Republic of New England

[Darman]

This is sort of a placeholder before I begin simming my ships but I wrote out a general outline of what my navy will look like and sort of the guiding principles of the navy. 

Commerce Raiding
The first commerce raiders for the Republican Navy were privateers.  Having a large sea-going population of fishermen, sailors and merchants as well as a tradition of privateering during wars means that any war with the Republic of New England during the late 18th and early 19th centuries would have brought a swarm of lightly-armed privately-owned warships down upon your merchant fleet.  This system was replaced by government-built sloops of war, lightly-armed but fast ships that hunted down enemy merchantmen on the high seas.  These ships were held in ordinaire by the Republican Navy and then outfitted at the outbreak of hostilities through the sales of shares, essentially privateering but by public ships with naval personnel following the accepted rules of maritime warfare.  The sloops of war will be replaced by small ships with light armament, high speeds, and long endurance, as well as extra crews to man prizes.  Whether or not the share-system of fitting out these types of vessels will continue is currently unknown.  (I roughly equate these ships to protected/light cruisers.)

Commerce Protection
Having a large merchant marine themselves, the Republic of New England faced a dire need to protect its commerce from pirates as well as enemy commerce raiders during wartime.  To fulfill this role the Republican Navy built heavy frigates, slower than their lighter cousins these 44 gun ships had higher speeds than ships of the line and had more guns than most pirates or commerce raiders.  These ships had the endurance and range to spend up to two years at sea protecting the whalers based out of New Bedford (among others...).  These ships are maintained through taxes levied on the whale oil when it arrives in port as well as smaller levies on all other goods carried in or out by sea.  The heavy frigates will be replaced by ships with heavy guns, long range/endurance, and heavy armor.  Speed needs only to be slightly faster than the whalers and merchantmen they escort.  (I roughly equate these to armored/heavy cruisers.)

Coastal Defense
The best mobile coastal defense units were originally the hulks of retired merchant ships reinforced with wooden beams (later covered with iron) and fitted out with heavy guns that could be towed to strategic points along the coast and augment existing coastal forts/batteries.  These were soon either fitted out with steam engines (unreliable but better than nothing) or augmented by a steam tugboat in wartime.  around the 1850s/1860s coastal monitors were developed, shallow-draft, sea-going vessels (only in emergencies) with heavy armor and a few heavy guns, speed was very slow as they were intended to be positional assets, and not engage in a war of movement.  The first conventional battleships developed will be improved coastal monitors with slightly higher freeboard and seakeeping, heavier guns, and heavier armor. 

Harbor Defense
The Republican Navy's first attempt at building a navy was a rather lame attempt at creating a naval "militia".  They built small sailing boats, placed a cannon in the bow of each, and expected each port to impress all seamen in port when the port was threatened by an enemy warship, load the seamen onto these small gunboats, and send them out en mass to attack the enemy.  While theoretically economically sound this approach epically failed the one time it was attempted.  When a privateer hove to off the port all the able-bodied men disappeared and the gunboats lay in a row above the high tide line, abandoned.  So while it was more economical than permanently manning conventional naval vessels, these sorts of gunboats were virtually useless militarily.  However, once steamboats became common as ferries for passengers several were fitted out to act as gunboats during a war as well.  These sorts of gunboats were anticipated to be much better and they could be manned by regular naval personnel.  Over time purpose-built small, shallow-draft gunboats mounting a heavy ram and light guns were developed.  The culmination came about with the creation of the torpedo, when gunboats were fitted out to deliver these new weapons.  These torpedo boats are maintained by a core of regular naval personnel and the rest of the crew are reservists from the local area, generally fishermen. 

Future
Until Alfred Thayer Mahan publishes his Influence of Seapower Upon History: 1660-1783 in 1890 the Republican Navy is going to mainly be a coast-defense force.  At that point Mahan's theories will begin to percolate throughout the service and begin to effect the designs of future warships culminating (ultimately) in large battleships (not necessarily dreadnaughts but something equally large), as well as the construction of battle fleets solely for the purpose of fighting other battle fleets for control of the sea. 

Comments?  Questions?  Concerns?  Is it fine if I sort of have the early development of my navy mapped out already?  Not for the exact designs but for the roles it is expected to perform? 

[Sachmle]

Very nice. Wonder if Mahan exists here, and if he'll be in a position to write a book.

[Darman]

Very nice. Wonder if Mahan exists here, and if he'll be in a position to write a book.

