy. See our U 20 in the Black Sea gallery. Men lost from U-boatsUnlike many other U-boats , which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-20 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss. We have 4 emblem entries for this boat. See the emblem page for this boat or view emblems individually below. Media links Niestle, Axel | Blair, Clay | Wynn, Kenneth | Blair, Clay | There was another U-20 in World War One That boat was launched from its shipyard on 18 Dec 1912 and commissioned into the Imperial Navy on 5 Aug 1913. The Naval war in WWI was brought to an end with the Armistice signed on 11 Nov, 1918. Read about SM U 20 during WWI . As an Amazon Associate uboat.net earns a commission from qualifying purchases. |
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Ultimate 20 Sailboats. Welcome to the Ultimate 20! The Ultimate 20 Sailboat is the result of a team of sailors with impressive credentials. Jeff Canepa headed a colloboration that included Jim Antrim of Antrim Associates-Naval Architects, sail maker and Olympic medalist Jay Glaser, and 505 builder and foil specialist Larry Tuttle.
The Ultimate 20 Class Association hosts a North American Championship every year for the sailing community. Find out the location, date, and past winners of the regatta, and how to propose a venue.
Ultimate 20 is a 20-foot performance sloop with a bowsprit, asymmetrical spinnaker and hiking racks. It is based on the Hotfoot 20 design, but with many modifications by Jim Antrim and Ron Moore.
A boat with a BN of 1.6 or greater is a boat that will be reefed often in offshore cruising. Derek Harvey, "Multihulls for Cruising and Racing", International Marine, Camden, Maine, 1991, states that a BN of 1 is generally accepted as the dividing line between so-called slow and fast multihulls.
The boat was conceived by Hobie Cat champion sailor Jeff Canepa in the late 1980s. He was interested in the work done by Doug Hemphill, the designer of the Hotfoot 20 and Hotfoot 27 sailboats and especially his desire to add a bowsprit and asymmetrical spinnaker to the Hotfoot 20. Canepa ended up buying the Hotfoot 20 molds at a sheriff's auction. In 1993 he formed Ultimate Sailboats and ...
November 2023. Lake Norman, North Carolina once again proved to be a great venue in the fall for the 2023 Ultimate 20 North American Championships held at LNYC. 26 boats registered meant that this would be the largest attended Championship in the history of the Class.
About Ultimate 20 Class. The Ultimate 20 was the result of a team of sailors with impressive credentials. Jeff Canepa headed a team that included Jim Antrim of Antrim Associates-Naval Architects, sail maker and Olympic medalist Jay Glaser, and 505 builder and foil specialist Larry Tuttle. Their idea was simple.
As a service to the Ultimate 20 sailing community, the U20 Class Association maintains a resopurce to U20 sailboat news and events in the United States and Canada. Welcome!
The new year opened with strong winds at the Lake Norman Yacht Club for the Ice Bucket Pursuit Race. Ultimate 20 Fleet 2 made up nearly half of the competito...
Ultimate 20 is a 6.4 m monohull sailboat with a lifting keel and a sloop rig. It was designed by Jim Antrim and built by different yards since 1994. See its features, calculations, and photos.
Ultimate 20. The U20 was created by a team that included Jim Antrim, Jeff Canepa, Jay Glaser, and Larry Tuttle. They wanted to create a monohull with multihull performance, with a dry and stable platform with safe interior space for kids or crew. They also wanted a lightweight trailerable to have responsive dinghy-like handling, all with the ...
The W.D. Schock chapter continues the U20's storied history. According to Corey, Ron Moore built the first 35 boats in Santa Cruz, then Santa Cruz Yachts built the next 20 or so, and Ultimate ...
Ultimate 20. February 2, 2016 by Sail1Design Editor Leave a Comment. The Ultimate 20 is a 20′ 10″ high-performance keelboat. Its high-aspect-ratio keel is fully retractable so it can be trailered like a centerboarder. It carries 306 square feet of fully battened mainsail and roller furling jib, and flies a 452 square foot asymmetrical ...
The Ultimate 20 is a 20.83ft fractional sloop designed by Jeff Canepa/Jim Antrim and built in fiberglass by Schock W.D. since 1994. The Ultimate 20 is an ultralight sailboat which is a very high performer. It is very stable / stiff and has a low righting capability if capsized. It is best suited as a racing boat.
Class History The Ultimate 20 is a manageable 21-footer that is a great choice for sailors who want sportboat speeds without feeling overpowered and intimidated. Jeff Canepa headed up the U20 star-studded design team, developing a wide-beamed boat with an open cockpit that provides crew a stable platform upwind, but gets up and moves off wind without ever feeling out of control. Features ...
Aluminum. Deck Material. E-glass. Year Restored. New Build. The Ultimate 20 was the result of a team of sailors with impressive credentials. Jeff Canepa headed a team that included Jim Antrim of Antrim Associates-Naval Architects, sail maker and Olympic medalist Jay Glaser, and 505 builder and foil specialist Larry Tuttle. Their idea was simple.
Looking for help on U20 Community Facebook page post about Sailboat Swap Shop. Started by Ryan Ericson. 2 Replies. 1019 Views. June 26, 2023, 03:51:14 PM. by Ryan Ericson.
I am planning to sell my u20 sailboat around mid-August this year. I am asking $20,000 for the boat, trailer and the equipment listed below plus lines and other miscellaneous. I plan to be in Embden, Maine, where the boat is located from late June through mid-August. The boat will be available then for inspection […]
A list of the best small sailboats under 20 feet for fun, affordability, and versatility. Learn about their features, designs, prices, and models such as Hunter 15, Catalina 16.5, Hobie 16, and more.
Alabama. $23,900. Description: 2003 Ultimate 20, Sail Number 183. Excellent condition. Includes: 2003 Ullman main & jib, 2005 Doyle-Boston main, jib & spinnaker (red), 2007 Doyle-Boston main, jib & spinnaker (white); 2010 C Tech carbon fiber mast and boom, 2003 Ballenger aluminum mast and boom; Zieman Trailer; 2003 Honda 2 hp outboard; Tac Tic ...
SM U-20 was a U-19 Type submarine that operated in the North Sea and the Irish Sea during World War I. She sank the Cunard passenger ship RMS Lusitania in May 1915, one of the major events that led to America's entry into the war.
PHRF (max. sugg.) 485 ft. sq. Bow Sprit 6.0 ft. The Ultimate 20 is a performance-driven, mono-hull boat designed to reach multi-hull speeds. Introduced in 1994, the Ultimate 20 was voted 1995 Boat of the Year by Sailing Word. When you're at the helm, you'll feel a quick, dinghy-like response combined with the stability normally expected on a ...
U-20 was a submarine that operated in the Black Sea during World War II. It sank 13 ships and was scuttled in 1944, but its wreck is a dive site and has been photographed.