Panama Canal limits versus British heavy-weather requirements

Would a British Iowa equivalent have the same unusual bow shape?

It would respond to different infrastructure and operating requirements: Iowa had a firm Panama Canal beam limit, while British designs also prioritised global docks, Suez depth, and performance in rough weather.

Iowa's beam restriction for passage through the Panama Canal shaped the combination of hull length, stability, and speed. A British counterpart would face a different set of limits, including the dimensions of overseas dry docks and the Suez Canal's depth. Lion is the proposed British equivalent because it matches those requirements while carrying nine 16-inch guns. The comparison then turns to Vanguard's ability to maintain speed in heavy seas. British requirements are framed as retaining full capability in worse average weather, with the North Atlantic and North Sea as examples. Maximum speed in calm water alone therefore does not settle the comparison.