Reply To: Design of East Indiamen

[Gary Morgan]

Hi Sam,

On the basis of a picture being worth a thousand words, I would recommend taking a look in either Steel’s or Rees’s Naval Architecture, they both carry plans for East Indiamen and Third Rates which can be contrasted, the differing hull cross section is quite stark.

Certainly Steel’s East Indiaman at c.1250 builders tons burthen is probably very similar in size to a small third rate, such as a 64, or even possibly a 2-deck fourth rate, whichever you opt for you can then use the rigging and masting tables from Steel’s rigging, which covers all rates to make comparisons.

Gary