Number of days spent in base (In-between patrols)

[depthtok33l]

Hello all, I am moving over to the Atlantic for now after a few months in the Pacific. I've just installed Living Silent Hunter 3 again and I'm messing with SH3 Commander that came with it. I came across this setting in the option where it says "Set number of days spent in base to: x".

So my question is, historically, what was the average x value - how many days, weeks or months assuming that there was no need for extensive repairs etc.?

[bstanko6]

That's a difficult question to answer. The U-boats were beaten war horses. Every encounter, call for full speed ahead, and emergency dive wore down these boats in some kind of way. The hull of these boats were stressed constantly and would have a fracture every now and then. There was no definite answer, because it depended on the tender loving care needed to keep these boats going.

U-333 had so much damage it took over 6 months to get her sea worthy again. In those cases, crews would receive extra training. I keep this option random for the realism of these matters.

Also every new piece of equipment you upgrade takes longer as well.

[nocken]

anything from 14 days -28 days. after each patrol, plus time for repairs, refits.

[Tupolev]

Pick a couple of random boats out from this:

http://uboat.net/boats/patrols/boats.html

There didn't seem to be any set time. U-99 spent only 4 days in Lorient between Patrols 2 and 3 and 8 days between Patrols 5 and 6, though that was more the exception than the rule. U-552 usually had stays of 20-30 days for example.

Repairs, overhauls, and equipment additions would have added more time spent ashore as well.

T

[Sailor Steve]

I set mine for 'Random'. I've spent several weeks in base, and on a couple of occasions where I didn't have any encounters, I was turned around and out again within one week - just like real life.

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by BL!TZKR!EG

Is there such data compiled and available somewhere?

Not compiled, but this source seems to contain details of every patrol.
http://www.uboatarchive.net/BDUKTB.htm

[LoneKharnivore]

So does uboat.net, as suggested above I just pick a boat and look at its patrols. Usually you get an idea of a 'standard' patrol length.

[bstanko6]

LoneKharnivore is right. U-boat.net seems to have the most archived, and accurate information on these boats. I only go there when I want to learn more.