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This article article attempts to collate information as to the manoeuvrability of 17/18C. sailing warshps, in particular of the time and space required for tacking (changing direction by turning into the wind) and wearing (changing direction by turning away from the wind). The information is clearly far from complete and any ammendments or additions would be welcome, especially for the minimum turning circle in battle.

Frigates and under
'Niger', (1757), a "star performer" will "tack in it's own length", although no time given.

From a speed of 6 knots, a French frigate of the 1780's, about 40m long "will tack in 5 to 6 minutes."

The brig 'Pantaloon' (1831) "tacked per signal at 10.43, trimmed at 10.49." Six minutes seems long for a brig, but 'trimmed' implies perhaps not just the time to get round, but an inclusive time for the manoeuvre, perhaps like the French frigate. 'Pantaloon' then reported 1.5 minutes in stays on several occasions.

'Acorn' (12 gun brig) reported to "stay as fast as men can go from brace to brace"

Ships of the Line
Sea trials of the Swedish ship of the line 'Wasa' (60 guns, 1779). Length 48.11 meters, beam, 13.51 m. In a fresh topsail breeze, at a speed of four knots and six fathoms, quoted as tacking in 2 1/2 minutes. The wearing time is quoted as being the same.

Starting close-hauled at 9 knots, a 74 will tack in 9 mins. 20 sec, with corresponding times for other speeds.

'The Queen', 110 guns, built in 1839 could tack in 3.5 minutes in moderate weather.

'HMS Vernon' (2 decks 2000 tons, 1835) From the time helm put up until close to wind on opposite tack, 5 mins. But in another trial in head sea, went round in 2.5 mins, also 'wore like a cutter'.

Writing of ships sailing in line and tacking in succession, (so presumably ships of the line) "At the moderate tacking speed of 6 knots, few or no modern ships go about and gather way in less than three or four minutes". And also: "4 minutes is not long to be in stays". But: "Twenty years ago, they whirled about like tubs." (So perhaps at that earlier time even a ship of the line could tack in three or four minutes.)  There is more than one edition of this reference, and at least one of them omits this observation.

In a force 3 wind, (a gentle breeze), the 1860 iron-clad 'The Warrior' took 7 minutes to tack.

Relative time to tack for French and English Ships
It is surprising that the British times quoted for manoeuvres are about half those given by Boudriot, because no one has ever suggested that the French were normally any less skilful as seamen. There are three possible explanations:

(1) It is clear that the British and American times were with all crew prepared and was only the bare time from start of turn to getting on to the new course. It may be that the French times included the whole routine of getting the crew into position and finally going back to normal duties. As a possible instance of this, you will see below that an 80 gun ship and a 40 gun frigate gave the same times for wearing -about 6 minutes. However, the fact that the frigate finished about 460 yards upwind of the 80 gun ship would suggest to me that the frigate turned a much smaller (and so therefore quicker) turning circle than the other but the crew sailed happily on close-hauled, coiling every rope etc. before reporting the manoeuvre as complete.

(2) Considering frigates, the mid-late 18C British frigate was shorter than the equivalent French one, with a lower length/breadth ratio and deeper relative draft. This gave the French hull higher speed in optimum light-medium wind conditions and a flat sea, though not in rough conditions. The shorter British hull would turn faster, was considered more manoeuvrable and handier, and would be expected either to tack or wear quicker than the French frigate hull design.

But here is another quote:-

.....Two of the enemy's sloops of war .... were captured. Some of the officers from these vessels .... became my messmates ...(on the 'Defence'). One of them, a gentleman of fortune, had been ruined by the Revolution, and had taken to the naval service of his country as his last resource..... He spoke in very high terms of the discipline of the French fleet (1794) .... Nevertheless he could not help expressing his astonishment at the cleanliness and good order of the 'Defence'. .... He watched all the motions of our fleet with extreme anxiety, and the manoeuvre which seemed to attract his attention most was the rapidity with which our ships were tacked; often within five minutes, whereas the French ships, he told us, were always a 1/4 of an hour under that evolution.

If the French navy could accept the above gentleman, they were obviously using officers without the many years of training in seamanship that British officers (and many of their men) would have had. So it looks rather as if a little of all three circumstances conspired to produce the final effect. It is not to be supposed that the discrepancy was permanent - British ships gradually gained in size and the French officers and men would gain in experience.

Frigates and under
'Niger' (1757), the "star performer " wore in 4 times it's own length. No time given.

'Tweed' (6th rate, 28 guns, 1823) "Will wear in her own length.", but no time given.

Ships of the Line
'Wasa' 60 guns, 1779. (see above) Length 48.11 meters, beam, 13.51 m.:- In a fresh topsail breeze, at a speed of four knots and six fathoms, quoted as wearing in 2 1/2 minutes.

Starting close-hauled at 9 knots, a 74 will wear in 12 mins, with corresponding times for other speeds.

In an experiment, an 80 gun ship, a 50 gun razzee (a ship cut down by one deck) and a 40 gun frigate all took approximately six minutes to wear, though no speeds were given. The frigate gained 460 yards to windward on the other two, so its 6 minutes to tack may be pessimistic.

In a force 3 wind, (a gentle breeze), the 1860 iron-clad 'The Warrior' took a surprising 48 minutes to wear. With a stronger wind it wore in 16 minutes.

'Captain' 74, 170ft gun deck. At 1pm, Nelson saw signal to tack, but considered the situation and wore instead. Was in action by 1.15, having sailed some distance, (so 6 minutes to wear seems quite possible).

TURNING CIRCLES
There are here only some very doubtful calculations of these derived from one or two descriptions of battle manoeuvres. It could possibly be the same as the circle described in wearing, but from this, one can calculate radii of about 300 metres even for Fincham's ships - not the tight turn one might hope for in a battle. Assuming that wearing in 4 times it's own length meant, not the distance sailed, but the amount of sea-room required or the ground lost in the manoeuvre, Niger, with a length of about 40 metres, would have had a turning radius of about 80m.

RESEARCH
Some of the above information has come from searches in the Library of the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich in London, other has been sent to the auther by helpful correspondents. A few captain's logs and reports in the Public Record Office have been studied, visits made to the maritime museum in Rotterdam and Bremerhaven, (where the directors were very helpful) and the principal American maritime museums were written to. None of these could provide information, however.

It is possible that the library of the Musée de la Marine in Paris would have information that would make an attempt worth while.

IS THERE A DEFINITIVE ANSWER?
In terms of exact times for particular classes of ship, obviously not, because it will all depend on the particular vessel, the crew, the wind, the sea etc. A frigate should turn quicker than a 74, and the reports show quicker and slower examples of both. It is likely that any tests would have been conducted with experienced crews, and Boudriot and others have suggested that a faster speed results in a quicker turn. Allowing for all this, it would seem that there is a minimum time of 2.5 minutes for top-class ships of the line, with 5 minutes fairly general and 1.5 minutes upwards for smaller vessels, both for tacking and wearing.

In 'Reports on the Sailing Qualities of Ships' London),' one sees captain's reports such as "tacks quickly" "wears slowly" etc. Although no actual times were seen, the writers obviously had some general times in mind in order to be able to make such comparisons.

LINKS:- Society for Nautical Research

Maritme History & Naval Heritage Site

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