WesWorld

Carriers

Construction continues on the three units of the Ticonderoga class with completion not due until 1948. The USS Yorktown completes her mid life modernization, with the USS Enterprise beginning hers. Design studies are to begin on an armored carrier large enough to deploy an air group the same size as the Ticonderoga

Capital Ships
Construction continues on the Alaska Class battlecruisers with both units expected to complete in FY1946. Two additional units will be laid down to bring the modern capital units in the USN up to eight ships. Both the USS Texas and the Nevada Class battleships will be taken out of service once the first pair of Alaska's complete.

Cruisers
Both the Philadelphia class and the Worcester class continue construction this fiscal year with the Worcester completing at the end of it. A design study for a smaller variant of the Philadelphia Class with 3 triple 8in/55RF Mk 16 as opposed to the 4 triple 8in/55RF Mk 16 is begun with the Philadelphia's completing in FY1946.

USS Des Moines, United States Heavy Cruiser laid down 1947

Displacement:
16,876 t light; 17,621 t standard; 19,279 t normal; 20,606 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
716.81 ft / 701.00 ft x 75.25 ft x 24.60 ft (normal load)
218.48 m / 213.66 m x 22.94 m x 7.50 m

Armament:
9 - 8.00" / 203 mm guns (3x3 guns), 335.00lbs / 151.95kg shells, 1947 Model
Automatic rapid fire guns in turrets (on barbettes)
on centreline ends, majority forward, 1 raised mount - superfiring
8 - 5.00" / 127 mm guns (4x2 guns), 55.17lbs / 25.02kg shells, 1947 Model
Dual purpose guns in deck mounts with hoists
on side, all amidships
4 - 5.00" / 127 mm guns (2x2 guns), 55.17lbs / 25.02kg shells, 1947 Model
Dual purpose guns in deck mounts with hoists
on centreline ends, evenly spread, all raised mounts
24 - 3.00" / 76.2 mm guns (12x2 guns), 13.50lbs / 6.12kg shells, 1947 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread, 8 raised mounts
24 - 1.50" / 38.1 mm guns (2x12 guns), 1.69lbs / 0.77kg shells, 1947 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread
Weight of broadside 4,042 lbs / 1,833 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 150

Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 7.00" / 178 mm 414.43 ft / 126.32 m 10.53 ft / 3.21 m
Ends: Unarmoured
Main Belt covers 91 % of normal length

- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 8.00" / 203 mm 4.00" / 102 mm 7.00" / 178 mm
2nd: 2.00" / 51 mm 1.00" / 25 mm 2.00" / 51 mm
3rd: 2.00" / 51 mm 1.00" / 25 mm 2.00" / 51 mm

- Armour deck: 5.00" / 127 mm, Conning tower: 7.00" / 178 mm

Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 4 shafts, 110,000 shp / 82,060 Kw = 32.37 kts
Range 10,500nm at 15.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 2,986 tons

Complement:
817 - 1,063

Cost:
£10.025 million / $40.100 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 485 tons, 2.5 %
Armour: 5,631 tons, 29.2 %
- Belts: 1,301 tons, 6.7 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Armament: 777 tons, 4.0 %
- Armour Deck: 3,445 tons, 17.9 %
- Conning Tower: 108 tons, 0.6 %
Machinery: 2,717 tons, 14.1 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 7,393 tons, 38.3 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 2,403 tons, 12.5 %
Miscellaneous weights: 650 tons, 3.4 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
32,373 lbs / 14,684 Kg = 126.5 x 8.0 " / 203 mm shells or 3.2 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.12
Metacentric height 4.1 ft / 1.2 m
Roll period: 15.7 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 60 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.50
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.19

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has a flush deck
and transom stern
Block coefficient: 0.520
Length to Beam Ratio: 9.32 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 30.31 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 54 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 11.50 degrees
Stern overhang: 9.50 ft / 2.90 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 31.00 ft / 9.45 m
- Forecastle (20 %): 22.00 ft / 6.71 m
- Mid (50 %): 22.00 ft / 6.71 m
- Quarterdeck (21 %): 22.00 ft / 6.71 m
- Stern: 23.00 ft / 7.01 m
- Average freeboard: 22.83 ft / 6.96 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 69.8 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 191.0 %
Waterplane Area: 37,244 Square feet or 3,460 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 124 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 131 lbs/sq ft or 642 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.97
- Longitudinal: 1.35
- Overall: 1.00
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent

- 450t for automated rapid fire 8in
- 110t for Electronic Suite
- 25t for fire control for 8in, 5in, 1.5in guns
- 50t for communications
-15t for crew comforts (air conditioning, ice cream machine, soda dispenser).

