In response to numerous inquiries about the sail rigged on R-14 for its wind-powered trip in the Hawaiian Islands, the following information may be of value. The expression of interest stems from SRC's article in American Submariner Magazine, Volume 2006, Issue 4, page 21. Records of the exploit are scant and contradictory, however, much can be gleaned from the only picture taken of the boat under sail. This photograph accompanies the article. Having said that, the analysis in this bulletin needs to be considered as somewhere between after-battery conjecture and Sherlock Holmes deduction. Comments are invited on the information provided.

When examining the photograph several details should be noted:

The photographer stood on the boat's port foredeck just forward of its gun. Visible on the conning tower are its two port side deadlights and above them its masthead light. Behind the two left-hand figures are the periscopes and behind them is the billowing sail.

The first note of interest pertaining to the sail itself is its convolution. That is, the sail is convex or blown toward the camera. The sail seems to have a deep curvature and is not dimpled by the extended after periscope. The top of the periscope's window faces forward and seems to be unencumbered by a jury-rigged block for top hauling a riser. The sail is in two colors with each panel having been carefully cut to fit a designed pattern. The sail's clew ( loose, leeward bottom corner) is hidden behind the elbow of the figure in the foreground. The sheet for the clew most likely runs aft to one of the boats stanchions. Above his head is a sharp point in the sail suggesting a tack point for the sail's bridle, which was made from the gun's ram rod. It appears that the sail is extended slightly to port which means the boat is taking the wind from its starboard quarter.

R-14's sail is not a standard spinnaker, but most closely resembles one. The spinnaker is normally used on the foremast of a center line rigged schooner or mast of a sloop to capture light wind on a quartering tack. It requires a tall mast and free forward travel because its balloon shape is delicate to handle.

Many cursory explanations of the R-14's sail have it anchored to the periscopes. The photograph suggests otherwise. Since the sail is aft of the periscopes and is convex in shape it must be supported by a mast aft of the sail. The R-14 had such a mast in its radio antenna. This mast was collapsible and its wire, half-wave, center-fed antenna ran for and aft from its peak to the boat's bow and stern. In sailing terms the antenna, with its for and aft stays, was ideal to support a spinnaker. The antenna's mast was supported athwart ships by shrouds to snap-cleats on the deck's rail anchors. The block for the topping lift could have been rigged when the mast was collapsed to the deck. Likewise, the mast anchors for the bridle and spinnaker pole could have been rigged in the mast's down position. In short, it was a ready-made mast for a sail.

It is important to also note that submarines in that era had boatswain's mates who's experience with marlinespike seamanship provided them with the skill to stitch and assemble the sail and rig it with competency. It should also be noted that the submarines of the day had hull shapes that acted as keels. With a good helmsman in hand power (all electrical had been lost as well as propulsion) and a boatswain to monitor the sail, the R-14 was an acceptable sailboat providing the boat's course took the wind from not more than thirty degrees abaft of the beam. Were this not have been the case, the R-14 could have still made it under sail, but the sail would have had to be a center line rig and the shrouds would have had to be strengthened.

One thing is for sure, the hull shape and crew skills of a modern submarine would not be appropriate for a replication of the R-14's feat.