Which critical design flaw in 18th-century wooden warships accelerated structural failure during heavy storms?

💡 Explanation

When 18th-century warships experienced heavy storms, inadequate iron strapping distribution allowed differential flexing of hull planks because the iron straps couldn't effectively distribute stress, leading to joint weakening and leakage. Therefore structural failure accelerated, rather than increased lever force, rot, or keel instability, which rely on different mechanisms influencing ship stability and material integrity.

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