As of right now he will (born in New York near the United States Military Academy, which would be the Republic of New England Military Academy) and I may make a few adjustments to examples he uses in his book (especially if I can ever find my copy which I lent my dad....) based on changes made in European history. 

[Sachmle]

Try this

[Darman]

That is perfect!  thank you!

[Darman]

This is my attempt at a pre-1850s 44-gun frigate (USS Constitution) with minimal armor. 

USS Constitution, USA Uparmored Frigate laid down 1850
Armoured Corvette (Broadside ironclad)

Displacement:
   2,022 t light; 2,200 t standard; 2,200 t normal; 2,200 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
   204.00 ft / 175.00 ft x 43.50 ft x 23.00 ft (normal load)
   62.18 m / 53.34 m x 13.26 m  x 7.01 m

Armament:
      30 - 5.00" / 127 mm guns in single mounts, 24.00lbs / 10.89kg shells, 1850 Model
     Muzzle loading guns in broadside mounts
     on side, evenly spread
      22 - 5.50" / 140 mm guns in single mounts, 32.00lbs / 14.51kg shells, 1850 Model
     Muzzle loading guns in broadside mounts
     on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts
      2 - 5.00" / 127 mm guns in single mounts, 24.00lbs / 10.89kg shells, 1850 Model
     Muzzle loading guns in deck mounts
     on bow with limited arc
   Weight of broadside 1,472 lbs / 668 kg
   Shells per gun, main battery: 150

Armour:
   - Belts:      Width (max)   Length (avg)      Height (avg)
   Main:   1.00" / 25 mm   113.75 ft / 34.67 m   7.91 ft / 2.41 m
   Ends:   1.00" / 25 mm     61.23 ft / 18.66 m   7.91 ft / 2.41 m
   Upper:   1.00" / 25 mm   113.75 ft / 34.67 m   8.00 ft / 2.44 m
     Main Belt covers 100 % of normal length

Machinery:
   Immobile floating battery

Complement:
   159 - 208

Cost:
   £0.232 million / $0.927 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 192 tons, 8.7 %
   Armour: 99 tons, 4.5 %
      - Belts: 99 tons, 4.5 %
      - Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Armament: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Armour Deck: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Conning Tower: 0 tons, 0.0 %
   Machinery: 0 tons, 0.0 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 1,621 tons, 73.7 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 178 tons, 8.1 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 110 tons, 5.0 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     1,107 lbs / 502 Kg = 44.3 x 5.0 " / 127 mm shells or 0.4 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.00
   Metacentric height 1.4 ft / 0.4 m
   Roll period: 15.3 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 100 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.97
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 2.00

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has raised quarterdeck
     and transom stern
   Block coefficient: 0.440
   Length to Beam Ratio: 4.02 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 16.69 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 0 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 0.00 degrees
   Stern overhang: 29.00 ft / 8.84 m
   Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
      - Stem:      15.00 ft / 4.57 m
      - Forecastle (20 %):   13.00 ft / 3.96 m
      - Mid (50 %):      13.00 ft / 3.96 m
      - Quarterdeck (15 %):   20.00 ft / 6.10 m (13.00 ft / 3.96 m before break)
      - Stern:      20.00 ft / 6.10 m
      - Average freeboard:   14.21 ft / 4.33 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 73.2 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 77.9 %
   Waterplane Area: 5,002 Square feet or 465 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 126 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 180 lbs/sq ft or 879 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.98
      - Longitudinal: 13.08
      - Overall: 1.27
   Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent
   Room for accommodation and workspaces is cramped
   Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
   Excellent seaboat, comfortable, can fire her guns in the heaviest weather

110 tons for 3 masts (full ship rig according to Wikipedia, estimated at 5% of total tonnage)
estimated 13knot speed

[Darman]

My best guess for Congress (36 gun frigate):

USS Congress, USA Uparmored Frigate laid down 1850
Armoured Corvette (Broadside ironclad)

Displacement:
   1,240 t light; 1,265 t standard; 1,265 t normal; 1,265 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
   190.22 ft / 164.00 ft x 41.00 ft x 20.00 ft (normal load)
   57.98 m / 49.99 m x 12.50 m  x 6.10 m

