The only incident that occurred with K16 was a sudden dive in Gare Loch after her hydroplanes failed. She surfaced successfully. K16paid off on 12 December 1920. She was sold on 22 August 1924 and was resold in September 1924 in Charlestown.
Design
K16 displaced 1,800 long tons (1,800 t) when at the surface and 2,600 long tons (2,600 t) while submerged.[1] It had a total length of 338 ft (103 m), a beam of 26 ft 6 in (8.08 m), and a draught of 20 ft 11 in (6.38 m).[2] The submarine was powered by two oil-fired Yarrow Shipbuilders boilers each supplying one geared Brown-Curtis or Parsons steam turbine; this developed 10,500 shaft horsepower (7,800 kW) to drive two 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) screws. Submerged power came from four electric motors each producing 350 to 360 horsepower (260 to 270 kW).[2] It was also had an 800 hp (600 kW) diesel engine to be used when steam was being raised, or instead of raising steam.[3]
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 24 kn (44 km/h) and a submerged speed of 9 to 9.5 kn (16.7 to 17.6 km/h).[2][4] It could operate at a maximum depth of 150 ft (46 m) and travel submerged at 2 kn (3.7 km/h) for 80 nmi (150 km).[1]K16 was armed with ten 18-inch (460 mm) torpedo tubes, two 4-inch (100 mm) deck guns, and a 3-inch (76 mm) anti-aircraft gun.[2] The torpedo tubes were mounted in the bows, the midship section firing to the beam, and two were in a rotating mounting on the deck.[1] Its complement was fifty-nine crew members.[4]