The S-33 was old even by S-boat standards. It's keel was laid in 1918 and the design would not have included lessons learned from the WWI U-boats. It was a riveted boat, not welded, so it probably did leak. It would have been inferior to a WWI U-boat, yet they served well throughout WWII. For most of the war, the S-33 patrolled out of Dutch Harbor, which is a miserable place. No liberty on the beach.