WesWorld

In our current rules no alterations can be made to a ships draft or beam. This seems odd as the removal of 14" guns and the reduction of armor will surly make a ship sit higher in the water and thus changing her draft. The removal of external armor will also reduce the ships beam (how much i'm not sure) and the addition of buldges will also change this. In the current rules in order to convert a capital ship to a carrier you must remove the desired guns and armor so it meets the new requirements, then new guns and michelanious weight is then added.
The convertion of the Vengeance class BC's of Atlantis cannot exceed 33,000 tons but ironically when i remove the main guns, secondary's and CT armour as well as reduce the side and deck armour, the weight changes very little even though the side armor is reduced by two thirds, the deck reduced by a half inch and all other armor removed. I suggest that the beam and draft measurements be allowed to be modified but with in realistic peramiters. Draft could change by a max of 3 feet and beam reduced by a max of 1 or 2 feet after removal of armor and then increased by the addition of torpedo bulges.

I noticed this too. I thought about pointing this out but for some sinister reason, I forgot about it.

Kaga went from a 31 feet draft as a BB (planned) to 26.5 feet as a CV which is 4.5 feet. so even 4.5 feet is possible if you are truly desparate, but I think it depends how far you are with construction of the ship. decreasing draft can also result in some alteration of the block coefficent as well. I'm not sure if removing armor will affect the beam of the ship that much, but adding those torpedo bulges does significantly increase the beam of your ship.

Of course if you remove the main guns, secondary's and CT armour as well as reduce the side and deck armour, but do not change the dimensions, you remain at about the same weight. But with the hull-stength you got free by removing all that stuff, you can alter the draft and that reduces the weight of the ship.
The way I do it is reduce the draft and increase freeboard with the same amount so in essence the total height of the side remains unaltered. But I think even that can be altered somewhat when the ship is in the early stages of construction.

Walter

My BC is 37,200 tons standard. In order to get her down to 33,500 tons i have to reduce the draft by 2 feet and the beam by 1 foot. I also increase the cruising radius from 7000 nm@12 knots to 10,000 nm@12 knots.
The deck armor is reduced by a half inch while i lose the 4 inch upper belt and the main belt goes from 12 inch down to 4 inch. Personally i think thease are minor alterations.