French Third Rate ship of the line 'Le Fantasque' (1758)

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Britannia (100) 1762-1825
British 100 Gun
1st Rate Ship of the Line
1812 Renamed "Princess Royal"
1812 Renamed "Saint George"
1819 Renamed "Barfleur"
(1762)
Devastation (6) 1841-1866
British 6 Gun
Unrated Steam Sloop
(1841)
Zephyr (8) 1790-1798
British 8 Gun
Merchant East Indiaman
(1790)
Pembroke (60) 1733-1749
British 60 Gun
4th Rate Ship of the Line
(1733)
Mercury (20) 1745-1753
British 20 Gun
6th Rate Ship
(1745)
Seahorse (24) 1748-1784
British 24 Gun
6th Rate Frigate
(1748)
Charles PowlettBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1728-1749
Namur (74) 1746-1749
British 74 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
(1746)
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3rd Rate Ship of the Line
(1746)
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Le Fantasque
Nominal Guns	64	NNF-1715
Nationality	Royaume de France
Operator	Marine Royale
Keel Laid Down	7.1757	NNF-1715
Launched	10.5.1758	NNF-1715
First Commissioned	5.1759	NNF-1715
How acquired	Purpose built	NNF-1715
Shipyard	Toulon Dockyard - Toulon	NNF-1715
Ship Class	Lion Class (1749)	NNF-1715
Designed by	Pierre-Blaise CoulombFrench Designer Ship Builder Service 1708-1758	NNF-1715
Constructor	Joseph Véronique Charles ChapelleFrench Ship Builder Service 1735-1776	NNF-1715
Category	Third Rate	NNF-1715
National Rate	Second Rang	NNF-1715
Ship Type	Ship of the Line	NNF-1715
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	NNF-1715
Hulked	11.1784	NNF-1715

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentNNF-1715
Length of Gundeck151'French Feet (Pied du Roi)49.0453 (160′ 10″ Imperial)
Length of Keel134'French Feet (Pied du Roi)43.5264 (142′ 9″ Imperial)
Breadth40' 6"French Feet (Pied du Roi)13.1544 (43′ 1″ Imperial)
Depth in Hold19' 6"French Feet (Pied du Roi)6.1892 (20′ 3″ Imperial)
Burthen1,150Ton

Armament

5.1759Broadside Weight = 510 French Livre (550.392 lbs 249.645 kg)NNF-1715
Lower Gun Deck26 French 24-Pounder
Lower Gun Deck28 French 12-Pounder
Quarterdeck/Forecastle10 French 6-Pounder

3.1780Broadside Weight = 198 French Livre (213.6816 lbs 96.921 kg)E-WIKI
Middle Gun Deck28 French 12-Pounder
Quarterdeck/Forecastle10 French 6-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
5.17594899 officers, 480 menNNF-1715

2 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
4.1777 - 1779Capitaine de VaisseauFWIKI1780 - 1782Capitaine de FrégateE-WIKI

Service History

DateEventSource
14.12.1778Battle of St. Lucia
6.7.1779Battle of Grenada
3.1780Refitted as a 38 gun Unrated Hospital Ship
20.6.1780Action off Monti Christi
2.1781Refitted as a 38 gun Unrated FlûteE-WIKI
16.3.1781Battle of Cape Henry
10.1781Ran aground at Newport, but refloatedNNF-1715
3.1784Condemned at LorientNNF-1715
11.1784Hulked in MartiniqueNNF-1715

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

E-WIKIVarious, Web Site

FWIKIVarious, Web Site

NNF-1715Alain Demerliac, Book

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Date posted	By	Page
Monday 8th of June 2026 17:20	F.F.	British First Rate ship of the line 'Britannia' (1762) (100) 1762-1825 British 100 Gun 1st Rate Ship of the Line 1812 Renamed "Princess Royal" 1812 Renamed "Saint George" 1819 Renamed "Barfleur"
Thursday 4th of June 2026 20:01	James Daschuk	British steam sloop 'Devastation' (1841) (6) 1841-1866 British 6 Gun Unrated Steam Sloop
Thursday 4th of June 2026 14:56	AvM	British Merchant east indiaman 'Zephyr' (1790) (8) 1790-1798 British 8 Gun Merchant East Indiaman
Wednesday 3rd of June 2026 19:37	Jon Miller	British Fourth Rate ship of the line 'Pembroke' (1733) (60) 1733-1749 British 60 Gun 4th Rate Ship of the Line
Wednesday 3rd of June 2026 19:33	Jon Miller	British Sixth Rate ship 'Mercury' (1745) (20) 1745-1753 British 20 Gun 6th Rate Ship

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