I keep losing

[jackc]

Doesn't matter if I use the canned version or design my own, my ships are constantly being taken apart before they can have much effect on the enemy.

one example: Last game, my 2 battleships were hit and damaged by secondaries before my own (8") secondaries

 would open, obviously, mine were in range (and for some time).

Several other things of this sort happen and I have had to play over and over to get a win, it's gotten tiresome.

Would it be possible or of use to download again? If so, how to?

[Hardlec]

Try replaying the same battle several times,  the first time letting the AI command your ships.  See what happens.

There are many things to consider.  Have you set your guns to "Aggressive" or Normal?  Did you put "enough" resources to fire control? Turret speed? Reload time?  

If your enemy has better fire control and spotting, you will be targeted much further away that you can target the enemy.  Range has more to do with fire control than how far a gun can hurl a shell.

Of course, there could be a glitch in the system somewhere.  The ontology of the scatological is incontrovertible.