Courageux-class ship of the line

The Courageux-class ships of the line were a class of six 74-gun third rates of the Royal Navy. Their design was a direct copy of the French ship Courageux, captured in 1761 by HMS Bellona. This class of ship is sometimes referred to as the Leviathan class. A further two ships of the class were built to a slightly lengthened version of the Courageux draught. A final two ships were ordered to a third modification of the draught.

The shipwreck of the Minotaur, oil on canvas, by J. M. W. Turner
Class overview
NameCourageux
Operators Royal Navy
Preceded byGanges class
Succeeded byMars class
In service21 January 1783 - 1848
Completed8
Lost2
General characteristics
TypeShip of the line
Length
  • Standard:
  • 172 ft 3 in (52.5 m) (gundeck)
  • 140 ft 5¼ in (42.8 m) (keel)
  • Lengthened:
  • 172 ft 3½ in (52.5 m) (gundeck)
  • 140 ft 5¼ in (42.8 m) (keel)
  • Modified:
  • 180 ft (54.9 m) (gundeck)
  • 147 ft 7 in (45 m) (keel)
Beam
  • Standard, Lengthened:
  • 47 ft 9 in (14.6 m)
  • Modified:
  • 48 ft ¾ in (14.6 m)
PropulsionSails
Armament
  • 74 guns:
  • Gundeck: 28 × 32-pounders
  • Upper gundeck: 28 × 18-pounders
  • Quarterdeck: 14 × 9-pounders
  • Forecastle: 4 × 9-pounders
NotesShips in class include: Carnatic, Colossus, Leviathan, Minotaur, Aboukir, Bombay, Blake, San Domingo

Ships

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Standard group

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Builder: Dudman, Deptford
Ordered: 14 July 1779
Launched: 21 January 1783
Fate: Broken up, 1825
Builder: Clevely, Gravesend
Ordered: 13 December 1781
Launched: 4 April 1787
Fate: Wrecked, 1798
Builder: Chatham Dockyard
Ordered: 9 December 1779
Launched: 9 October 1790
Fate: Sold out of the service, 1848
Builder: Woolwich Dockyard
Ordered: 3 December 1782
Launched: 6 November 1793
Fate: Wrecked, 1810

Lengthened group

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Builder: Brindley, Frindsbury
Ordered: 24 November 1802
Launched: 18 November 1807
Fate: Sold, 1838
Builder: Deptford Dockyard
Ordered: 23 July 1805
Launched: 28 March 1808
Fate: Broken up, 1825

Modified group

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Builder: Deptford Dockyard
Ordered: 30 October 1805
Launched: 23 August 1808
Fate: Sold, 1816
Builder: Woolwich Dockyard
Ordered: 30 October 1805
Launched: 3 March 1809
Fate: Sold, 1816

References

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  • Lavery, Brian (2003) The Ship of the Line - Volume 1: The development of the battlefleet 1650-1850. Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-252-8.