Novgorod's circular hull carried two 11-inch guns on a compact platform intended for coastal and river defense in the confined waters of the Baltic and Black Seas. The ship itself could turn to help aim the guns. Wood and copper sheathing against fouling increased the diameter to 30.8 meters, while maximum draft was 13 feet 6 inches and freeboard only 18 inches. The deck rose toward the central barbette, but the low freeboard made exposed-water operation especially wet. Six engines, six shafts, and eight boilers produced only about six and a half knots because the rounded hull pushed through the water with considerable resistance. Currents could catch and turn it, so handling depended heavily on local conditions and crew experience. Modern azimuth thrusters could improve control without making the shape fast. Thirty years of active service supports the argument that these ships had practical value in their intended estuary and strait-defense role.
Chapter · 1:33:23-1:42:42
Novgorod's circular hull fits a narrow mission
The Russian circular ships paired very shallow draft and heavy guns with severe drag and handling limits, making them defensible for estuaries and straits but poor open-sea vessels.