There's a ton of playable surface ships out there. Check out the list:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=156537
Not all of them are career playable (some are, others are for single missions) but if you want to get your surface battle on, that's the list to work from. I prefer the Cleaveland light cruiser, but they're all there from the Yamato and the Iowa class, to destroyers and armed merchants. Have fun
