drakkhen20...I think there is still a little confusion.
"go straight into patrol and dont come back until either 4 days out or september 1st ?"
No...if you are playing the "pre-war start" scenario, follow the orders... return to Stralsund not later than 2300 3 August as directed and transfer to the "Saltzwedel" (2nd) Flotilla in Wilhelmshaven. The game will move you to Wilhelmshaven and advance the calendar to 19 August and assign you to patrol grid AM18 to "await further orders." You should arrive in your patrol area and be there when the war starts on 1 September and you will get a B-Dienst contact report and new orders.
Alternatively, you can start your career in September and skip the whole training exercise. That also makes it possible to start in something other a Type VII. I started in a Type II "Canoe" and did a couple of patrols in the North Sea before I could "Fleet Up" to a Type VII.
Hope this helps...get out there and sink 'em all!