QUESTION: "Adding a deck?"

[Carthaginian]

Ok, I know that in the days of sail ships were sometimes converted into a razee by cutting them down a deck. My question is, could we 'un-razee' a ship with a lower freeboard during a reconstruction? Would we be able to make a change this drastic- basically adding a 'superstructure' that would increase the height of the original ship by one deck level- and if so, how would it be simmed?

I'm planning to do something constructive with the old Miami class, and need ot get that nasty 6' freeboard aft the midbreak up to something that can take rougher weather than what one might find on a windy day off the 'coast' of Natchez!

I figure I could add the freeboard to the ship, but sim any guns mounted on the new 'superstructure' are as raised, in order to simulate the awkwardness of the arrangement.

Would this be agreeable to everyone?

[TexanCowboy]

Hmm...I would probebly assume it's under reconstruction...but if you want to do something that makes it 6.5, it's under refurbishments.

[P3D]

Should work.

[Jefgte]

I have made that modif for the Peruvian BB Antofagasta class.

no problemo


Jef

[Sachmle]

Sounds reasonable to me. Perhaps some amount added to the Misc weight to simulate the extra material needed for 'strengthening' this new aft deck. IDK..

[Carthaginian]

Sounds reasonable to me. Perhaps some amount added to the Misc weight to simulate the extra material needed for 'strengthening' this new aft deck. IDK..

Eh, I figure that is what 'upping the freeboard' is for, Sam.

[Sachmle]

Sounds reasonable to me. Perhaps some amount added to the Misc weight to simulate the extra material needed for 'strengthening' this new aft deck. IDK..

Eh, I figure that is what 'upping the freeboard' is for, Sam.

Yes, I know that. But, as has been discussed before Springsharp doesn't really "do" additions well. It won't 'add' as much weight as another deck actually weighs, let alone the the support needed to brace the extended barbettes..it's not like you can weld another 8' ring on top of the existing barbette. You'd have to brace it somehow to support the weight of the gun on top of it.

[Carthaginian]

Barbette... LOL, you're giving these ships TOO much credit. ;)
Max gun caliber on the rebuilds would be a 5.5".

These ships are proving MASSIVELY difficult to modify in any useful way, unfortunately.
I might just scrap them in 2/1919 and use the steel to build some purpose-built vessels for the job I intended them to do in 1/1920.

[P3D]

Eh, I figure that is what 'upping the freeboard' is for, Sam.

Just make sure that the new hull is at least 150t or so heavier (set the hull strength accordingly). You need 7-8000sqft of hull/deck plating, and 1sqft 1" steel plate weighs #40. Assuming 1/2" plating (or 3/8" plates plus framing), that is ~150t extra steel.
OTOH if you are not making that much other big changes, and add hull, you could do it under refit rules imho.

If you want to keep those ships in service for another ~10 years or so.

[Carthaginian]

P3D...
Springsharp isn't quite that precise.
I want the easiest acceptable way to do it within the sim... not the most realistic one.