HMS Trincomalee - Interactive Quarter Deck

Move your mouse over the deck plan below to take a peek at relevant parts of the ship
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One of the Carronades positioned on the Quarter Deck, towards the stern. Nicknamed "Smashers", these were short range, high power weapons intended to disable an enemy's masts and rigging and thus disable the vessel

The "nerve centre" of Trincomalee - the Quarter Deck wheel station was the location of most command decisions, as well as the place from which the ship was steered

Looking up the Main Mast from the waist can bring on vertigo in some people - just imagine, then, what it was like to look down from the top, as many of the crew routinely did!

The ship's bell, just forward of the waist, was key to timekeeping on the ship, and vital in letting the crew know about important activities such as chift changes

The Quarter Deck, even though fully exposed to the elements and enemy fire, was the nerve centre of the ship. From here, the Captain and his officers commanded the sailors during both voyage and battle, with two sailors steering the vessel with the huge wheel. A combination of 18 pounder cannons and smaller 12 pound carronades contributed to Trincomalee's firepower.

A. Quarter Deck, from where the Captain would issue his orders, usually via the First Lieutenant
B. Ship's Wheel, controlling the rudder
C. Capstan, used to lift the anchor and the ship's launches
D. Waist Rail, on either side of a large gap in the deck exposing the gun deck - the vessel's launches and spare masts would be stored here
E. Forecastle, pronounced "folk-sol"
F. The Heads, the sailors' lavatories, offering neither shelter nor privacy!