[ggm]

There's a very old post which was on USENET and then on Reddit, which was a wry look at life on a sub, and an even funnier post of how to re-create the experience at home. Mostly it consisted of getting your SO to lock you in a cupboard under the stairs, run a vacuum cleaner outside the cupboard 24/7 and periodically throw a bucket of shit over you, while you were wrapped in a black plastic bag (CBW)

[KineticLensman]

That reminds me of how you can simulate sailing by standing in a cold shower tearing up £10 notes

[hef19898]

Modern subs, especially the missile ones, are way more comfortable than subs back the day. What I was told by someone who served on German navy subs in the 2000s so is, that the depiction of sub life shown in the movie "Das Boot" (I recommend the 7 (?) hour long mini series) is actually not too far of the mark. Better sanitation, but other than that, it is pretty much the same experience. They did have great food so!

[nomonnai]

Life on submarines differs substantially between nations and types. Nuclear boats are pretty large, operate in the ocean, and spend their deployment below the surface. In contrast, non-nuclear boats (diesel-electric, hydrogen fuel cells) are primarily small, tend to operate in littoral zones, and may spend time on the surface regularly.

In any case, WW2 submarines were torpedo boats only diving when necessary. The battery capacity of a German Type VII or an American Balao class was measured in hours, not days. Before snorkels reached operational status, boats had to completely surface for recharging; that is not the case anymore.

I think life on a Type VII was much nastier than on a modern Type 214. The engine was extremely loud, exhaust fumes were regularly in the air, and it was cold and incredibly cramped. Living conditions are much better on modern subs, even if space is still at a premium, especially on smaller boats.

What surely remains is the sense of camaraderie because of a shared fate; each sailor's life depends on the boat functioning as a unit. In that sense, nothing has changed.

[bertil]

The one detail that comes up from people who’ve been on board but isn’t covered in the media is the smell. I’ve been told it’s like a locker room that hasn’t been aired for years.