Armament:
      28 - 4.50" / 114 mm guns in single mounts, 18.00lbs / 8.16kg shells, 1850 Model
     Muzzle loading guns in broadside mounts
     on side, evenly spread
      16 - 5.00" / 127 mm guns in single mounts, 24.00lbs / 10.89kg shells, 1850 Model
     Muzzle loading guns in broadside mounts
     on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts
      2 - 5.00" / 127 mm guns in single mounts, 24.00lbs / 10.89kg shells, 1850 Model
     Muzzle loading guns in deck mounts
     on bow with limited arc
   Weight of broadside 936 lbs / 425 kg
   Shells per gun, main battery: 0

Armour:
   - Belts:      Width (max)   Length (avg)      Height (avg)
   Main:   0.50" / 13 mm   106.60 ft / 32.49 m   7.68 ft / 2.34 m
   Ends:   0.50" / 13 mm     57.38 ft / 17.49 m   7.68 ft / 2.34 m
   Upper:   0.50" / 13 mm   106.60 ft / 32.49 m   8.00 ft / 2.44 m
     Main Belt covers 100 % of normal length

Machinery:
   Immobile floating battery

Complement:
   105 - 137

Cost:
   £0.144 million / $0.577 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 120 tons, 9.5 %
   Armour: 44 tons, 3.5 %
      - Belts: 44 tons, 3.5 %
      - Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Armament: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Armour Deck: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Conning Tower: 0 tons, 0.0 %
   Machinery: 0 tons, 0.0 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 1,011 tons, 79.9 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 25 tons, 2.0 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 64 tons, 5.1 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     675 lbs / 306 Kg = 37.0 x 4.5 " / 114 mm shells or 0.3 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 0.95
   Metacentric height 1.2 ft / 0.4 m
   Roll period: 15.8 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 100 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.98
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 2.00

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has raised quarterdeck
     and transom stern
   Block coefficient: 0.329
   Length to Beam Ratio: 4.00 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 16.63 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 0 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 5.00 degrees
   Stern overhang: 25.00 ft / 7.62 m
   Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
      - Stem:      14.00 ft / 4.27 m
      - Forecastle (20 %):   14.00 ft / 4.27 m
      - Mid (50 %):      14.00 ft / 4.27 m
      - Quarterdeck (15 %):   19.00 ft / 5.79 m (14.00 ft / 4.27 m before break)
      - Stern:      19.00 ft / 5.79 m
      - Average freeboard:   14.75 ft / 4.50 m
   Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 72.1 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 108.6 %
   Waterplane Area: 4,274 Square feet or 397 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 118 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 131 lbs/sq ft or 640 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.74
      - Longitudinal: 15.08
      - Overall: 1.00
   Caution: Poor stability - excessive risk of capsizing
   Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent
   Room for accommodation and workspaces is adequate
   Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
   Excellent seaboat, comfortable, can fire her guns in the heaviest weather

64 tons sails (Wikipedia states 3 masts/ship rig)
Estimated speed (my personal guess): 14 knots (faster than Constitution)

Both of the above ships are my own attempt at simming a sailing ship and I feel they are both important because they are the precursors of my future heavy/light cruisers (eventually) and I want to work my way up from sailing to hybrids to full-out steam. 

[Tanthalas]

not realy my area of expertease, but they look ok to me.  I think we have been going 2% of tonage for a full sail rig and 1% for a partial (atleast I have been till I abandond all sail powerd ships for personal reasons)

[TexanCowboy]

Darman: Don't bother simming wooden hulled ships; it simply can't be done with SS. Just take a guess at the stats or something like I did.

[Darman]

Alright, moving on to lightly armored hybrids, this is my old 36 gun frigate fitted out with engines (and subsequently losing the vast majority of her weapons). 

NES Portsmouth, NERF Sloop of War laid down 1850
Armoured Corvette (Broadside ironclad)

Displacement:
   1,060 t light; 1,085 t standard; 1,265 t normal; 1,409 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
   191.22 ft / 165.00 ft x 45.00 ft x 20.00 ft (normal load)
   58.29 m / 50.29 m x 13.72 m  x 6.10 m

Armament:
      8 - 4.50" / 114 mm guns in single mounts, 18.00lbs / 8.16kg shells, 1850 Model
     Muzzle loading guns in broadside mounts
     on side, evenly spread
      1 - 5.00" / 127 mm guns in single mounts, 24.00lbs / 10.89kg shells, 1850 Model
     Muzzle loading gun in deck mount
     on bow with limited arc
   Weight of broadside 168 lbs / 76 kg
   Shells per gun, main battery: 0

