Shell behavior underwater

[masterhitman]

Hello, I notice that shells generally disappear when they hit the water, will shell still penetrate while underwater?

[Nooop]

A Treatise on Naval Gunnery

"In consequence of the loss of force which the balls, in all these experiments, sustamed by striking the water, it has been 
inferred that, if a shot be fired with such a depression as a ship's 
gun will bear, it will not penetrate into water more than 2 feet ; 
and consequently that it will be impossible to injure a ship by 
firing at her under water."

[Eyesore]

sometimes, cannonballs would 'skip' the surface, like skipping a rock on a pond.

[Henry d'Esterre Darby]

1 hour ago, Eyesore said:

sometimes, cannonballs would 'skip' the surface, like skipping a rock on a pond.

Correct, but they lost a TON of penetration power by doing so due to the deceleration.  Most balls that were skipping would fail to penetrate as far as i can tell from my readings.