French Fourth Rate ship of the line 'L'Utile' (1764)

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L'Utile
Nominal Guns	56	NNF-1715
Nationality	Royaume de France
Operator	Marine Royale
Keel Laid Down	5.1763	NNF-1715
Launched	14.8.1764	NNF-1715
First Commissioned	12.1764	NNF-1715
How acquired	Purpose built	NNF-1715
Shipyard	Bordeaux - Guyenne	NNF-1715
Ship Class	Bordelais Class (1763)	NNF-1715
Designed by	Antoine GroignardFrench Naval Sailor Designer Ship Builder Administrator Service 1744-1798	NNF-1715
Constructor	Leon-Michel GuignaceFrench Designer Ship Builder Service 1751-1802	NNF-1715
Category	Fourth Rate	NNF-1715
National Rate	Second Rang	NNF-1715
Ship Type	Ship of the Line	NNF-1715
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	NNF-1715
Broken Up	1792	NNF-1715

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentNNF-1715
Length of Gundeck156' 0"French Feet (Pied du Roi)50.6688 (166′ 2″ Imperial)
Length of Keel139' 0"French Feet (Pied du Roi)45.1472 (148′ 1″ Imperial)
Breadth40' 6"French Feet (Pied du Roi)13.1544 (43′ 1″ Imperial)
Depth in Hold19' 8"French Feet (Pied du Roi)6.1953 (20′ 3″ Imperial)
Burthen1,100Ton

Armament

12.1764Broadside Weight = 690 French Livre (744.648 lbs 337.755 kg)NNF-1715
Lower Gun Deck24 French 36-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck26 French 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck6 French 8-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
12.1764560 NNF-1715

1 Flag Officer

DatesRankNameSource
1765Chef d'Escadreref:631

1 Commissioned Officer

DatesRankNameSource
1765 - 27.6.1765Lieutenant de Vaisseau†ref:631

1 Petty Officer

DatesRatingNameSource
1765 - 27.6.1765Garde de la Marineref:673

Service History

DateEventSource
31.5.1765Blockade of the Pirates of Salé
25.6.1765Larache Expedition
12.1771Condemned at BrestNNF-1715
1773Refitted as a Unrated Hulk

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

NNF-1715Alain Demerliac, Book

ref:631 Web Site

ref:673 Web Site

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Date posted	By	Page
Friday 24th of July 2026 08:52	Jon Miller	Philip AffleckBritish Naval Sailor Service 1743-1799
Friday 24th of July 2026 08:41	Jon Miller	George SarradineBritish Naval Sailor Service 1794-1802
Friday 24th of July 2026 08:28	Jon Miller	British Other Vessels discovery vessel 'Discovery' (1789) (10) 1789-1834 British 10 Gun Other Discovery Vessel
Friday 24th of July 2026 08:15	Jon Miller	Mark RobinsonBritish Naval Sailor Service 1740-1787
Friday 24th of July 2026 06:56	Jon Miller	British Fifth Rate frigate 'Ethalion' (1797) (38) 1797-1799 British 38 Gun 5th Rate Frigate

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