Theoretical maximum speed differed from the speed a fleet could afford and a battleship could use as a firing platform. Pushing much beyond the mid-thirty-knot range could demand disproportionate engine power, fuel, length, or compromises in the beam needed for stability. Bow shaping could leave a ship's forward deck wet because preserving the main battery's forward firing arc mattered more than keeping water off the deck. The large clear areas around the guns reveal the design priority: scarce deck space was reserved so the ship's principal weapons could train and fire effectively.
Notable Point · 1:14:39-1:17:02
Battleship speed and bow shape served the guns
Practical battleship speed, hull proportions, wet bows, and clear deck space were constrained by the need to keep the main battery stable and able to fire forward.