Royal navy conversion of captured ships

[Aldaris]

Hi all,

 

I would like to ask the knowledgable Admiralty around that fill gaps in my humble knowledge of nautical information.
I wonder what actually happened to ships in the 18. And 19. Century with prized captures if the Royal Navy wanted to use them in service again? What did they do to the ship itself? What they changed or altered on the prize ships? Repaint? Rerigged? Or just slapped a new flag and done with it?

Thanks in advance,

Thomas

from Ireland 

[Kenchington]

Short answer: It depends -- or I should say "depended".

 

Depended on what was captured, how much damage had been done in the capturing, what need the captors had for the captured, what facilities were available for work on the vessel, how urgent the need to get her into service ... and probably a lot more besides. Given time and other resources, hulls could be strengthened, rigs converted to RN standards, guns replaced (along with all of the other armament gear to suit the new weapons) and more. Captured privateers might be converted into anti-privateering patrol vessels -- a different role requiring heavier armament, more stores etc., hence substantial conversion.

 

Trevor

[chris watton]

As Kenchington says, it depends.

Some were given just the basics, capstan and positions changed, top hamper, boat stowage and armament (?)

Some were changed almost beyond recognition with stern and side galleries changed to have a more British navy aesthetic, even the figurehead, deck hatch changes, upper bulwarks usually berthed up (if we’re talking late 18th/early 19th Century) and upper deck armament changed to carronades.

There are many plans showing the vessel ‘as built’ in the French yards and as rebuilt by British yards.
 

[Lieste]

Sometimes the ship is commissioned into the cruising fleet 'as is' after repair if needed - HMS surprise (ex L'Unite corvette) was still armed with her French 8 Livre and 4 Livre guns when she sailed to Jamaica in 1796. On arrival at Plymouth in 1798 she was remasted, her spardeck bulwarks were built up, French guns removed and the plan was for British equivalents to replace them (9 pdr, 4 pdr guns 12 pdr carronades... but the Admiralty was persuaded to replace them with a carronade heavy armament of 32pdr and 18pdr carronades (and either a 4pdr or 6pdr chase gun pair).

Things could be similar for the French too.. 2 of the French fleet at Trafalgar were previously British ships and still carried their British guns. 

For rigging, even if the sticks are the original foreign materials, the rigging might be adapted towards normal national practice, during repairs or while otherwise idle.

[Aldaris]

Thanks the reply Trevor and Chris. 
 

Currently I am preoccupied by Columbus' fleet (Nina, Pinta, St. Maria), but I already look for my next project.

 

As the current project is more of a return to the hobby, I am shy about it. Made mistakes and had to salvage old Amati sets. 
 

as for next project: I was thinking make the HMS Nassau aka the HDMS Holsteen using Norske Love Kit and wondered if I attempt this how much changes I might need. I researched Holsteen  but foound the stern and the hull similar enough. 

 

My decision to go this route as some ships like Caldercraft ones are very expensive to get with the extra custom duty. Amati is beyond my price range but Norske Love has a good price range and the quality considered good. Also find the conversion idea intriguing. If you have any better Idea I am all ears,  as my aim is getting a ship from 18th or early 19th century from the Royal Navy. Preferably frigates or ship of the line. 
 

so TLDR: plan to buy Norske Love by Billing Boats, but want to convert it to a Royal navy HMS Nassau . Assuming Norske Love is similar enough for being in place for Holsteen. I look cor help here to give me advice what to look for.

 

Thx again

 

Thomas

[Dr PR]

I came across descriptions of changes the British made to captured American Baltimore clippers - fast topsail schooners. The American rigging was too radical for the Brits - too much sail are. They had a tendency to capsize in strong winds - just blown over before the sails could be reefed. So the British shortened the masts and reduced the sail area.

 

Then the vessels slogged along like all other British vessels of the time, and the faster American schooners ran circles around them. The faster ships could control the engagement - there are some interesting accounts of these actions.

 

After a few of these experiences the Brits began installing taller masts and larger sail areas on their schooners to be able to compete with the American schooners.

[Aldaris]

On 10/31/2025 at 2:08 PM, Lieste said:

Sometimes the ship is commissioned into the cruising fleet 'as is' after repair if needed - HMS surprise (ex L'Unite corvette) was still armed with her French 8 Livre and 4 Livre guns when she sailed to Jamaica in 1796. On arrival at Plymouth in 1798 she was remasted, her spardeck bulwarks were built up, French guns removed and the plan was for British equivalents to replace them (9 pdr, 4 pdr guns 12 pdr carronades... but the Admiralty was persuaded to replace them with a carronade heavy armament of 32pdr and 18pdr carronades (and either a 4pdr or 6pdr chase gun pair).

Things could be similar for the French too.. 2 of the French fleet at Trafalgar were previously British ships and still carried their British guns. 

For rigging, even if the sticks are the original foreign materials, the rigging might be adapted towards normal national practice, during repairs or while otherwise idle.

Thanks for this info Lieste.

I wonder if the Danish ships was treated the same as well... HDMS Holsteen was captured in 1801 by the Brits and they reused it as HMS Nassau. They used it to capture other ships in the Napoleonic wars. She even served in the second battle of Copenhagen in 1807.

So she must have been a fine ship. 
My guess is that she was repainted and rearmed and rerigged.

[Chapman]

Quote

I wonder if the Danish ships was treated the same as well... HDMS Holsteen was captured in 1801 by the Brits and they reused it as HMS Nassau. They used it to capture other ships in the Napoleonic wars. She even served in the second battle of Copenhagen in 1807.

So she must have been a fine ship. 
My guess is that she was repainted and rearmed and rerigged.

Hi Aldaris

Some basic information about the armament.

https://threedecks.org/index.php?display_type=show_ship&id=4754

The NMM Museum might also have plans for the Holsteen/Nassau.

 

[uss frolick]

Since the Baltic waters were really shallow, locally built ships had to utilize lower draughts of water than standard English ships. This made Danish and Dutch captures very valuable to the RN, as they had lost many vessels to grounding. But these shallow draught ships had rounder, necessarily more-buoyant midship sections, which made them slower than French or English equivalents (with some exceptions). This made them less useful outside this theatre of operations.  I refer you to Preserved Killick's repeated references to "fat arsed dutch-built buggers".

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

  After its capture in September 1780, the U.S. brig Fair American was taken by the British and sold into service, eventually becoming a slave ship. The British Royal Navy itself did not incorporate it into its ranks for long, and it was sold in 1783 after the American Revolutionary War concluded. 

The fate of the vessel's crew was different: they were taken as prisoners of war to Forton Prison in Gosport, England. While a few managed to escape (including the captain and lieutenant), most of the crew's ultimate fate is unknown, though one seaman enlisted in the Royal Navy to avoid further imprisonment. 

The vessel itself was used for six full voyages in the triangular slave trade, before being wrecked as it began its seventh return journey. 

[bhanley]

Interesting info on Fair American. Any chance you could post the reference material you used? It would be much appreciated as this is the build in progress. 

 Bruce