New Gran Colombian Ships for 1908

[The Rock Doctor]

I don't think it's any more insane than a conventional wing-turret layout, really.  Besides, I needs my battleships.

*kicks at Swamphen's twitching form*

[The Rock Doctor]

Galapagos and Trinidad are near-sisters to the Westmoreland class laid down earlier in 1907.  These have been configured to be capable of minelaying, carrying one hundred mines in splinter-proofed compartments aft of the last funnel.  The mines are rolled off rails on either side of the aft 140 mm gun.

To do this, the ships have reduced deck armor and slightly less powerful machinery.  The top speed is still respectable at almost twenty-seven knots.



Galapagos, laid down 1908 (Engine 1909)

Displacement:
   3,875 t light; 4,019 t standard; 4,507 t normal; 4,898 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
   444.98 ft / 442.91 ft x 44.29 ft x 18.70 ft (normal load)
   135.63 m / 135.00 m x 13.50 m  x 5.70 m

Armament:
      3 - 5.51" / 140 mm guns in single mounts, 83.72lbs / 37.97kg shells, 1907 Model
     Breech loading guns in deck mounts with hoists
     on centreline ends, majority aft, 1 raised mount aft
      2 - 5.51" / 140 mm guns in single mounts, 83.72lbs / 37.97kg shells, 1907 Model
     Breech loading guns in deck mounts with hoists
     on centreline, all amidships, all raised mounts - superfiring
      6 - 1.85" / 47.0 mm guns in single mounts, 3.17lbs / 1.44kg shells, 1907 Model
     Quick firing guns in deck mounts
     on side, evenly spread
      4 - 0.31" / 8.0 mm guns in single mounts, 0.02lbs / 0.01kg shells, 1907 Model
     Machine guns in deck mounts
     on side, evenly spread
   Weight of broadside 438 lbs / 199 kg
   Shells per gun, main battery: 200
   8 - 18.0" / 457 mm above water torpedoes

Armour:
   - Belts:      Width (max)   Length (avg)      Height (avg)
   Main:   2.95" / 75 mm   347.77 ft / 106.00 m   7.97 ft / 2.43 m
   Ends:   0.98" / 25 mm     95.14 ft / 29.00 m   7.97 ft / 2.43 m
   Upper:   0.98" / 25 mm     65.62 ft / 20.00 m   8.01 ft / 2.44 m
     Main Belt covers 121 % of normal length

   - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   0.98" / 25 mm   0.98" / 25 mm      1.97" / 50 mm
   2nd:   0.98" / 25 mm   0.98" / 25 mm      1.97" / 50 mm
   3rd:   0.98" / 25 mm         -               -
   4th:   0.47" / 12 mm         -               -

   - Armour deck: 1.10" / 28 mm, Conning tower: 2.95" / 75 mm

Machinery:
   Coal fired boilers, steam turbines,
   Direct drive, 4 shafts, 28,000 shp / 20,888 Kw = 26.89 kts
   Range 6,000nm at 10.00 kts (Bunkerage = 879 tons)

Complement:
   274 - 357

Cost:
   £0.378 million / $1.510 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 55 tons, 1.2 %
   Armour: 687 tons, 15.2 %
      - Belts: 389 tons, 8.6 %
      - Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Armament: 29 tons, 0.7 %
      - Armour Deck: 251 tons, 5.6 %
      - Conning Tower: 17 tons, 0.4 %
   Machinery: 1,400 tons, 31.1 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 1,578 tons, 35.0 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 632 tons, 14.0 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 156 tons, 3.5 %
                  -Mines:  100, at 1 per tonne
                 -Wireless:  25 t
                 -Torpedoes:  8 t
                 -Weight reserve:  23 t

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     3,982 lbs / 1,806 Kg = 47.6 x 5.5 " / 140 mm shells or 0.9 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.21
   Metacentric height 2.1 ft / 0.6 m
   Roll period: 12.8 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 70 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.29
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.37

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has rise forward of midbreak
   Block coefficient: 0.430
   Length to Beam Ratio: 10.00 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 21.05 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 52 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 51
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 5.00 degrees
   Stern overhang: -3.28 ft / -1.00 m
   Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
      - Stem:      23.62 ft / 7.20 m
      - Forecastle (20 %):   19.69 ft / 6.00 m
      - Mid (40 %):      19.69 ft / 6.00 m (11.81 ft / 3.60 m aft of break)
      - Quarterdeck (15 %):   11.81 ft / 3.60 m
      - Stern:      11.81 ft / 3.60 m
      - Average freeboard:   15.28 ft / 4.66 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 114.5 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 96.7 %
   Waterplane Area: 12,319 Square feet or 1,144 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 110 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 72 lbs/sq ft or 353 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.94
      - Longitudinal: 1.69
      - Overall: 1.00
   Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is cramped
   Room for accommodation and workspaces is adequate
   Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
   Good seaboat, rides out heavy weather easily

