Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2005 10:23 pm Posts: 36 Location: Southern NJ, USA
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Hi guys,
I'm going to assume that some of you know about Springsharp. http://www.springsharp.com/
It claims, "SpringSharp allows you to design "what-if" and "never built" warships between 1850 and 1950 using little more than the specifications in books like Janes Fighting Ships, Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships etc. It applies parametric formulas as used by professional Naval Architects (Mumford, Parsons, Holtrop & Mennen etc) as well as empirical data based on research on ships (Liners & Warships) of the period to give a soundly grounded and scientific basis to your designs. SpringSharp produces a written report in far more detail than the above resources. These reports can be used on various internet based discussion groups such as:
Warships1 Discussion Boards Wesworld Warship Projects
Well, it sounded pretty good, so I got it. Then I had to download and install Microsoft Net Framework to make it work. (now I have to actually log into my computer every time I turn it on)
Anyways, here's the big question:
Does Springsharp have any useful purpose aside from generating numbers to use a ship in a sim/game? It seems to give me very little info that I didn't already have and even less that's of any real use.
Here's the Springsharp sample 'Report' on Bismarck:
Bismarck, Deutschland Battleship laid down 1936
Displacement: 40,064 t light; 42,084 t standard; 46,674 t normal; 50,346 t full load
Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught 820.21 ft / 792.49 ft x 118.11 ft x 30.51 ft (normal load) 250.00 m / 241.55 m x 36.00 m x 9.30 m
Armament: 8 - 14.96" / 380 mm guns (4x2 guns), 1,763.70lbs / 800.00kg shells, 1934 Model Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes) on centreline ends, evenly spread, 2 raised mounts - superfiring 12 - 5.91" / 150 mm guns (6x2 guns), 102.98lbs / 46.71kg shells, 1928 Model Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes) on side, evenly spread 16 - 4.13" / 105 mm guns (8x2 guns), 35.32lbs / 16.02kg shells, 1933 Model Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts with hoists on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts 16 - 1.46" / 37.0 mm guns (8x2 guns), 1.55lbs / 0.70kg shells, 1930 Model Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts 16 - 0.79" / 20.0 mm guns (10 mounts), 0.29lbs / 0.13kg shells, 1930 Model Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts on side, evenly spread, 14 raised mounts Weight of broadside 15,940 lbs / 7,230 kg Shells per gun, main battery: 120
Armour: - Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg) Main: 12.6" / 320 mm 562.34 ft / 171.40 m 16.40 ft / 5.00 m Ends: 2.76" / 70 mm 229.33 ft / 69.90 m 9.51 ft / 2.90 m 0.82 ft / 0.25 m Unarmoured ends Upper: 5.71" / 145 mm 562.34 ft / 171.40 m 7.22 ft / 2.20 m Main Belt covers 109 % of normal length
- Torpedo Bulkhead: 1.77" / 45 mm 562.34 ft / 171.40 m 30.05 ft / 9.16 m
- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max) Main: 14.2" / 360 mm 7.09" / 180 mm 13.4" / 340 mm 2nd: 3.94" / 100 mm 1.30" / 33 mm 3.15" / 80 mm 3rd: 0.79" / 20 mm 0.39" / 10 mm 0.79" / 20 mm
- Armour deck: 5.02" / 128 mm, Conning tower: 13.78" / 350 mm
Machinery: Oil fired boilers, steam turbines, Geared drive, 3 shafts, 137,994 shp / 102,944 Kw = 28.67 kts Range 8,525nm at 19.00 kts Bunker at max displacement = 8,261 tons
Complement: 1,587 - 2,064
Cost: £18.680 million / $74.720 million
Distribution of weights at normal displacement: Armament: 1,903 tons, 4.1 % Armour: 17,160 tons, 36.8 % - Belts: 6,165 tons, 13.2 % - Torpedo bulkhead: 1,108 tons, 2.4 % - Armament: 3,305 tons, 7.1 % - Armour Deck: 6,198 tons, 13.3 % - Conning Tower: 385 tons, 0.8 % Machinery: 3,872 tons, 8.3 % Hull, fittings & equipment: 17,046 tons, 36.5 % Fuel, ammunition & stores: 6,610 tons, 14.2 % Miscellaneous weights: 83 tons, 0.2 %
Overall survivability and seakeeping ability: Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship): 79,862 lbs / 36,225 Kg = 47.7 x 15.0 " / 380 mm shells or 14.4 torpedoes Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.26 Metacentric height 9.7 ft / 3.0 m Roll period: 15.9 seconds Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 50 % - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.30 Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.05
Hull form characteristics: Hull has a flush deck Block coefficient: 0.572 Length to Beam Ratio: 6.71 : 1 'Natural speed' for length: 28.15 kts Power going to wave formation at top speed: 50 % Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 47 Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 32.00 degrees Stern overhang: 9.68 ft / 2.95 m Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length): - Stem: 28.87 ft / 8.80 m - Forecastle (16 %): 21.16 ft / 6.45 m - Mid (50 %): 18.60 ft / 5.67 m - Quarterdeck (13 %): 21.16 ft / 6.45 m - Stern: 22.31 ft / 6.80 m - Average freeboard: 20.82 ft / 6.35 m Ship tends to be wet forward
Ship space, strength and comments: Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 71.1 % - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 159.1 % Waterplane Area: 66,686 Square feet or 6,195 Square metres Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 116 % Structure weight / hull surface area: 196 lbs/sq ft or 959 Kg/sq metre Hull strength (Relative): - Cross-sectional: 0.99 - Longitudinal: 1.07 - Overall: 1.00 Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
So, what are the opinions on Springsharp?
Bill
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_________________
The kids never ask me, "Are we there yet?"
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