Cannon Locations - Side to Side

[acaron41120]

Did the ships cannons on the starboard side line up directly across from the cannons on the port side? Also were the cannons set the same on a frigate/man-o-war located the same as say the Mayflower or Santa Maria etc.? Were they located that way from country to country or did it depend on which country built the ship? I've checked several model plans and Google and come up with everything lined up across from each other. Wanting to add some authenticity to my kit. Thanks for your help.

[mtaylor]

Generally speaking... yes the port side was a mirror image of the starboard side.  However, there probably were exceptions.  And once the iron/steel navies became a thing, they weren't always mirror images.

[allanyed]

On 6/28/2023 at 8:53 PM, acaron41120 said:

Also were the cannons set the same on a frigate/man-o-war located the same as say the Mayflower or Santa Maria etc.?

Regarding your builds for the Mayflower and Golden Hind, what do you mean by "set"?   Cannon were not typically run out unless being used.  If you want them as they would normally be sitting they would either be inboard with the muzzle of the barrels secured up against the bulwarks or sometimes the cannon were turned to lay next to the bulkheads in a fore and aft position.   With the tight quarters and the passengers on Mayflower having only about 70 feet of deck space, having the cannon laying fore and aft against the bulkhead may make more sense.

 

Many folks probably don't care but keep in mind that English cannon patterns  and carriages in 1577 and 1620 were different than later patterns starting with the Browne and Pitt patterns in the 1627.   Even the carriages were quite different.   Small caliber cannon carriages such as those for minions and sakers that Mayflower carried sometimes only had two rolling trucks and the rigging was different than in later years.    

 

Allan

Edited June 30, 2023 by allanyed