French Third Rate ship of the line 'L'Actif' (1757)

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Santisima Trinidad (136) 1805-1805
British 136 Gun
1st Rate Ship of the Line
(1805)
Nuestra Señora de la Santísima Trinidad (116) 1769-1805
Spanish 116 Gun
1st Rate Ship of the Line
(1769)
Drake (14) 1798-1804
British 14 Gun
Unrated Sloop
(1798)
Drake (14) 1798-1804
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Magicienne (32) 1781-1810
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L'Africaine (18) 1796-1796
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Unrated Unknown
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L'Actif
Nominal Guns	74	NNF-1715
Nationality	Royaume de France
Operator	Marine Royale
Keel Laid Down	4.1757	NNF-1715
Launched	5.10.1757	NNF-1715
First Commissioned	4.1768	NNF-1715
How acquired	Purpose built	NNF-1715
Shipyard	Brest - Brittany	NNF-1715
Ship Class	Actif Class (1757)	NNF-1715
Constructor	Joseph-Louis OllivierFrench Designer Ship Builder Service 1727-1771	NNF-1715
Category	Third Rate	NNF-1715
Ship Type	Ship of the Line	NNF-1715
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	NNF-1715
Sold	1784	NNF-1715

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentW033
Length of Gundeck169' 6"French Feet (Pied du Roi)54.8936 (180′ 1″ Imperial)
Breadth43' 0"French Feet (Pied du Roi)13.9664 (45′ 9″ Imperial)
Depth in Hold20' 9"French Feet (Pied du Roi)6.7396 (22′ 1″ Imperial)
DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentNNF-1715
Length of Gundeck169' 6"French Feet (Pied du Roi)54.8936 (180′ 1″ Imperial)
Breadth43'French Feet (Pied du Roi)13.9935 (45′ 10″ Imperial)
Depth in Hold20' 9"French Feet (Pied du Roi)6.7396 (22′ 1″ Imperial)
Burthen1,500Ton

Armament

4.1768Broadside Weight = 838 French Livre (904.3696 lbs 410.201 kg)NNF-1715
Lower Gun Deck28 French 36-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck30 French 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck/Forecastle16 French 8-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
4.17687216 officers, 715 crewNNF-1715

3 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
1777Capitaine de Vaisseauref:67317.5.1780 - 23.3.1781Brigadier des Armées Navalesref:12751782Capitaine de VaisseauFWIKI

2 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
1777Capitaine de Vaisseauref:6734.1781 - 1781Capitaine de Vaisseau, capitaine en secondref:631

Service History

DateEventSource
1777

In the Squadron of Evolutions .

ref:673
27.7.17781st Battle of Ushant
14.5.1781Actif v Nonsuch
12.12.17812nd Battle of Ushant
20.10.1782Battle of Cape Spartel

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

FWIKIVarious, Web Site

NNF-1715Alain Demerliac, Book

W033Ronald Deschenes, Web Site

ref:1275 Web Site

ref:631 Web Site

ref:673 Web Site

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jason M Archer on Tuesday 13th of April 2021 04:59

Launch date is actually 5.10.1767. I don't know the laid down date.

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Recent comments to other pages

Date posted	By	Page
Wednesday 22nd of July 2026 04:24	F.F.	British First Rate ship of the line 'Santisima Trinidad' (1805) (136) 1805-1805 British 136 Gun 1st Rate Ship of the Line
Wednesday 22nd of July 2026 01:36	F.F.	Spanish First Rate ship of the line 'Nuestra Señora de la Santísima Trinidad' (1769) (116) 1769-1805 Spanish 116 Gun 1st Rate Ship of the Line
Tuesday 21st of July 2026 16:47	Jon Miller	British sloop 'Drake' (1798) (14) 1798-1804 British 14 Gun Unrated Sloop
Tuesday 21st of July 2026 16:46	Jon Miller	British sloop 'Drake' (1798) (14) 1798-1804 British 14 Gun Unrated Sloop
Tuesday 21st of July 2026 16:45	Jon Miller	British Fifth Rate frigate 'Magicienne' (1781) (32) 1781-1810 British 32 Gun 5th Rate Frigate

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