old forts used earthworks, can ships use water walls for defence

[mainsworthy]

you can use nitrous oxside to freeze water and keep it frozen, and the ice shield does not have to be conected to ship, it could be held a meter or two off hull.

I know there are problems in what were talking about, but i still think water should be used for defence because its so available.

[RangerJoe]

I'm no engineer but I'm fairly certain that the massive thermal and kinetic energy in the forward shockwave of a missile going Mach 1+ would flash any ice shield into a weal of steam in milliseconds.

Plus, spreading tons of ice on a ship's decks would severely compromise it's center of mass and stability. I can't imagine any sane captain wanting to see his ship capsized before battle is even joined. Then there is the nightmare of trying to do damage control on iced-up decks.

There is a song about that which would also be especially appropriate for driving in a community after freezing rain:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUODdPpnxcA *

*Humor/humour helps to keep any depression away.

[Platoonist]

you can use nitrous oxside to freeze water and keep it frozen, and the ice shield does not have to be conected to ship, it could be held a meter or two off hull.

Why not simply use a sheet of Kevlar? It's a lot lighter and you don't have to expend energy or crew time to keep it frozen. (Not that it would fend off an anti-ship missile either.)

It seems like your simple idea keeps getting more complex. We've gone from water walls to ice shields to nitrous oxide. If ice had some defensive properties I think it would have used long ago. Navies have been fighting sea battles in icy conditions in places like the Baltic, Arctic and North Seas for centuries. However, iceclads have never been a thing. If ice had conferred some benefit as hull armor I think it would have been noted by now. Instead, it's usually seen as a hazard which is why most captains send the crew topside to chip the stuff away.

[mainsworthy]

Even more crazy, is an idea to create a cannon out of ice, one that would prob break but you can make more. you could have guns bigger than usual from ice moulds. you could turn a fast boat into a temp destroyer.

[RangerJoe]

Even more crazy, is an idea to create a cannon out of ice, one that would prob break but you can make more. you could have guns bigger than usual from ice moulds. you could turn a fast boat into a temp destroyer.

Make a muzzle loader out of a log and use leather straps to strengthen it.

[ElvisJJonesRambo]

Flashlights that can start fires.

[mainsworthy]

or salt lobber

[RangerJoe]

Actual wooden cannons used:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wooden_cannon

Fake wooden cannons used:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quaker_gun

[giacomo21]

During WWII. Some ship guns shoot into water. Water spouts go into the air.
Enemy torpedo planes smash into waterspouts, like hitting cement.
Defense against planes anyway.

Semper Fi

[mainsworthy]

cant you use water at a lower presure in a sub in a cavity between inside and out, to cope with presure. what i mean is let water take the presure rather than the hull, it may need some thought, and my thoughts may be wrong but it seems like a good idea for deep sea diving,

[RangerJoe]

cant you use water at a lower presure in a sub in a cavity between inside and out, to cope with presure. what i mean is let water take the presure rather than the hull, it may need some thought, and my thoughts may be wrong but it seems like a good idea for deep sea diving,

Those are called bubbles and the ship can sink because of them.