HMS Captain's design had the backing of a passionate officer skilled at making a political case. In this interpretation, theory and personal friendships gave an unsafe concept more support than it deserved. Other contemporary ships had similar arrangements but higher freeboard. Captain resembled an attempt to turn a monitor into a seagoing warship, without enough attention to whether the form could operate safely at sea. Modern watertight seals and hull reinforcement might make such a design work, although it would still be unattractive. Fighting performance alone could not compensate for the limits of contemporary construction and the ship's low freeboard.
Notable Point · 1:58:31-2:04:00
HMS Captain and the limits of fighting-first design
HMS Captain illustrates why strong armament and firing arcs cannot compensate for inadequate freeboard and poor performance in an open sea.