Very nice, but I would consider adding more Main Battery rounds. Being fully automatic she's going to empty magazines in a hurry...

Maybe... the historical 8"/55RF Mark 16 had a rate of fire of 10 according to Navweaps so it will all be gone in 15 minutes of continuous fire. On the other hand, Navweaps gives the "Magazine capacity per gun" as 150 rounds so it is not really deviating from historical... On the other hand IIRC 150 rounds for the main gun means 180 rounds for all the other guns.

Also a seaboat quality of 1.19 seems like a wasted attempt to get the "Good seaboat, rides out heavy weather easily" remark for your sim.

Its based off the OTL Des Moines, some tweaking can be done it is as mentioned a design study albeit one enterings its final stages. The Philadelphias also have 150 shells per gun, and if it takes 15 mins to throw 1800 8in shells at something, that something will be having a bad day even if it is a Yamato or one of those Super Yamatos.

At least the Oshima class has a seaboat rating of 1.22.

Everything is big in America!

Looks good though, even if still very expensive but I think this would still be a very potent heavy cruiser.
Good armour too, especially on the decks.

A few musings on the rate of fire and number of rounds carried. First with a higher rate of fire the only thing preventing the subsequent target adjustment time would be the fall of shot. Secondly as was already mentioned, if all those rounds ARE being fired in 15 min's its ouch time for whoever's on the receiving end or ouch time for the Des Moines if its target can still fight back.

Well it is still just a cruiser Wes

90x8" rounds in one minute can cause quite a bit of structural damage to a battleship such as gun directors and secondary guns so while its still just a cruiser it can still cause headaches.

Yeah. And the USN doctrine is to use it and the other big cruisers in the battle line if needed.

Destroyers

A further four units of the Gearing class will be laid down in FY1945.

Submarines

A further five of the Gato class submarines are to be laid down for FY1945.

Amphibious Warfare Vessels

The USN delayed building the LCVP (Landing Craft, Vehicle Personnel) until the tenth LST (Landing Ship, Tank) was completed. Funding now has been freed up to begin building 60 LCVP in this fiscal year and a further 540 on order for the following two fiscal years, which will allow the US to land one division on a hostile shore. To support these, the USN is also going to build one LSD (Landing Ship, Dock) in FY1945 and has tenative plans to build a second in FY1946.

LCVP

Length: 36ft, 3in
Beam: 10ft, 10in
Draught: 3ft aft, 2ft 2in forward
Propulsion: Gray Marine Diesel engine, 225hp
Speed: 12 knots
Displacement: 8t light
Capacity: 6,000lbs vehicle, or 8,100lbs general cargo, or 36 troops
Crew: 4
Armament: 2 .30 cal Browning machine guns


USS Ashland, United States Landing Ship, Dock laid down 1946

Displacement:
5,029 t light; 5,209 t standard; 8,189 t normal; 10,574 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
457.00 ft / 457.00 ft x 72.00 ft x 15.50 ft (normal load)
139.29 m / 139.29 m x 21.95 m x 4.72 m

Armament:
1 - 5.00" / 127 mm guns in single mounts, 55.12lbs / 25.00kg shells, 1946 Model
Dual purpose gun in deck mount
on centreline forward, 1 raised gun
8 - 1.50" / 38.1 mm guns (2x4 guns), 1.69lbs / 0.77kg shells, 1946 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, all amidships, all raised mounts - superfiring
4 - 1.50" / 38.1 mm guns (2x2 guns), 1.69lbs / 0.77kg shells, 1946 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on centreline ends, evenly spread, all raised mounts
16 - 0.75" / 19.1 mm guns (4x4 guns), 0.21lbs / 0.10kg shells, 1946 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts
Weight of broadside 79 lbs / 36 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 300

Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 2 shafts, 5,729 shp / 4,274 Kw = 16.00 kts
Range 28,000nm at 16.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 5,365 tons

Complement:
429 - 559

Cost:
£1.454 million / $5.817 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 11 tons, 0.1 %
Machinery: 143 tons, 1.7 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 2,525 tons, 30.8 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 3,161 tons, 38.6 %
Miscellaneous weights: 2,350 tons, 28.7 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
29,536 lbs / 13,397 Kg = 472.6 x 5.0 " / 127 mm shells or 5.2 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.29
Metacentric height 4.8 ft / 1.5 m
Roll period: 13.8 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 92 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.01
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.84