[Borys]

Ahoj!
Very nice.
Borys

[The Rock Doctor]

If you look real close, there's a picture here:



This is the PB-01 type patrol boat, intended for riverine, near-shore, and harbour patrols.  There is no expectation that the type will be of use in fighting a warship - rather, it's basically policing civilians, undertaking search and rescue missions, and watching for more significant issues that the Armada would then be summoned to resolve.  For the latter purpose, a short-ranged wireless has been fitted.

The boats have minimal accommodations (despite the SS report) - probably just a small galley, a head, a few cramped bunks, and a first aid station.  The crews will be based ashore or, if in transit between stations, just sleep wherever they can find a few square feet.

Approximately twenty-five units will be built in 1908, and additional units will likely follow in subsequent years (because, if nothing else, they're something I can dump leftover BP into...)

PB-01, laid down 1908 (Engine 1909)

Displacement:
   37 t light; 38 t standard; 40 t normal; 42 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
   66.18 ft / 65.62 ft x 13.12 ft x 3.28 ft (normal load)
   20.17 m / 20.00 m x 4.00 m  x 1.00 m

Armament:
      1 - 1.85" / 47.0 mm guns in single mounts, 3.17lbs / 1.44kg shells, 1908 Model
     Quick firing gun in deck mount
     on centreline forward
      3 - 0.31" / 8.0 mm guns in single mounts, 0.02lbs / 0.01kg shells, 1908 Model
     Breech loading guns in deck mounts
     on side, all amidships
   Weight of broadside 3 lbs / 1 kg
   Shells per gun, main battery: 150

Armour:
   - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   0.98" / 25 mm         -               -
   2nd:   0.39" / 10 mm         -               -

   - Conning tower: 0.98" / 25 mm

Machinery:
   Coal fired boilers, steam turbines,
   Direct drive, 2 shafts, 250 shp / 187 Kw = 13.50 kts
   Range 300nm at 10.00 kts (Bunkerage = 4 tons)

Complement:
   7 - 10

Cost:
   £0.003 million / $0.014 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 0 tons, 1.0 %
   Armour: 1 tons, 3.0 %
      - Belts: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Armament: 1 tons, 2.4 %
      - Armour Deck: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Conning Tower: 0 tons, 0.6 %
   Machinery: 13 tons, 31.0 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 18 tons, 45.1 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 3 tons, 7.5 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 5 tons, 12.4 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     52 lbs / 23 Kg = 16.3 x 1.9 " / 47 mm shells or 0.1 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.11
   Metacentric height 0.3 ft / 0.1 m
   Roll period: 10.2 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 50 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.08
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.10

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has a flush deck
   Block coefficient: 0.500
   Length to Beam Ratio: 5.00 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 8.10 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 73 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 45
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 5.00 degrees
   Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
   Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
      - Stem:      6.40 ft / 1.95 m
      - Forecastle (20 %):   6.40 ft / 1.95 m
      - Mid (50 %):      6.40 ft / 1.95 m
      - Quarterdeck (15 %):   6.40 ft / 1.95 m
      - Stern:      6.40 ft / 1.95 m
      - Average freeboard:   6.40 ft / 1.95 m
   Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 121.8 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 99.9 %
   Waterplane Area: 574 Square feet or 53 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 117 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 16 lbs/sq ft or 77 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.75
      - Longitudinal: 14.21
      - Overall: 1.00
   Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is cramped
   Room for accommodation and workspaces is adequate

[Desertfox]

*pulls out magnifying glass*

You sure there's something there? Like her, alot like the River Gun Boats I built for Siam.

[The Rock Doctor]

Orinoco Class Minesweeper



The early success of mine warfare in the Pacific War has caught the attention of the Armada.  The mining of a DKB battleship in particular has alarmed many senior officers, who are not keen to see something similar happen to the Armada in a future war. 

In a scramble to introduce a minimal minesweeping capability - for training and development purposes, if nothing else - the Armada chose to make basic modifications to two El Banco class patrol craft scheduled for construction in 1908.  Cheap, small, and expendable, they seem like ideal choices for minesweeping work.  The two 47mm guns and marine constable accommodations have been replaced by two winches and a single crane capable of deploying sweeping booms and primitive paravanes.

