I would like to take this opportunity to once again strongly encourage everyone who plays and enjoys SHIV to visit one of the many submarine museums throughout the country. There is nothing like being in the boat to provide you with the perspective necessary to truly understand how things worked and what the submarine sailors went through on patrol. A lot of this left field stuff we talk about in this thread will make sense if you can see it in person and put your hands on it.
Some of the boats had post war Guppy mods and some (like the Albacore, Blueback, and Nautilus) are "modern" post war designs. But all of them will provide the basics necessary for understanding the fine points of submarine design and history. Some of the boats are in mint condition, and some are showing the ravages of time. All of them desperately need your support in order to keep operating.
The following link:
www.hnsa.org, will direct you to the Historic Naval Ships Association website. There you will find a comprehensive list of all the boats on display. Obviously most of them are on the coasts, but for those who live inland, don't despair! There are boats in unusual places like Michigan, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and upstate New York! For those of you in other countries, several submarines from other navies are on display around the world and these boats are listed as well.
All of the boats are worth visiting (I myself have been to six of them), but for the true experience I recommend the USS Cod (SS-224), located in Cleveland, Ohio. She is the only boat that has not been altered for ease of access. You have to go up and down the vertical ladders and through the trunks just like the real crew did. She is in great shape and even has a fully functional TDC.
If you live near one of the boats, they are always looking for volunteers to help with maintenance and cleaning. They would be happy to get your help.
Please visit one of the boats. It is a great time and you won't regret it!