Hood was used in the development of anti-torpedo bulges in 1913 and was scuttled in late 1914 to act as a blockship across the southern entrance of Portland Harbour after the start of World War I.

Low freeboard had been popular for around ten years since it required less armour and made a smaller target for gunfire to hit, although it had the disadvantage that it reduced seaworthiness.

This low freeboard meant that Hood was very wet in rough weather and her maximum speed reduced rapidly as the wave height increased, making her only suitable for service in the relatively calm Mediterranean.

[1 1] Hood's half-sisters mounted their guns exposed on top of barbettes, a much lighter arrangement that allowed their freeboard to be substantially increased.

[5] Because the stability of a ship is largely due to freeboard at high rolling angles, she was given a larger metacentric height (the vertical distance between the metacenter and the centre of gravity below it) of around 4.1 feet (1.2 m) instead of the 3.6 feet (1.1 m) of the rest of the Royal Sovereigns to make her roll less in rough seas.

This had the effect of making her roll period shorter by around 7% compared to her sisters, which in turn made her gunnery less accurate.

Eight water-tube boilers provided steam to the engines, which produced a maximum of 11,000 indicated horsepower (8,200 kW) when forced.

She carried a maximum of 1,490 long tons (1,510 t) of coal, enough to steam 4,720 nautical miles (8,740 km; 5,430 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).

Hood's secondary armament consisted of ten 40-calibre 6-inch Mk I-III guns mounted in casemates in the superstructure.

Fore and aft bulkheads, 16–14-inch (406–356 mm) thick respectively, closed off the ends of the central citadel at the level of the waterline.

[7] Her assignment to the Mediterranean Fleet was delayed when she sprang a leak in her forward compartments on 7 June 1893 as a result of faulty riveting and excessive strain on the hull when she had been docked.

In May 1896, Hood steamed from Malta to Crete to protect British interests and subjects there during unrest among Cretan Greeks who opposed the Ottoman Empire′s rule of the island.

The squadron, which formed in February 1897, bombarded insurgent forces, put sailors and marines ashore to occupy key cities, and blockaded Crete and key ports in Greece, actions which brought organized fighting on the island to an end by late March 1897.

Seven months later, on 12 December 1900, Hood recommissioned to relieve the elderly ironclad Thunderer as port guard ship at Pembroke Dock.

Two days before the exercises ended, Hood damaged her rudder on the seabed while leaving Argostoli Harbor on 4 October 1902.

In September 1910 Hood recommissioned to serve as flagship of the Senior Naval Officer, Coast of Ireland Station, while continuing as a receiving ship.