A crane-only B.44 would slow battleship aviation operations

Could battleship spotter aircraft be replaced by a Blackburn B.44 lowered and recovered by crane if it were too heavy for a catapult?

Not practically; the battleship would need to pause for launch and recovery, whereas the Walrus was chosen partly because it could be recovered quickly while the ship kept moving.

A spotting aircraft cannot impose a lengthy stationary recovery cycle on a capital ship operating with the fleet. The Walrus's rugged structure and water handling let a crane recover it with minimal interruption, giving it an operational advantage over a heavier aircraft that lacked catapult compatibility.