British Third Rate ship of the line 'Powerful' (1783)

Three Decks' Forum

Come and ask, answer or inform.

Recent updates

Update
La Persévérante (60) 1854-1867
French 60 Gun
4th Rate Frigate
Update
Le Valmy (120) 1847-1891
French 120 Gun
1st Rate Ship of the Line
1863 Renamed "Borda"
Update
Le Jupiter (90) 1831-1863
French 90 Gun
2nd Rate Ship of the Line
Update
Le Jupiter (22) 1757-1762
French 22 Gun
Privateer Frigate (Frégate Légère)
Update
Le Jupiter 1712-1712
French Privateer
Update
Le Jupiter (46) 1647-1658
French 46 Gun
2nd Rate Ship of the Line
Update
La Belle Poule (60) 1834-1861
French 60 Gun
4th Rate Frigate
Update
Poulette (20) 1799-1814
British 20 Gun
6th Rate Post Ship
Update
Poulette (28) 1793-1796
British 28 Gun
6th Rate Frigate
Update
La Poulette (4) 1793-1793
French 4 Gun
Privateer Schooner
See more...

Powerful	5921
Nominal Guns	74	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	4.7.1780	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	4.1781	BWAS-1714
Acquired	3.4.1783	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Blackwall Yard - Blackwall	BWAS-1714
Designed by	Sir Thomas SladeBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1744-1756	BWAS-1714
Constructor	John PerryBritish Ship Builder Service 1743-1810	BWAS-1714
Category	Third Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Ship of the Line	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Broken Up	5.1812	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck168' 6"Imperial Feet51.2086
Length of Keel138' 1"Imperial Feet42.0631
Breadth47' 0 ¾"Imperial Feet14.3447
Depth in Hold19' 8 ½"Imperial Feet5.8039
Draught Forward12' 8"Imperial Feet3.7592
Draught Aft18' 7"Imperial Feet5.5086
Burthen1,626 ⁷⁴⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

3.4.1783Broadside Weight = 781 Imperial Pound ( 354.1835 kg)BWAS-1793
Lower Gun Deck28 British 32-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck28 British 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck14 British 9-Pounder
Forecastle4 British 9-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
8.12.1765550Design Complement

11 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
22.4.1783 - 22.5.1786Captain ADM 6/23/54BWAS-171422.5.1786 - 1.7.1788Captain Transfered ADM 6/23/335BWAS-171415.10.1790 - 1.12.1792Captain ADM 6/24/78ADM 6/241.12.1792 - 4.12.1793Captain ADM 6/24/182BWAS-17144.12.1793 - 22.8.1794Captain ADM 6/24/288BWAS-17144.1795 - 8.1795Captain: on board from 1.6.1795BWAS-17148.1795 - 7.3.1800CaptainBWAS-17148.1805 - 12.1807CaptainBWAS-171412.1807CommanderBWAS-171412.1807 - 1808CaptainBWAS-17142.1809 - 12.10.1809CaptainBWAS-1714

2 Flag Officers

DatesRankNameSource
c.22.5.1786 - 9.7.1788Rear-Admiral of the WhiteBWAS-171418.9.1795 - 30.3.1796Rear-Admiral of the Red Transferedref:616

4 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
16.10.1790 - 1790Second Lieutenant ADM 6/24/79ADM 6/2416.10.1790 - 1790Fourth Lieutenant ADM 6/24/79ADM 6/2419.10.1790 - 1790First Lieutenant ADM 6/24/79ADM 6/2420.8.1805 - 13.9.1805Acting LieutenantNBD1849

3 Warrant Officers

DatesRankNameSource
24.4.1783 - 19.5.1786MasterADM 29-116.10.1790 - 1790Chaplain ADM 6/24/79ADM 6/246.10.1796 - 7.12.1796ChaplainADM 29-1

3 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
27.4.1783 - 25.9.1783Midshipman Transfered ADM 196/5/1ADM 19617.2.1788 - 9.7.1788Midshipman Transfered ADM 196/5/1ADM 1964.1801 - 5.1803Master's MateNBD1849

1 Crewman

DatesRatingNameSource
1788Captain's ServantNL1865

Service History

DateEventSource
11.8.1783Completed at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich at a cost of £12587.18.2dBWAS-1714
5.1788Began small repair at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1714
9.7.1788Paid offADM 33
3.1789Completed small repair at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £12229.5.2dBWAS-1714
3.1793Began fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1714
1.1794Completed fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £9959.0.0dBWAS-1714
15.1.1794Sailed for JamaicaBWAS-1714
22.8.1794

Paid off

ADM 51
7.1795fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £10381.0.0dBWAS-1714
5.1797refitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £8924.0.0dBWAS-1714
11.10.1797Battle of Camperdown
2.1798refitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £7061.0.0dBWAS-1714
2.6.1798Sailed for the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
7.3.1800Paid offADM 33
3.1801refitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £11235.0.0dBWAS-1714
5.7.1802Paid offADM 33
3.1805Began repairs at UnknownBWAS-1714
8.1805Completed repairs at a cost of £30065.0.0dBWAS-1714
11.1805Off CadizBWAS-1714
1806In the Mediterranean and then the East IndiesBWAS-1714
13.6.1806Took the Privateer BG
9.7.1806Took the Frigate off Ceylonref:692
27.11.1806Off JavaBWAS-1714
12.1807At SourabayaBWAS-1714
1808At the Cape of Good HopeBWAS-1714
28.7.1809Expedition to the Scheldt
12.10.1809Paid offADM 33
5.1812Broken up at ChathamBWAS-1714

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

BWAS-1793Rif Winfield, Book

ADM 6/24 Archive

ref:616Nicholas Tracy, Book

NBD1849O'Brien, Digital Book

ADM 29-1 Document

ADM 196 Document

NL1865The Admiralty, Digital Book

ADM 33 Archive

ADM 51 Archive

BGOfficial, Web Site

ref:692Jean Jacques Salein, Web Site

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Tim Oakley on Wednesday 24th of November 2021 19:16

Powerful appears to have been commanded by Captain Sir Francis Laforey between Feb 1801 and March 1802

Make a comment about this page

Recent comments to other pages

Date posted	By	Page
Saturday 4th of December 2021 22:56	AvM	British sloop 'Fawn' (1807) (18) 1807-1818 British 18 Gun Unrated Sloop
Saturday 4th of December 2021 22:55	AvM	British sloop 'Falcon' (1801) (16) 1801-1816 British 16 Gun Unrated Sloop
Saturday 4th of December 2021 22:45	AvM	American Privateer sloop 'Rapid' (1812) (14) 1812-1812 American 14 Gun Privateer Sloop
Saturday 4th of December 2021 17:46	AvM	Siege of Sevastopol
Saturday 4th of December 2021 17:42	AvM	American Merchant sloop 'Hannibal' (1810) 1810-1812 American Merchant Sloop

GDPR Statement