Shore-launched lifeboats are generally seen as as a good thing.

However, they are often needed during storms, where the sea state makes progress difficult, and subjects the crew to a severe battering.

At 20 metres depth, ocean waves don't affect submarines- waves are a surface effect.

There are numerous decommissioned nuclear subs around the planet. Why not get some extra use out of them ?

Stripped of weapons, these subs would be spacious, and require much smaller crews - the extra space could prove useful in their new role.

Painted Rescue Orange, the subs will loiter in publicised locations around coasts, on the surface in good weather, submerged in bad weather. A permanently fixed marker buoy provides a base for an antenna for communications.

In an emergency, the sub can move very rapidly to the location irrespective of the sea conditions, then surface and spot the ship in distress by radar or Mk. I eyeball. A rescue boat can then be launched from a caisson on deck, or swimmers can be hauled aboard into the sail.

Victims would be brought aboard for immediate medical assessment and/or treatment, then hot showers, dry clothes, food, drink, and rest in a bunk.
-- 8th of 7, Oct 12 2016

//subjects the crew to a severe battering.//

About the only fun part of being a lifeboatsman, shirley, is that bit where the boat whizzes down the ramp and hits the sea?
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Oct 12 2016


That happens just once per rescue, and is fun (and the object of envy). The knee-crunching filling-loosening back-dislocating Thump ... Thump ... Thump of taking it green over the bows goes on for hours, and is not fun. Nor is it envied.
-- 8th of 7, Oct 12 2016


" A rescue boat can then be launched from a caisson on deck, or swimmers can be hauled aboard into the sail. "

These submarines have sails? How do they work underwater?
-- normzone, Oct 12 2016


Rescue Orange? I thought the canonical color for submarines-of-the- imagination was Yellow...
-- lurch, Oct 12 2016


[synthesized speech] "All two-hundred-twenty-seven passengers of the stricken ship [insert tropical word] have been recovered. Downloaded data confirms passengers affiliated with [insert undesirable political/social/environmental party]. Awaiting orders. Press 1 to return to shore. Press 2 to linger on site. Press 3 to proceed below crush depth."

Edit: Oh, and a bun for your excellent idea [+]
-- whatrock, Oct 12 2016


Didn't somebody just explain the other day what a submarine's sail is?
-- notexactly, Oct 13 2016


Probably not.
-- 8th of 7, Oct 13 2016



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