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has rise forward of midbreak
and transom stern
Block coefficient: 0.562
Length to Beam Ratio: 6.35 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 25.17 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 33 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 0.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 20.00 ft / 6.10 m
- Forecastle (20 %): 20.00 ft / 6.10 m
- Mid (50 %): 20.00 ft / 6.10 m (16.00 ft / 4.88 m aft of break)
- Quarterdeck (15 %): 16.00 ft / 4.88 m
- Stern: 16.00 ft / 4.88 m
- Average freeboard: 18.00 ft / 5.49 m
Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 39.3 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 191.6 %
Waterplane Area: 24,184 Square feet or 2,247 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 301 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 79 lbs/sq ft or 388 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.96
- Longitudinal: 1.41
- Overall: 1.00
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
Excellent seaboat, comfortable, can fire her guns in the heaviest weather

Notes: 4,011t for water in well deck simmed as fuel. Acutal range is 6,500nm @ 16 knots.

Size of well deck: after part of well deck is 331 ft 4in long, 44 ft wide, 9ft depth of water, forward part of well deck is 55ft long, 27.5in wide, 7ft depth of water. Total weight of water is 4,011 tons

Breakdown of Miscellaneous Weight:
Provision for radar and communications equipment: 100t
Provision for vehicle, tank, and landing craft spare parts: 100t
Provision for high capacity pumps: 50t
Provision for small boat repair shop and two cranes: 500t

Boat and Landing Craft Configurations: 1,850t available

Looking at the plan presented I see flaws on several levels.

The goal of building a large number of LCVPs is laudable, but such small craft alone will not lift a division. Planning presented thus far does not address the sealift required to carry combat troops from home ports to the area of operations. Nor are craft such as LCM or LCT to carry and support the first waves included.

The Ashland design, as it stands, it flawed as well. There is no provision in the miscellaneous weight for troops or combat loaded supplies. This would limit it to carrying small craft which would then have to load from other vessels before their run to the beach.

So the plan, as presented, is incomplete.

The US can either build a Two Ocean Navy, or it can build an amphibious force capable of deploying anywhere in the world. IOTL, the United States did both and more, here the US is trying to match the other Great Powers and have the power projection the German Navy has on 4,000 less tons a year with less than desirable results. The other ships will come once these are complete.

USS Ashland, United States Landing Ship, Dock laid down 1946

Displacement:
7,209 t light; 7,453 t standard; 11,366 t normal; 14,497 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
457.00 ft / 457.00 ft x 72.00 ft x 15.50 ft (normal load)
139.29 m / 139.29 m x 21.95 m x 4.72 m

Armament:
1 - 5.00" / 127 mm guns in single mounts, 55.12lbs / 25.00kg shells, 1946 Model
Dual purpose gun in deck mount
on centreline forward, 1 raised gun
8 - 1.50" / 38.1 mm guns (2x4 guns), 1.69lbs / 0.77kg shells, 1946 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, all amidships, all raised mounts - superfiring
4 - 1.50" / 38.1 mm guns (2x2 guns), 1.69lbs / 0.77kg shells, 1946 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on centreline ends, evenly spread, all raised mounts
16 - 0.75" / 19.1 mm guns (4x4 guns), 0.21lbs / 0.10kg shells, 1946 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts
Weight of broadside 79 lbs / 36 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 300

Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 2 shafts, 7,515 shp / 5,606 Kw = 16.00 kts
Range 28,000nm at 16.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 7,044 tons

Complement:
549 - 715

Cost:
£2.040 million / $8.159 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 11 tons, 0.1 %
Machinery: 188 tons, 1.7 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 3,011 tons, 26.5 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 4,157 tons, 36.6 %
Miscellaneous weights: 4,000 tons, 35.2 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
32,113 lbs / 14,566 Kg = 513.8 x 5.0 " / 127 mm shells or 4.5 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.24
Metacentric height 4.5 ft / 1.4 m
Roll period: 14.3 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 89 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.01
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.79

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has rise forward of midbreak
and transom stern
Block coefficient: 0.780
Length to Beam Ratio: 6.35 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 24.63 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 37 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 0.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 20.00 ft / 6.10 m
- Forecastle (20 %): 20.00 ft / 6.10 m
- Mid (50 %): 20.00 ft / 6.10 m (16.00 ft / 4.88 m aft of break)
- Quarterdeck (15 %): 16.00 ft / 4.88 m
- Stern: 16.00 ft / 4.88 m
- Average freeboard: 18.00 ft / 5.49 m
Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 45.6 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 183.1 %
Waterplane Area: 29,568 Square feet or 2,747 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 255 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 81 lbs/sq ft or 393 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.98
- Longitudinal: 1.21
- Overall: 1.00
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
Excellent seaboat, comfortable, can fire her guns in the heaviest weather

Notes: 4,011t for water in well deck simmed as fuel. Acutal range is 6,500nm @ 16 knots.

