Novgorod

Scottish shipbuilder John Elder believed that you could create a ship with a shallower draft and a broader beam so it could carry more cannons without requiring a lot more power to move. This concept was well received by the Imperial Russian Navy, which led to the construction of a warship that was almost exactly circular.

The circular shape was supposed to provide the highest water displacement and the least amount of armor due to the short hull. With so little exposed side, you could place enormous weapons on the deck and not have to worry about heavy armaments. In addition, since it was a circle, there was a good chance that the shell would deflect if it did strike the side. Additionally, since it had no keel, it could patrol very shallow waters.

Nobody anticipated the significant issue that would cause the ship's 100-foot diameter to be delayed when it was finally constructed. The steering was essentially nonexistent because it was a circle. It took around 45 minutes to completely turn the ship around. And those were calm seas. The ship would have been completely unusable in a storm or during a battle. Additionally, the hull caused a tremendous amount of drag. So the end result was a ship that was incredibly slow and hard to steer.

Country of origin: the United Kingdom