[UCANSEE2]

The damage to the Fitz, and the scuffs on the Crystal's bow are consistent with this description. I suspect if you looked below the waterline at the Crystal, the bulbous bow would show the same.

Well.... here is a picture of the bulbous bow.

[TXnMA]

And, here's the "bulbous bow" in its full, undamaged glory -- in an orthogonal view with a long lens -- without all the foreshortening and distortion that compromises other available shots:

As you can see, the underwater bulbous protrusion (aka "Ram") extends at least as far forward as the (relatively flimsy) white upper bow bulwarks and rail...

And, as is obvious from the after-colllision views, it is obviously very strong -- showing only superficial scraping damage after its devastation to the Fitzgerald's lower hull.

My expectation is that the protrusion is actually a forward extension of the ACX Crystal's keel, itself.

I have no problem postulating that it lifted and heeled over to port the Fitzgerald, and that its damage extends considerably further toward the Fitzgerald's keel than is obvious from the photos in this article.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The designers of the bow rams on ancient Phoenician, Athenian, and Roman trireme warships

would be envious... '-)