Google up old photos of any ocean liner from the days before the jets took over, and notice how the prow always comes down at what looks like a sheer 90-degree angle relative to the surface of the water. Then hit up some images of modern cruise ships, and notice how the angle of the prow goes sharply aftwards (is that even a word?) relative to its top.
My question is, why was the general design pattern changed? And if the sharply receding prow design was better, then why couldn’t the shipwrights have used that all along?
This made me curious, so I googled and found this article which describes 10 or so different kinds of ship bows.
Basically the to;dr version is that they serve different purposes. The straight vertical or plumb bow (think Titanic) is good for speed, a raked bow (angled straight inward toward the water) maximizes deck space, and a clipper bow (curved inward toward the water) reduces pitch and wave water getting on deck.
The changes came about by using models in test water ways and computers which they did not have until 60’s. In the late 60’s it was discovered that the bulbous bow had less resistance moving through the water. So ships started being designed with the bulbous bow. On the older ships it was fun to go out on the bow and look down and see the fish swimming with the ship.