Armour:
   - Belts:      Width (max)   Length (avg)      Height (avg)
   Main:   0.25" / 6 mm   106.60 ft / 32.49 m   8.05 ft / 2.45 m
   Ends:   0.25" / 6 mm     57.38 ft / 17.49 m   8.05 ft / 2.45 m
     1.02 ft / 0.31 m Unarmoured ends
   Upper:   0.25" / 6 mm   106.60 ft / 32.49 m   8.00 ft / 2.44 m
     Main Belt covers 99 % of normal length
     Main belt does not fully cover magazines and engineering spaces

Machinery:
   Coal fired boilers, simple reciprocating steam engines,
   Direct drive, 1 shaft, 945 ihp / 705 Kw = 12.00 kts
   Range 1,000nm at 8.00 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 323 tons (100% coal)

Complement:
   105 - 137

Cost:
   £0.123 million / $0.490 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 21 tons, 1.7 %
   Armour: 23 tons, 1.8 %
      - Belts: 23 tons, 1.8 %
      - Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Armament: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Armour Deck: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Conning Tower: 0 tons, 0.0 %
   Machinery: 482 tons, 38.1 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 508 tons, 40.2 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 205 tons, 16.2 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 26 tons, 2.1 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     251 lbs / 114 Kg = 13.8 x 4.5 " / 114 mm shells or 0.1 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.45
   Metacentric height 2.9 ft / 0.9 m
   Roll period: 11.2 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 100 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.08
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 2.00

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has raised quarterdeck
     and transom stern
   Block coefficient: 0.298
   Length to Beam Ratio: 3.67 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 17.06 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 42 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 5.00 degrees
   Stern overhang: 25.00 ft / 7.62 m
   Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
      - Stem:      14.00 ft / 4.27 m
      - Forecastle (20 %):   14.00 ft / 4.27 m
      - Mid (50 %):      14.00 ft / 4.27 m
      - Quarterdeck (15 %):   20.00 ft / 6.10 m (14.00 ft / 4.27 m before break)
      - Stern:      20.00 ft / 6.10 m
      - Average freeboard:   14.90 ft / 4.54 m
   Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 137.4 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 126.6 %
   Waterplane Area: 4,985 Square feet or 463 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 107 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 64 lbs/sq ft or 313 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.46
      - Longitudinal: 7.42
      - Overall: 0.61
   Caution: Hull subject to strain in open-sea
   Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is cramped
   Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
   Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
   Excellent seaboat, comfortable, can fire her guns in the heaviest weather

26 tons sails (2%)

Now my only concern is how to get the composite strength up... its at 0.61 now (advisable for light combatants only) and it IS a light combatant....

[Darman]

Here is a bomb ketch (quite useful for bombing Acadian forts on the Great Lakes  :-X )
I will say I'm not sure if it should be a harbor-defense gunboat-type (fire from a protected cove into the main channel?) or an offensive weapons platform. 

Hecla-class, UK Bomb Ketch laid down 1850
Armoured Corvette (Broadside ironclad)

Displacement:
   473 t light; 569 t standard; 620 t normal; 661 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
   105.00 ft / 105.00 ft x 28.50 ft x 13.80 ft (normal load)
   32.00 m / 32.00 m x 8.69 m  x 4.21 m

Armament:
      10 - 5.00" / 127 mm guns in single mounts, 24.00lbs / 10.89kg shells, 1850 Model
     Muzzle loading guns in broadside mounts
     on side, evenly spread
      2 - 12.00" / 305 mm guns in single mounts, 345.60lbs / 156.76kg shells, 1850 Model
     Muzzle loading guns in deck mounts
     on centreline, all amidships
      2 - 3.25" / 82.6 mm guns in single mounts, 6.00lbs / 2.72kg shells, 1850 Model
     Muzzle loading guns in deck mounts
     on bow with limited arc
   Weight of broadside 943 lbs / 428 kg
   Shells per gun, main battery: 150

Armour:
   - Belts:      Width (max)   Length (avg)      Height (avg)
   Main:   0.50" / 13 mm     68.25 ft / 20.80 m   6.41 ft / 1.95 m
   Ends:   0.50" / 13 mm     36.73 ft / 11.20 m   6.41 ft / 1.95 m
   Upper:   0.50" / 13 mm     68.25 ft / 20.80 m   7.17 ft / 2.19 m
     Main Belt covers 100 % of normal length
     Main belt does not fully cover magazines and engineering spaces

Machinery:
   No fuel, Internal combustion motors,
   No drive to shaft, 1 shaft, 456 shp / 341 Kw = 10.00 kts
   Range 500nm at 8.00 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 91 tons