Other modifications include splinter-proofing of the bridge area, an increase in bunkerage, and reduction in size of the powerplant.  The loss of three knots speed does not significantly impair the performance of the minesweeping mission, while allowing for much improved internal subdivision.  This will come in handy when mines start detonating in proximity to the hull.

Orinoco and Amazon, laid down 1908 (Engine 1906)

Displacement:
   354 t light; 363 t standard; 420 t normal; 465 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
   168.93 ft / 164.04 ft x 24.28 ft x 8.20 ft (normal load)
   51.49 m / 50.00 m x 7.40 m  x 2.50 m

Armament:
      1 - 2.56" / 65.0 mm guns in single mounts, 8.38lbs / 3.80kg shells, 1907 Model
     Breech loading gun in deck mount
     on centreline forward, 1 raised gun
      2 - 0.31" / 8.0 mm guns in single mounts, 0.02lbs / 0.01kg shells, 1907 Model
     Machine guns in deck mounts
     on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts
   Weight of broadside 8 lbs / 4 kg
   Shells per gun, main battery: 200

Armour:
   - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   0.98" / 25 mm         -               -
   3rd:   0.39" / 10 mm         -               -

   - Conning tower: 0.98" / 25 mm

Machinery:
   Coal fired boilers, complex reciprocating steam engines,
   Direct drive, 2 shafts, 500 ihp / 373 Kw = 12.61 kts
   Range 3,000nm at 10.00 kts (Bunkerage = 102 tons)

Complement:
   46 - 60

Cost:
   £0.023 million / $0.093 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 1 tons, 0.3 %
   Armour: 2 tons, 0.6 %
      - Belts: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Armament: 1 tons, 0.3 %
      - Armour Deck: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Conning Tower: 1 tons, 0.3 %
   Machinery: 71 tons, 17.0 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 212 tons, 50.5 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 66 tons, 15.7 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 67 tons, 16.0 %
                -5 t:  Wireless
                -50 t:  Minesweeping kit
                -12 t:  Weight reserve

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     856 lbs / 388 Kg = 102.2 x 2.6 " / 65 mm shells or 0.6 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.10
   Metacentric height 0.7 ft / 0.2 m
   Roll period: 12.0 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 50 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.03
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 2.00

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has raised forecastle
   Block coefficient: 0.450
   Length to Beam Ratio: 6.76 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 12.81 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 42 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 25
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 5.00 degrees
   Stern overhang: 3.28 ft / 1.00 m
   Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
      - Stem:      18.37 ft / 5.60 m
      - Forecastle (20 %):   18.37 ft / 5.60 m (11.15 ft / 3.40 m aft of break)
      - Mid (50 %):      11.15 ft / 3.40 m
      - Quarterdeck (15 %):   11.15 ft / 3.40 m
      - Stern:      11.15 ft / 3.40 m
      - Average freeboard:   12.60 ft / 3.84 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 75.4 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 117.3 %
   Waterplane Area: 2,540 Square feet or 236 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 190 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 36 lbs/sq ft or 178 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.98
      - Longitudinal: 12.30
      - Overall: 1.26
   Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent
   Room for accommodation and workspaces is adequate
   Excellent seaboat, comfortable, can fire her guns in the heaviest weather

[Borys]

Ahoj!
I like the Orinoco.
Borys

[The Rock Doctor]

Rodrigo de Bastidas Class Survey Ship

With yet another delay imposed on the construction of the Triunfante class battleships, other building projects have been moved forward to fill the gap in production.  One such project are the three Bastidas class survey ships.

Originally designed to survey areas such as the Galapagos, the class is expected now to be of use in areas such as Coquimbo, the Cook Islands, and even large extents of the Amazon. 

The class is designed for long-duration missions - thus a considerable amount of space for coal, excellent accommodation and working space, and even the use of turbines, which are expected to be more mechanically reliable.  The ships are intended to stand up to adverse weather conditions on the open ocean, so have high freeboard and a good margin of stability. 

The draught is rather low, to allow for work in and around atolls, rivers, and other shallow water bodies.  For work in very shallow or dangerous water, two steam launches are embarked.

Space has been set aside for bathymetric equipment and a science lab.  The latter would include basic equipment for embarked engineers, geologists, botanists, and other scientific personnel.  A small hold forward can either be used to store additional supplies, sample collections, or other materials as required by the mission.