Size of well deck: after part of well deck is 331 ft 4in long, 44 ft wide, 9ft depth of water, forward part of well deck is 55ft long, 27.5in wide, 7ft depth of water. Total weight of water is 4,011 tons

Breakdown of Miscellaneous Weight:
Provision for radar and communications equipment: 100t
Provision for vehicle, tank, and landing craft spare parts: 100t
Provision for high capacity pumps: 50t
Provision for small boat repair shop and two cranes: 500t

Boat and Landing Craft Configurations: 1,850t available

Stuff - 1,400t available

US Coast Guard

An improved version of the 240ft cutters, the lead ship of a class of 10 is to be laid down in FY1945.

USS Owasco, United States Cutter laid down 1946

Displacement:
1,770 t light; 1,857 t standard; 2,291 t normal; 2,638 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
258.40 ft / 255.00 ft x 43.00 ft x 16.00 ft (normal load)
78.76 m / 77.72 m x 13.11 m x 4.88 m

Armament:
4 - 5.00" / 127 mm guns (2x2 guns), 55.17lbs / 25.02kg shells, 1946 Model
Dual purpose guns in deck mounts with hoists
on centreline ends, evenly spread
8 - 1.50" / 38.1 mm guns (2x4 guns), 1.69lbs / 0.77kg shells, 1946 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, all amidships, all raised mounts - superfiring
4 - 0.50" / 12.7 mm guns (2x2 guns), 0.06lbs / 0.03kg shells, 1946 Model
Breech loading guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts
Weight of broadside 234 lbs / 106 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 300

Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 4.00" / 102 mm 165.75 ft / 50.52 m 7.87 ft / 2.40 m
Ends: 4.00" / 102 mm 89.23 ft / 27.20 m 7.87 ft / 2.40 m
Main Belt covers 100 % of normal length

- Torpedo Bulkhead:
1.50" / 38 mm 165.75 ft / 50.52 m 13.12 ft / 4.00 m

- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 5.00" / 127 mm 1.00" / 25 mm 5.00" / 127 mm

- Armour deck: 2.00" / 51 mm

Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Electric motors, 1 shaft, 5,079 shp / 3,789 Kw = 19.00 kts
Range 12,200nm at 14.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 781 tons

Complement:
165 - 215

Cost:
£0.762 million / $3.047 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 33 tons, 1.4 %
Armour: 755 tons, 32.9 %
- Belts: 331 tons, 14.4 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 121 tons, 5.3 %
- Armament: 33 tons, 1.4 %
- Armour Deck: 270 tons, 11.8 %
- Conning Tower: 0 tons, 0.0 %
Machinery: 127 tons, 5.5 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 706 tons, 30.8 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 521 tons, 22.7 %
Miscellaneous weights: 150 tons, 6.5 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
6,897 lbs / 3,128 Kg = 110.4 x 5.0 " / 127 mm shells or 3.0 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.18
Metacentric height 1.9 ft / 0.6 m
Roll period: 13.0 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 69 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.17
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.39

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has low forecastle
and transom stern
Block coefficient: 0.457
Length to Beam Ratio: 5.93 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 19.22 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 56 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 10.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 19.30 ft / 5.88 m
- Forecastle (28 %): 12.50 ft / 3.81 m (12.60 ft / 3.84 m aft of break)
- Mid (50 %): 12.50 ft / 3.81 m
- Quarterdeck (28 %): 12.50 ft / 3.81 m
- Stern: 15.00 ft / 4.57 m
- Average freeboard: 13.62 ft / 4.15 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 71.9 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 105.7 %
Waterplane Area: 7,309 Square feet or 679 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 161 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 60 lbs/sq ft or 295 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.88
- Longitudinal: 3.00
- Overall: 1.00
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent
Room for accommodation and workspaces is adequate
Good seaboat, rides out heavy weather easily

Miscellaneous Weight Break Down
100t for Radar, A/S Radars, and other assorted electronic junk stuff.
40t for Hedgehog stuff.
10t for more stuff.

Thats really heavy armor and armament for a coast guard cutter methinks. What the mission for those ships so they need it?

If you intended to generate a true fighter, not a patrol ship, why only 300 shells per main gun? Your stocks wont last long in a fight given a 5" rate of fire...

Overall the design appears sound. The proposed armament is quite close to the OTL Owasco class and is more than sufficient for patrol and anti-submarine duties. As the first new vessels proposed for the US Coast Guard for some twenty years they will be welcome.

