I'm not sure if it's common knowledge here, but in the new build the British ships are faster and more weatherly than the French ships.
This is very inaccurate for a number of reasons:
The British built ships from draughts, left the construction of the ships to the dockyard. This resulted in a general concept of a ship's 'lines' being interpreted by several authorities, and the tendency was for ships (including Slade's Victory) to be asymmetrical and oddly ballasted. Also, the
British built ships (With the exception of Thomas Slade himself) that were broad fore and aft and generally more concerned with the weight of the broadside than the speed of the vessel. Also, in England, surprising as it may seem, the shipbuilders and designers were usually quite out of touch with the forces acting on ships at sea, which were well known by seamen. British ships were usually quite good regardless, but they were never as fast as French ships.
Dutch ships, for example, were designed with shallow draughts to navigate the shoals along the coasts of the Low Countries, and as such, they had a tendency to gain leeway (get blown downwind) when closehauled and miss stays while tacking. (they were too shallow to 'bite' into the water.)
Examples of the `well-known` superiority of French designs over all other nations' are HMS Superb, who was a `74-gun` 3rd rate which performed 'like a Frigate'. Superb was originally Le Superbe of the French Navy, and she was the envy of the British fleet after her capture. In fact, she was so well liked that when she fought at Trafalgar, she was so old that she had been braced with Iron to prevent her hull from falling apart. The RN had simply refused to part with her until she could no longer float. Other examples are HMS Surprise (made famous by O'Brian) and various other French Frigates. It was common for English ships which were expected to outperform opposing vessels to find themselves run down by `well-handled` French Lineships which, when well handled, sailed faster, came up closer to the wind, and needed to carry less sail.
The problem in the Napoleonic Wars was that the French had no good crews or officers left after the Revolution, so while they continued to build superb ships, they crewed them poorly and, of course, their gunnery was poor.
Please, for the sake of history, make the French ships in the build faster and more weatherly than the British. It would be so much more fun; especially when trying to capture a French Vessel. The British ships should be the *second* best in the game, as it was in reality; regardless of the superior seamanship of the British sailor.
This is very inaccurate for a number of reasons:
The British built ships from draughts, left the construction of the ships to the dockyard. This resulted in a general concept of a ship's 'lines' being interpreted by several authorities, and the tendency was for ships (including Slade's Victory) to be asymmetrical and oddly ballasted. Also, the
British built ships (With the exception of Thomas Slade himself) that were broad fore and aft and generally more concerned with the weight of the broadside than the speed of the vessel. Also, in England, surprising as it may seem, the shipbuilders and designers were usually quite out of touch with the forces acting on ships at sea, which were well known by seamen. British ships were usually quite good regardless, but they were never as fast as French ships.
Dutch ships, for example, were designed with shallow draughts to navigate the shoals along the coasts of the Low Countries, and as such, they had a tendency to gain leeway (get blown downwind) when closehauled and miss stays while tacking. (they were too shallow to 'bite' into the water.)
Examples of the `well-known` superiority of French designs over all other nations' are HMS Superb, who was a `74-gun` 3rd rate which performed 'like a Frigate'. Superb was originally Le Superbe of the French Navy, and she was the envy of the British fleet after her capture. In fact, she was so well liked that when she fought at Trafalgar, she was so old that she had been braced with Iron to prevent her hull from falling apart. The RN had simply refused to part with her until she could no longer float. Other examples are HMS Surprise (made famous by O'Brian) and various other French Frigates. It was common for English ships which were expected to outperform opposing vessels to find themselves run down by `well-handled` French Lineships which, when well handled, sailed faster, came up closer to the wind, and needed to carry less sail.
The problem in the Napoleonic Wars was that the French had no good crews or officers left after the Revolution, so while they continued to build superb ships, they crewed them poorly and, of course, their gunnery was poor.
Please, for the sake of history, make the French ships in the build faster and more weatherly than the British. It would be so much more fun; especially when trying to capture a French Vessel. The British ships should be the *second* best in the game, as it was in reality; regardless of the superior seamanship of the British sailor.
There matey! 
<yes im the first one to greet this booty pirate! :d: > ****AHEM**** nothing matey,Nothing im very very fine well 
: ,dont worry your question will be answered 
