Which structural problem commonly afflicted 18th-century warships despite coppering efforts aimed to prevent marine biofouling?

💡 Explanation

When large wooden warships experienced wave action, hogging (bow and stern higher) and sagging (midships lower) occurred through insufficient longitudinal bracing with limited understanding of stress distribution, weakening structural keel members, despite copper sheathing designed to protect their undersides. Therefore, weakening hull strength afflicted vessels, rather than rudder failure, mast collapse, or deck leaks, where they relate to different mechanisms focused on different localized areas.

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