They built a ship called Vasa which was so loaded with cannons that it sank immediately after leaving the harbor on its maiden voyage: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasa_(ship)
IIRC it was really top heavy and would have sunk anyways without the cannons, as the geometry and ballast space ratios were hopelessly f'ed... I remember something about testing it by running sailors from one side of the ship to the other and the captain? Admiral? wanted to nope out of it but the orders to launch stood.
Wow, even with restoration, those pictures make it look like it is in shockingly good shape. I would expect hundreds of years in seawater to leave essentially nothing remaining.
The section about conservation in that article is quite fascinating. Apparently the worms are also missing because of pollution in that part of the Baltic Sea, and said pollution is now destroying the ship anyway.