Complement:
   61 - 80

Cost:
   £0.117 million / $0.467 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 119 tons, 19.3 %
   Armour: 26 tons, 4.1 %
      - Belts: 26 tons, 4.1 %
      - Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Armament: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Armour Deck: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Conning Tower: 0 tons, 0.0 %
   Machinery: 0 tons, 0.0 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 321 tons, 51.8 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 147 tons, 23.7 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 7 tons, 1.1 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     93 lbs / 42 Kg = 3.7 x 5.0 " / 127 mm shells or 0.1 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.43
   Metacentric height 1.4 ft / 0.4 m
   Roll period: 10.0 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 77 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.92
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.55

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has a flush deck
   Block coefficient: 0.525
   Length to Beam Ratio: 3.68 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 10.25 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 55 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 0.00 degrees
   Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
   Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
      - Stem:      8.20 ft / 2.50 m
      - Forecastle (20 %):   7.17 ft / 2.19 m
      - Mid (50 %):      7.17 ft / 2.19 m
      - Quarterdeck (15 %):   7.17 ft / 2.19 m
      - Stern:      7.17 ft / 2.19 m
      - Average freeboard:   7.25 ft / 2.21 m
   Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 148.8 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 44.1 %
   Waterplane Area: 1,971 Square feet or 183 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 63 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 96 lbs/sq ft or 466 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.66
      - Longitudinal: 7.08
      - Overall: 0.84
   Caution: Hull subject to strain in open-sea
   Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is cramped
   Room for accommodation and workspaces is extremely poor
   Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
   Excellent seaboat, comfortable, can fire her guns in the heaviest weather

2 x 12inch muzzleloading guns midships are mortars. 
7 tons ketch-rigged (1%)

[Carthaginian]

Nice little ships, man.
I see the Lakes being a VERY fun little place till we come up with some little treaty to demilitarize them.

The sailing ships.... they need a little work.
http://navalhistory.flixco.info/H/bx53056/1668/r0.htm
This site (cantankerous as it is) has some info on the very early ships, right down to block coefficients and length of guns.

[Carthaginian]

In Springsharp, a 'light, fast combatant' is a polite way of saying 'destroyer/torpedo craft.' These kinds of ships must have a 1.00 composite strength. Good designs, but probably going jsut a touch too far back.

[Darman]

This is supposed to be a commerce raider... descended from the light frigates of the past. 

NES Marblehead, NERF Sloop of War laid down 1860
Armoured Corvette (Broadside ironclad)

Displacement:
   1,796 t light; 2,030 t standard; 2,414 t normal; 2,721 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
   185.96 ft / 160.00 ft x 60.00 ft x 22.00 ft (normal load)
   56.68 m / 48.77 m x 18.29 m  x 6.71 m

Armament:
      10 - 9.00" / 229 mm guns in single mounts, 200.48lbs / 90.93kg shells, 1860 Model
     Muzzle loading guns in broadside mounts
     on side, evenly spread
      1 - 9.00" / 229 mm guns in single mounts, 200.48lbs / 90.93kg shells, 1860 Model
     Muzzle loading gun in deck mount
     on bow with limited arc
   Weight of broadside 2,205 lbs / 1,000 kg
   Shells per gun, main battery: 150

Armour:
   - Belts:      Width (max)   Length (avg)      Height (avg)
   Main:   0.50" / 13 mm   104.00 ft / 31.70 m   9.30 ft / 2.83 m
   Ends:   0.50" / 13 mm     55.98 ft / 17.06 m   9.30 ft / 2.83 m
   Upper:   0.50" / 13 mm   104.00 ft / 31.70 m   8.00 ft / 2.44 m
     Main Belt covers 100 % of normal length
     Main belt does not fully cover magazines and engineering spaces

Machinery:
   Coal fired boilers, simple reciprocating steam engines,
   Direct drive, 1 shaft, 670 ihp / 500 Kw = 10.00 kts
   Range 2,000nm at 10.00 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 692 tons (100% coal)

Complement:
   171 - 223

Cost:
   £0.322 million / $1.289 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 276 tons, 11.4 %
   Armour: 50 tons, 2.1 %
      - Belts: 50 tons, 2.1 %
      - Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Armament: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Armour Deck: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Conning Tower: 0 tons, 0.0 %
   Machinery: 200 tons, 8.3 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 1,181 tons, 48.9 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 618 tons, 25.6 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 89 tons, 3.7 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     1,007 lbs / 457 Kg = 5.0 x 9.0 " / 229 mm shells or 0.4 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.66
   Metacentric height 5.4 ft / 1.6 m
   Roll period: 10.9 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 100 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.20
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 2.00