I do have a few comments on the design:

Quoted

4 - 0.50" / 12.7 mm guns (2x2 guns), 0.06lbs / 0.03kg shells, 1946 Model Breech loading guns in deck mounts on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts

I am going to presume you mean machineguns.

Quoted

Armour:

Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 4.00" / 102 mm 165.75 ft / 50.52 m 7.87 ft / 2.40 m
Ends: 4.00" / 102 mm 89.23 ft / 27.20 m 7.87 ft / 2.40 m
Main Belt covers 100 % of normal length

Why the belt armor? On a vessel this size and of this role is appears superfluous, unless you are using it to sim for ice protection, which I would presume also involves the TDS. If so, perhaps adding a note to that effect would be appropriate.

Belt armor is being used to use up hull strength.

Well, that is not really necessary to do that with a ship like that. With some tweaking you could do the ice protection option.

There are several approaches to the issue. If it were up to me, I'd sim the ship like this:

-----

Eka-Owasco, American Coast Guard Cutter laid down 1946

Displacement:
1,928 t light; 2,017 t standard; 2,420 t normal; 2,743 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
252.69 ft / 249.34 ft x 43.08 ft x 17.26 ft (normal load)
77.02 m / 76.00 m x 13.13 m x 5.26 m

Armament:
4 - 5.00" / 127 mm guns (2x2 guns), 55.16lbs / 25.02kg shells, 1946 Model
Dual purpose guns in deck mounts with hoists
on centreline ends, evenly spread
8 - 1.50" / 38.1 mm guns (4x2 guns), 1.69lbs / 0.77kg shells, 1946 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, all amidships, all raised mounts - superfiring
4 - 0.50" / 12.7 mm guns (2x2 guns), 0.06lbs / 0.03kg shells, 1946 Model
Machine guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts
Weight of broadside 234 lbs / 106 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 300

Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 1.50" / 38 mm 164.04 ft / 50.00 m 13.12 ft / 4.00 m
Ends: 0.98" / 25 mm 85.30 ft / 26.00 m 13.12 ft / 4.00 m
Main Belt covers 101 % of normal length

- Torpedo Bulkhead:
1.50" / 38 mm 164.04 ft / 50.00 m 13.12 ft / 4.00 m

- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 1.50" / 38 mm 0.98" / 25 mm 1.57" / 40 mm
2nd: 0.59" / 15 mm 0.59" / 15 mm -
3rd: 0.39" / 10 mm - -

- Armour deck: 1.97" / 50 mm, Conning tower: 1.97" / 50 mm

Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Electric motors, 1 shaft, 6,449 shp / 4,811 Kw = 19.00 kts
Range 9,500nm at 14.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 725 tons

Complement:
172 - 224

Cost:
£0.835 million / $3.339 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 33 tons, 1.4 %
Armour: 567 tons, 23.4 %
- Belts: 181 tons, 7.5 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 119 tons, 4.9 %
- Armament: 20 tons, 0.8 %
- Armour Deck: 239 tons, 9.9 %
- Conning Tower: 8 tons, 0.3 %
Machinery: 161 tons, 6.7 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 1,017 tons, 42.0 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 492 tons, 20.3 %
Miscellaneous weights: 150 tons, 6.2 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
6,500 lbs / 2,948 Kg = 104.0 x 5.0 " / 127 mm shells or 2.8 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.15
Metacentric height 1.8 ft / 0.6 m
Roll period: 13.4 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 69 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.18
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.43

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has a flush deck
Block coefficient: 0.457
Length to Beam Ratio: 5.79 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 15.79 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 57 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 48
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 11.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 17.22 ft / 5.25 m
- Forecastle (28 %): 15.09 ft / 4.60 m
- Mid (50 %): 13.12 ft / 4.00 m
- Quarterdeck (28 %): 13.12 ft / 4.00 m
- Stern: 13.12 ft / 4.00 m
- Average freeboard: 14.13 ft / 4.31 m
Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 76.6 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 99.1 %
Waterplane Area: 6,574 Square feet or 611 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 186 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 88 lbs/sq ft or 430 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 1.25
- Longitudinal: 5.23
- Overall: 1.44
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent
Room for accommodation and workspaces is adequate
Good seaboat, rides out heavy weather easily

Breakdown of miscellaneous weight

100 tons for navigational radar, search & warning radars, and other electronic equipment
40 tons for Hedgehog ahead-throwing ASW weapon in "B" position
10 tons reserved

Belt armor and TDS included to sim hull strengthening for ice navigation
Deck armor included to sim deck strengthening for ice navigation

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A slow-speed patrol vessel does not really need a transom stern, which, IMHO, might offer less protection to the screw in ice-choked waters.