It is big, but it works: the coal-fired, reciprocating-engined Ideal Battleship

To make the coal-fired boiler, reciprocating engine version of the alternate Ideal Battleship (of Colonel Cuniberti) work, the displacement and freeboard had to be increased considerably. I am still pleased that a ship with a complete 12in belt and 24 knot speed is viable under any circumstances. This version "cheats", in that the main armament is in six twin 12in turrets, with one at each end, and two on each beam. This is the Springsharp report:

Colonel Cuniberti's ideal battleship-Modified, Great Britain Battleship laid down 1905 (Engine 1917)

Displacement:
 21,763 t light; 22,761 t standard; 25,100 t normal; 26,971 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
 523.00 ft / 520.00 ft x 82.00 ft x 29.00 ft (normal load)
 159.41 m / 158.50 m x 24.99 m  x 8.84 m

Armament:
      4 - 12.00" / 305 mm guns (2x2 guns), 864.00lbs / 391.90kg shells, 1905 Model
   Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
   on centreline ends, evenly spread
      8 - 12.00" / 305 mm guns (4x2 guns), 864.00lbs / 391.90kg shells, 1905 Model
   Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
   on side, all amidships
      12 - 3.00" / 76.2 mm guns in single mounts, 13.50lbs / 6.12kg shells, 1905 Model
   Quick firing guns in casemate mounts 
   on side, all amidships
 Weight of broadside 10,530 lbs / 4,776 kg
 Shells per gun, main battery: 80

Armour:
   - Belts:  Width (max) Length (avg)  Height (avg)
 Main: 12.0" / 305 mm 315.00 ft / 96.01 m 8.00 ft / 2.44 m
 Ends: 12.0" / 305 mm 205.00 ft / 62.48 m 8.00 ft / 2.44 m
 Upper: 12.0" / 305 mm 175.00 ft / 53.34 m 8.00 ft / 2.44 m
   Main Belt covers 93 % of normal length
   Main belt does not fully cover magazines and engineering spaces

   - Torpedo Bulkhead:
  2.00" / 51 mm 315.00 ft / 96.01 m 29.00 ft / 8.84 m

   - Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
 Main: 12.0" / 305 mm 7.00" / 178 mm  12.0" / 305 mm
 2nd: 12.0" / 305 mm 7.00" / 178 mm  12.0" / 305 mm
 3rd: 4.00" / 102 mm 4.00" / 102 mm  4.00" / 102 mm

   - Armour deck: 2.00" / 51 mm, Conning tower: 12.00" / 305 mm

Machinery:
 Coal fired boilers, complex reciprocating steam engines, 
 Direct drive, 4 shafts, 57,175 ihp / 42,652 Kw = 24.00 kts
 Range 4,800nm at 15.00 kts
 Bunker at max displacement = 4,211 tons (100% coal)

Complement:
 996 - 1,296

Cost:
 £2.389 million / $9.555 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
 Armament: 1,316 tons, 5.2 %
 Armour: 8,303 tons, 33.1 %
    - Belts: 2,967 tons, 11.8 %
    - Torpedo bulkhead: 676 tons, 2.7 %
    - Armament: 3,162 tons, 12.6 %
    - Armour Deck: 1,276 tons, 5.1 %
    - Conning Tower: 222 tons, 0.9 %
 Machinery: 3,725 tons, 14.8 %
 Hull, fittings & equipment: 8,419 tons, 33.5 %
 Fuel, ammunition & stores: 3,337 tons, 13.3 %
 Miscellaneous weights: 0 tons, 0.0 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
 Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
   26,587 lbs / 12,060 Kg = 30.8 x 12.0 " / 305 mm shells or 3.8 torpedoes
 Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.03
 Metacentric height 3.9 ft / 1.2 m
 Roll period: 17.4 seconds
 Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 52 %
   - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.84
 Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.04

Hull form characteristics:
 Hull has rise forward of midbreak
 Block coefficient: 0.710
 Length to Beam Ratio: 6.34 : 1
 'Natural speed' for length: 22.80 kts
 Power going to wave formation at top speed: 57 %
 Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
 Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): -2.00 degrees
 Stern overhang: 3.00 ft / 0.91 m
 Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
    - Stem:  30.00 ft / 9.14 m
    - Forecastle (20 %): 29.00 ft / 8.84 m
    - Mid (20 %):  29.00 ft / 8.84 m (21.00 ft / 6.40 m aft of break)
    - Quarterdeck (15 %): 21.00 ft / 6.40 m
    - Stern:  21.00 ft / 6.40 m
    - Average freeboard: 22.68 ft / 6.91 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
 Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 115.5 %
  - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 138.5 %
 Waterplane Area: 34,496 Square feet or 3,205 Square metres
 Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 96 %
 Structure weight / hull surface area: 165 lbs/sq ft or 808 Kg/sq metre
 Hull strength (Relative):
  - Cross-sectional: 0.93
  - Longitudinal: 1.89
  - Overall: 1.00
 Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is cramped
 Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent