How are ships made?

Answer 1

Modern shipbuilding practice is to build ships in several subassemblies, called blocks. The blocks are constructed from the ground up, and loaded with as much outfitting (piping, electrical wiring, equipment) as possible. The blocks are built on the ground, and then erected onto the ship. The size of the blocks depends on the shipyards lifting capacity. The larger the blocks, the more efficient the build cycle is. Once all the blocks are erected onto the ship, the ship is then launched into the water where final production work is done, and the ship is tested. An incline test is performed to test the stability of the vessel. Before delivery of the vessel to the customer, the building yard will conduct a sea trials.

Answer 2

Modern steel ships used to be built in "yards"; normally a concrete hole (dry-dock) in the ground about 900 feet long and about 150 feet wide. The ship was constructed in the "concrete hole", because when the ship's hull was completed, the hole could be flooded with water and the new ship (the hull) could be floated out into the open water. Or the vessel could be built in the open, with wood and steel frames built around the ship for construction crews to stand on as they worked. As the ship took shape, stilts were built around it, to support it in that position. When the hull was completed, logs placed under the hull would act as rollers, and the vessel would be pushed rear-ward into the water, or side ways into the water. Once the vessel was afloat, the superstructure would be worked on. For small vessels, such as WW1 type destroyers (Clemson class-flush decked four stackers), often times the complete ship could be finished in the yards prior to launching into the water.

Answer 3

Naval ships are made of a strong steel alloy. The pressure hulls of most submarines are made of a special steel alloy that will allow for it to be subjected to cyclic stress due to extreme changes in pressure that it experiences when it submerges to the depths of the ocean. The pressure hulls of Russian submarines made of titanium, and the Chinese use what is called glass-reinforced plastic or GRP.

The decks of many WWII naval vessels, including submarines were often made of wood, such as teak.