Why historians seek unusual practical experiences

Why do naval historians and historians in general so often seem like 'nutty professors' willing to try unusual things?

Because much of the past cannot be recreated, historians seek varied present-day experiences that provide relative comparisons.

Many conditions from the past cannot be recreated. Present-day experience can still offer relative points of comparison when thinking about historical work and choices. Those comparisons have limits because modern circumstances differ from the past. Their value lies in making otherwise abstract demands easier to imagine.