[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by WernerSobe

whats pig iron :-). The book i have it from sayis its because the boats were designed very uncompfortable and the men who worked on them were often dirty, looking and smelling like pigs :-)

The capacity of the Fresh Water Tank was not sufficient for a twelve to sixteen week patrol. Fresh water replacement was a daily duty for each watch (on 4 hrs - off 8). We had capability to make fresh water from seawater but it was more expedient from accumulated condensation gathered inside the boat. Submarines, sometimes called "pig boats" because being made of pig iron, were subject to considerable condensation due to temperature variation inside and out the ship. This was readily available for making fresh drinking water. After each war patrol, there would be a film of incrustation about a quarter of an inch thick all over the inside of the fresh water tank.



I believe pig iron is a mixture of metals that is not quite as strong as steel. It is also a certain percentage of each metal that makes up pig iron.