Dutch Third Rate ship of the line 'Hercules' (1781)

Three Decks' Forum

Come and ask, answer or inform.

Recent updates

Update
Pedro de Linze y BerasteguiSpanish
Ship Owner
Service 1754-1769
Update
Galga (36) 1744-1784
Spanish 36 Gun
Privateer Frigate
Added
Lorenzo BeyenisSpanish
Ship Owner
Service 1769
Update
Juan Agustin de IradySpanish
Naval Sailor
Update
Guipuzcoano (64) 1778-1780
Spanish 64 Gun
Merchant Ship of the Line
Update
San Rafael (30) 1774-1780
Spanish 30 Gun
Merchant Frigate
Update
Luis ArburuSpanish
Naval Sailor
Update
Fermín UrtizbereaSpanish
Naval Sailor
Service 1780
Update
San Carlos (32) 1772-1780
Spanish 32 Gun
Merchant Frigate
Added
San Ignacio de Loyola (50) 1766-1779
Spanish 50 Gun
Merchant Ship
See more...

Recent Comments

Brave (12) 1798-1799
British 12 Gun
Hired Cutter
(1798)
Earl of Mornington (14) 1799-1804
British 14 Gun
Merchant Packet
(1799)
Concorde (36) 1783-1811
British 36 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
(1783)
Rambler (14) 1796-1810
British 14 Gun
Unrated Cutter
(1796)
Impregnable (98) 1786-1799
British 98 Gun
2nd Rate Ship of the Line
(1786)
Earl of Wycombe (Unknown) 1786-1800
British Unknown Gun
Merchant East Indiaman
(1786)
Belvedere (Unknown) 1787-1805
British Unknown Gun
Merchant East Indiaman
(1787)
Taunton Castle (Unknown) 1790-1812
British Unknown Gun
Merchant East Indiaman
(1790)
Carnatic (26) 1787-1802
British 26 Gun
Merchant East Indiaman
(1787)
Loyalist (Unknown) 1796-1803
British Unknown Gun
Merchant East Indiaman
(1796)
See more...

Hercules
Nominal Guns	66	M01
Nationality	Dutch Republic
Operator	Admiralty of the Maze
Launched	12.4.1781	M01
How acquired	Purpose built	M01
Shipyard	Dordrecht - Holland	M01
Constructor	Jacob SpaansDutch Ship Builder	M01
Category	Third Rate	M01
National Rate	Third Charter	M01
Ship Type	Ship of the Line	M01
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	M01
Captured	11.10.1797	BWAS-1793
Becomes	British Third Rate ship of the line 'Delft' (1797) (64) 1797-1822 British 64 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentM01
Length of Gundeck167' 0"Amsterdam Feet47.2777 (155′ 1″ Imperial)
Breadth46' 3"Amsterdam Feet13.0355 (42′ 9″ Imperial)
Depth in Hold20' 0"Amsterdam Feet5.662 (18′ 6″ Imperial)
Draught Forward21' 8"Amsterdam Feet6.151 (20′ 2″ Imperial)
Draught Aft22' 8"Amsterdam Feet6.3311 (20′ 9″ Imperial)

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1781450 M01

1 Ship Commander

DatesRankNameSource
1797 - 11.10.1797CommandeurE-WIKI

Service History

DateEventSource
11.10.1797Battle of Camperdown
11.10.1797Taken by the British at the Battle of Camperdown

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

BWAS-1793Rif Winfield, Book

E-WIKIVarious, Web Site

M01Ron van Maanen, Document

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jon Miller on Saturday 13th of June 2026 12:08

The Haerlem, Wassenaer, Hercules, and Gelyckheid, Dutch prizes, are expected in port, in a day or two. All the Dutch ships, lately captured, are arrived at Blackstakes, and a most shocking spectacle they are; the greatest part of them must be either broke up or sold, as gthey are literally shot to pieces. [Hampshire Chronicle, 9 December 1797]

Make a comment about this page

Recent comments to other pages

Date posted	By	Page
Saturday 25th of July 2026 17:30	Paul Howard	British hired cutter 'Brave' (1798) (12) 1798-1799 British 12 Gun Hired Cutter
Saturday 25th of July 2026 16:05	Jon Miller	British Merchant packet 'Earl of Mornington' (1799) (14) 1799-1804 British 14 Gun Merchant Packet
Saturday 25th of July 2026 15:59	Jon Miller	British Fifth Rate frigate 'Concorde' (1783) (36) 1783-1811 British 36 Gun 5th Rate Frigate
Saturday 25th of July 2026 15:58	Jon Miller	British cutter 'Rambler' (1796) (14) 1796-1810 British 14 Gun Unrated Cutter
Saturday 25th of July 2026 14:03	Jon Miller	British Second Rate ship of the line 'Impregnable' (1786) (98) 1786-1799 British 98 Gun 2nd Rate Ship of the Line

GDPR Statement