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has raised quarterdeck
     and transom stern
   Block coefficient: 0.400
   Length to Beam Ratio: 2.67 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 17.04 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 44 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 5.00 degrees
   Stern overhang: 25.00 ft / 7.62 m
   Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
      - Stem:      11.00 ft / 3.35 m
      - Forecastle (20 %):   9.00 ft / 2.74 m
      - Mid (50 %):      9.00 ft / 2.74 m
      - Quarterdeck (15 %):   17.00 ft / 5.18 m (9.00 ft / 2.74 m before break)
      - Stern:      17.00 ft / 5.18 m
      - Average freeboard:   10.36 ft / 3.16 m
   Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 118.4 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 61.5 %
   Waterplane Area: 6,133 Square feet or 570 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 87 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 137 lbs/sq ft or 670 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.78
      - Longitudinal: 9.11
      - Overall: 1.00
   Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is cramped
   Room for accommodation and workspaces is cramped
   Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
   Excellent seaboat, comfortable, can fire her guns in the heaviest weather

49 tons sails (2%)
40 tons extra quarters (~20 extra crewmen)

I agree that the Great Lakes are going to be an interesting place, especially since ships have to be heavily protected while under construction. 

[Darman]

In case nobodyy has been able to tell I've gone sort of haywire on SS lately. 

Here is a gunboat, sort of a monitor I suppose. its based off an Argentine ship built in Britain. 

NES Marblehead, NERF Sloop of War laid down 1860

Displacement:
   547 t light; 568 t standard; 630 t normal; 679 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
   152.94 ft / 152.00 ft x 25.00 ft x 10.00 ft (normal load)
   46.62 m / 46.33 m x 7.62 m  x 3.05 m

Armament:
      2 - 6.00" / 152 mm guns in single mounts, 59.40lbs / 26.94kg shells, 1860 Model
     Muzzle loading guns in Coles/Ericsson turrets
     on centreline ends, evenly spread
      2 - 4.00" / 102 mm guns in single mounts, 17.60lbs / 7.98kg shells, 1860 Model
     Muzzle loading guns in Coles/Ericsson turrets
     on centreline, all amidships
   Weight of broadside 154 lbs / 70 kg
   Shells per gun, main battery: 100

Armour:
   - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   3.00" / 76 mm   1.00" / 25 mm            -
   2nd:   3.00" / 76 mm   1.00" / 25 mm            -

Machinery:
   Coal fired boilers, simple reciprocating steam engines,
   Direct drive, 1 shaft, 372 ihp / 278 Kw = 10.00 kts
   Range 1,000nm at 8.00 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 111 tons (100% coal)

Complement:
   62 - 81

Cost:
   £0.052 million / $0.208 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 19 tons, 3.1 %
   Armour: 56 tons, 8.9 %
      - Belts: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Armament: 56 tons, 8.9 %
      - Armour Deck: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Conning Tower: 0 tons, 0.0 %
   Machinery: 119 tons, 18.9 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 341 tons, 54.1 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 83 tons, 13.2 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 11 tons, 1.7 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     398 lbs / 181 Kg = 6.7 x 6.0 " / 152 mm shells or 0.2 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.00
   Metacentric height 0.6 ft / 0.2 m
   Roll period: 13.3 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 100 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.94
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 2.00

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has a flush deck
   Block coefficient: 0.580
   Length to Beam Ratio: 6.08 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 12.33 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 39 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
   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:      10.79 ft / 3.29 m
      - Forecastle (20 %):   8.63 ft / 2.63 m
      - Mid (50 %):      8.63 ft / 2.63 m
      - Quarterdeck (15 %):   8.63 ft / 2.63 m
      - Stern:      8.63 ft / 2.63 m
      - Average freeboard:   8.80 ft / 2.68 m
   Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 86.7 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 70.5 %
   Waterplane Area: 2,660 Square feet or 247 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 137 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 74 lbs/sq ft or 363 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.86
      - Longitudinal: 3.68
      - Overall: 1.00
   Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is adequate
   Room for accommodation and workspaces is cramped
   Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
   Excellent seaboat, comfortable, can fire her guns in the heaviest weather

11 tons sails (2%)