"SURVEY -Tacking a Square-Rigged AoS Warship" Topic

I'm interested to understand the general opinion among AoS gamers as to the time required (number of turns x time unit represented) to tack a frigate, a two-decker, a three-decker under various weather conditions … say: light, moderate, fresh winds.

Look forward to your responses and coments.

B

I would not tack a square rigged ship unless I had a very experienced crew, too easy to go into irons. I would wear the ship, easy to do and usually faster.

Blutarski, would sea state, crew quality and ship's
readiness (rigging, etc) not enter in to the decision ?

This might be of interest:

link

Good day, Professor Mohrmann.
You are IMO correct on all counts. The ideal scenario would be a good breeze, smooth seas, ship in good repair, and competent officers and crew.

Assuming that to be the case, the question remains – what do we think would be the typical real-world time required to tack ship?

Jean Boudriot ("74 Gun Ship") mentioned as much as 15 minutes might be required to tack a circa-1780 three-decker.

B

Hi pvernon,
I don't believe that tacking ship was an intrinsically dangerous maneuver under normal conditions of wind and sea; I certainly have never read of it being considered as such in the historical literature. I do agree that wearing shp was, as a general rule, easier (and safer in connection with a formation maneuver.

But even Wearing Ship (as I understand it) required a certain degree of caution. Once headed Before the Wind and continuing the turn onto the new tack, the rudder would often have to be eased up to prevent possible broaching if any sort of sea was running,. The tactical diagrams of the frigate actions contained in Roosevelt's book on the naval war of 1812 point to such a phenomenon (which in turn suggests that the loss of distance to leeward was not strictly a matter of the ship's nominal tactical diameter. IIRC, I think Harland also made mention of this.

At least that is what I have deduced.

B

Hi 79thPA,
Touche'. I'm a subscriber to Mariner's Mirror and the French articles mentioned in the MM forum thread are actually what inspired this TMP thread.

I'm interested to understand what the gamer community thinks on this topic.

B

In the past I shared, in this forum, videos of the Star of India and the Charles W Morgan tacking. Both took under 5 minutes in light wind with volunteer crew, some working for the first time.

The Star is a handier ship than a SOL, but the Morgan is a tub and closer to an 18th century warship.

Interpret how you wish. you can check the web, the videos are still up. It is a real complicated maneuver though, requiring much coordination and sense of timing. Not easy under fire.

Hi dantheman,
Comparison of the "Star of India" and "C W Morgan" is interesting. "Star of India has a much longer and "finer" hull than that of "C W Morgan" (L/B ratio of ~5.85 versus ~3.9) and it has been my understanding that (other things being equal) shorter and beamier sailing ships (low L/B ratio) were reputed to be handier. One possible distinction is that the "Star of India" was an iron-built ship (hence heavier, with greater impetus) whereas "C W Morgan" was a lighter wooden ship.

B

What is interesting is that, either way, they tacked in similar time under similar conditions.