The Schnellboot's design seems to owe more to Baltic conditions, although the North Sea and Barents Sea are also suggested as influences. The Channel was rougher than the Baltic and usually less severe than the North Sea or Barents Sea. Fast boats therefore had more opportunities to approach their best speed in the Channel, although they did not routinely operate at the advertised maximum. Reducing weight might allow another knot or a little more beyond the quoted 43.8 knots. British countermeasures had to answer a threat that could turn favorable water and bursts of speed into tactical mobility.
Notable Point · 12:03-14:05
The Channel gives E-boats room to use speed
The Channel was rougher than the Baltic but generally more forgiving than northern waters, allowing Schnellboote more opportunity to exploit speed.