But do you notice there's always a new one there waiting for you? Oh, well, at least you'll never get hungry.

Can't. They always get there first.:dead:

what is your transit speed cause i usually go at around 10 -13 knots and have to go to the patrol zone search around for a little and return home or refuel in less than 2 weeks.

I usually do 8 knots and I increase my speed only when I'm intercepting targets. That way you can stay at sea for months in a IX boat

Mel, i find i get a bit longer max range if i cruise at 9 kts rather than 8?:yep: :hmm:

On type VIIs it used to take me 3-5 weeks. Just finished 2nd patrol on IXB left 08 Nov. returned 26 Dec 1940. 3 days of good weather, but gunners went out in pretty rough seas (against GWX union rules). I guess they trust their captain :smug:.

Shortest patrol I've survived was 4 days. Found a large convoy 2 days out from Lorient and used all my torps on repeated attacks that night then went home.:arrgh!:

Longest patrol excluding a milchcow stoppover was 7 weeks. Wen't over to the US coast and cruised up and down at slow ahead ~7kts the whole time. Saw and sunk almost SFA except a few lone small merchies.

as soon as i run low on fish, no point in hunting for a convoy with only 2 fish left.
im not risking my carreer for just a single ship in a convoy escorted by 2-5 dds

We always select the plump and juicy one when back at base. :shifty:

With type VII or type IX I m usualy at sea for 10 to 20 days. It s the time I need to get rid of my fishes and fuel. But I m actualy trying to fire fishes by salvo of 2, so I m running low quite faster :) (usualy, finding a convoy mean the end of the offensive part of my patrol)

I try to keep it to 56 days or less.

Later on in the war, BDU issued a directive that patrols should not be more than 56 days. I think that is what they discovered was about the max the crew could take.

Of course, there were special patrols that violated this.