Water-surface towed target

A water-surface towed target comprising:

• a towed member running substantially at a predetermined depth under the surface of the water when towed by a mother ship,
• a ballast weight suspended under said towed member by means of a support member,
• a target pole mounted on the top of said towed member and extending above the surface of the water, said target pole carrying a target at the upper portion thereof, and
• a shaped stabilizing, spray deflecting and depth maintaining plate attached to said target pole and extending substantially symmetrically laterally outward from both sides of said pole, the lowermost portion of said plate being at a position a small distance above the waterline of said target pole when said towed member is substantially at the predetermined depth, the portions of said plate on opposite sides of said pole being generally equally spaced vertically above the surface of the water when said pole is vertical, said plate being attached to said target pole at an adjustable angle of incidence to the surface of the water for deflecting upwardly sprayed water downwardly for preventing water spray from affecting the target, for maintaining the depth of the submerged towed member substantially at a predetermined depth and for stabilizing the target by substantially preventing rolling of the target.