I had fallen into the trap thinking that I had to have a composite strength of 1.0

I keep forgetting the Springsharp allows a composite strength less than 1.0 for light, fast combatants. I keep doing bad things to my destroyer design (US/DD/1936) because I was trying to get the composite strength to 1.0, when I didn't need to do so. Instead, I was able to achieve a reasonable result (I guess) with a design that has a rather modern look, with a fairly high-freeboard, flush decked hull. The speed is 36 knots and the armament is 6-5in DP, 12-40mm AA, and with 10-21in TT. The machinery still weighs too much, but I guess that doesn't matter.

US/DD/1936a1, Enter country Enter ship type laid down 1936

Displacement:
	1,977 t light; 2,063 t standard; 2,243 t normal; 2,386 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
	376.84 ft / 376.00 ft x 37.00 ft x 14.00 ft (normal load)
	114.86 m / 114.60 m x 11.28 m  x 4.27 m

Armament:
      6 - 5.00" / 127 mm guns (3x2 guns), 62.50lbs / 28.35kg shells, 1936 Model
	  Dual purpose guns in deck mounts with hoists
	  on centreline ends, majority forward, all raised mounts - superfiring
      12 - 1.57" / 40.0 mm guns (3x4 guns), 1.95lbs / 0.89kg shells, 1936 Model
	  Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts 
	  on side ends, majority aft, all raised mounts - superfiring
	Weight of broadside 398 lbs / 181 kg
	Shells per gun, main battery: 180
	10 - 21.0" / 533.4 mm above water torpedoes

Machinery:
	Oil fired boilers, steam turbines, 
	Geared drive, 2 shafts, 53,204 shp / 39,690 Kw = 36.00 kts
	Range 3,750nm at 15.00 kts
	Bunker at max displacement = 323 tons

Complement:
	162 - 211

Cost:
	£1.464 million / $5.855 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
	Armament: 50 tons, 2.2 %
	Machinery: 1,190 tons, 53.1 %
	Hull, fittings & equipment: 737 tons, 32.9 %
	Fuel, ammunition & stores: 266 tons, 11.9 %
	Miscellaneous weights: 0 tons, 0.0 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
	Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
	  570 lbs / 258 Kg = 9.1 x 5.0 " / 127 mm shells or 0.3 torpedoes
	Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.28
	Metacentric height 1.8 ft / 0.5 m
	Roll period: 11.7 seconds
	Steadiness	- As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 60 %
			- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.72
	Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.16

Hull form characteristics:
	Hull has a flush deck
	  and transom stern
	Block coefficient: 0.403
	Length to Beam Ratio: 10.16 : 1
	'Natural speed' for length: 22.39 kts
	Power going to wave formation at top speed: 69 %
	Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 52
	Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 2.00 degrees
	Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
	Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
	   - Stem:		24.00 ft / 7.32 m
	   - Forecastle (20 %):	18.00 ft / 5.49 m
	   - Mid (50 %):		18.00 ft / 5.49 m
	   - Quarterdeck (15 %):	18.00 ft / 5.49 m
	   - Stern:		18.00 ft / 5.49 m
	   - Average freeboard:	18.48 ft / 5.63 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
	Space	- Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 188.5 %
		- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 95.1 %
	Waterplane Area: 8,903 Square feet or 827 Square metres
	Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 66 %
	Structure weight / hull surface area: 37 lbs/sq ft or 182 Kg/sq metre
	Hull strength (Relative):
		- Cross-sectional: 0.43
		- Longitudinal: 3.05
		- Overall: 0.53
	Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is cramped
	Room for accommodation and workspaces is adequate