Net laying ship

General characteristics (US Navy netlayers)
Displacement:	560 tons, 700 tons laden
Length:	151 ft. 8 in.
Beam:	30 ft. 6 in.
Draft:	10 ft. 6 in.
Speed:	14 knots
Propulsion:	Diesel, single screw
Complement:	40
Armament:	1 x 3"/50 caliber dual purpose gun, 3 x 20mm mounts

AN-52: Ailanthus-class net laying vessel

A net laying ship, also known as a net layer, net tender, gate ship or boom defence vessel was a type of small auxiliary ship.

A net layer's primary function was to lay and maintain steel anti-torpedo or anti-submarine nets. Nets could be laid around an individual ship at anchor, or around harbors or other anchorages. Net laying was potentially dangerous work, and net laying seamen were experts at dealing with blocks, tackles, knots and splicing. As World War II progressed, net layers were pressed into a variety of additional roles including salvage, troop and cargo transport, buoy maintenance, and service as tugboats.

US Navy

Net layers initially received the hull classification symbol YN (for "Yard Net Tender") but were later reclassified AN (for "Auxiliary Net Layer"). The British Admiralty knew such ships as a “boom defence vessel".

The first 32, all launched in 1940 (before the attack on Pearl Harbor), were built of steel. Due to the chronic shortage of steel during the war, the next 30 were built of wood. The last 15, laid down in 1944 and 1945, were again constructed of steel.

A total of 77 net layers of all classes served with the US Navy during the war. The vessels served in all theatres of war but particularly in the Pacific. Many of the ships were decommissioned after the war, but some continued in service for several more decades. Net layers were eventually made redundant by advances in underwater detection technology.

Net layers have two prominent steel "horns" on the bow, used in laying nets.

Gallery

The boom defence net at Scapa Flow being towed into position by two Royal Navy boom defence vessels in 1943.
At Scapa Flow, a Royal Navy net laying vessel prepares to lay an anti-submarine net, which is 900 feet (275 metres) long, weighs over 40 Imperial tons (41 tonnes) and could be laid in 4 minutes.
HMS Rogate, a Royal Navy "gate vessel" designed to open and close the boom and nets at Portsmouth Harbour during World War II.
HMCS Ypres was a Battle class trawler used by the Royal Canadian Navy as a gate vessel. She was sunk in a collision with a battleship in May 1940.
The US Navy wooden Net Tender, USS Terebinth (AN-59) in wartime camouflage.
HMAS Kangaroo, a Bar class boom defence vessel of the Royal Australian Navy in 1947.

References

World War II Net Tenders, Navsource Online.
Photos of HMNZS Endeavour; Antarctic support ship, ex-US netlayer

Naval ships and warships in the Late Modern period

Naval ship classes in service submarine auxiliary Operational zones Blue-water navy Brown-water navy Green-water navy Gun placement Broadside Central battery/casemate Turretes

Aircraft carriers	Aircraft cruiser Amphibious assault ship Anti-submarine warfare carrier Balloon carrier CAM ship Escort carrier Fighter catapult ship Fleet carrier Helicopter carrier Light aircraft carrier Merchant aircraft carrier Seaplane tender Submarine aircraft carrier Supercarrier

Battleships	Coastal defence ship Dreadnought Fast battleship Pre-dreadnought battleship Super-dreadnought (Standard-type battleship) Treaty battleship

Cruisers	Armored cruiser Battlecruiser Flight deck cruiser Heavy cruiser Pocket battleship Light cruiser Merchant raider Protected cruiser Strike cruiser Torpedo cruiser Unprotected cruiser

Escort	Aviso Convoy rescue ship Destroyer Destroyer escort Destroyer leader Escort destroyer Frigate Guided missile destroyer Kaibōkan Sloop

Transport	Amphibious transport dock Amphibious warfare ship Attack transport Dock landing ship Landing craft Landing craft carrier Landing Craft Support Landing Ship Heavy Landing ship, infantry Landing Ship Medium Landing Ship, Tank Landing Ship Vehicle Troopship

Patrol craft	Armed boarding steamer Armed yacht Coastal Motor Boat Corvette Gunboat Harbour Defence Motor Launch Motor Launch Naval drifter Naval trawler Ocean boarding vessel Patrol boat Q-ship Steam Gun Boat Submarine chaser Torpedo boat

Fast attack craft	E-boat MAS MGB Missile boat MTB MTM MTSM PT boat Shin'yō

Mine warfare	Danlayer Destroyer minesweeper Mine countermeasures vessel Mine planter Minehunter Minelayer Minesweeper

Command and support	Amenities ship Ammunition ship Auxiliary repair dock Auxiliary ship Collier Combat stores ship Command ship Crane vessel Depot ship Destroyer tender Dispatch boat Fast combat support ship General stores issue ship Hospital ship Naval tugboat Net laying ship Repair ship Replenishment oiler Submarine tender

Submarines	Attack submarine Ballistic missile submarine Coastal submarine Cruise missile submarine Cruiser submarine Deep-submergence vehicle DSRV Fleet submarine Midget submarine U-boat

Miscellaneous	Arsenal ship Barracks ship Breastwork monitor Capital ship Flagship Guard ship Littoral combat ship Monitor River monitor Training ship

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