Armament is not particularly significant, with one 65 mm gun aft to discourage would-be pursuers.  The ship is not intended to be in foreign waters nor caught up in conflicts, however, so her greatest defence is her Gran Colombian naval ensign - a reminder that despite her own light armament, she has many friends with considerably more firepower.

Note that I've not allocated miscellaneous weight for accommodation space for "mission specialists" - given the small powerplant and limited armament, I'm assuming I can fit them in amidst the standard crew count.



Bastidas, laid down 1908 (Engine 1909)

Displacement:
   706 t light; 728 t standard; 1,059 t normal; 1,325 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
   231.50 ft / 229.66 ft x 49.21 ft x 6.56 ft (normal load)
   70.56 m / 70.00 m x 15.00 m  x 2.00 m

Armament:
      1 - 2.56" / 65.0 mm guns in single mounts, 8.38lbs / 3.80kg shells, 1908 Model
     Breech loading gun in deck mount
     on centreline forward
      2 - 0.31" / 8.0 mm guns in single mounts, 0.02lbs / 0.01kg shells, 1908 Model
     Machine guns in deck mounts
     on side, all amidships
      1 - 0.31" / 8.0 mm guns in single mounts, 0.02lbs / 0.01kg shells, 1908 Model
     Machine gun in deck mount
     on centreline aft, 1 raised gun
   Weight of broadside 8 lbs / 4 kg
   Shells per gun, main battery: 200

Machinery:
   Coal and oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
   Direct drive, 2 shafts, 1,300 shp / 969 Kw = 13.87 kts
   Range 10,000nm at 10.00 kts (Bunkerage = 597 tons)

Complement:
   92 - 120

Cost:
   £0.035 million / $0.138 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 1 tons, 0.1 %
   Machinery: 64 tons, 6.1 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 539 tons, 50.9 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 354 tons, 33.4 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 101 tons, 9.5 %
                -10 t:  Wireless
   -20 t:  Steam launches and derrick
   -5 t:  Bathymetric equipment
   -20 t: Science lab
   -46 t:  Cargo / extra provisions
             
Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     9,152 lbs / 4,151 Kg = 1,092.2 x 2.6 " / 65 mm shells or 3.6 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.45
   Metacentric height 3.3 ft / 1.0 m
   Roll period: 11.4 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 50 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.00
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 2.00

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has a flush deck
   Block coefficient: 0.500
   Length to Beam Ratio: 4.67 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 15.15 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 41 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 25
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 5.00 degrees
   Stern overhang: -6.56 ft / -2.00 m
   Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
      - Stem:      21.00 ft / 6.40 m
      - Forecastle (20 %):   18.04 ft / 5.50 m
      - Mid (50 %):      18.04 ft / 5.50 m
      - Quarterdeck (15 %):   18.04 ft / 5.50 m
      - Stern:      18.04 ft / 5.50 m
      - Average freeboard:   18.28 ft / 5.57 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 32.4 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 281.3 %
   Waterplane Area: 7,530 Square feet or 700 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 445 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 48 lbs/sq ft or 235 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.82
      - Longitudinal: 5.95
      - Overall: 1.00
   Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent
   Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
   Excellent seaboat, comfortable, can fire her guns in the heaviest weather

[Carthaginian]

I wouldn't know why you'd need to list 'em as 'mission specialists.'
Most naval officers are going to be rather well educated, so you'd probably be able to find either an officer of the necessary rank with the necessary degree, or (being as this is a non-combat ship) someone with the necessary degree that could be made a junior officer and given the necessary skills for a position like navigator (geologist) or doctor (biologist).

Excellent little ship- nice, rather necessary touch to add to the fleet- and one most people wouldn't think about.

[The Rock Doctor]

Fair enough point - the "mission specialists" (to borrow the NASA term) might be military, but I view them as passengers rather than crew, because the scientists needed for each mission will probably be different from the previous one.  Surveying for a port at the Cook Islands versus setting up a weather station on the Galapagos, for example.  I want to give the ship the ability to complete different tasks, without subjecting its crew to too many shake-ups.

Glad you like her.  I found in Wesworld and here that there's as much fun in designing the auxiliaries and support vessels as there is in designing the battleships and cruisers.  And since I do value my battleships, I don't really want one to smash into an uncharted rock...

[The Rock Doctor]

It's been pointed out that the main gun on the Bastidas is simmed forward, rather than aft, and that the stern overhand is negative instead of positive.  I'll amend later on but expect no substantial change to the report as a consequence.