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
Name	Courageux
Operators	Royal Navy
Preceded by	Ganges class
Succeeded by	Mars class
In service	21 January 1783 - 1848
Completed	8
Lost	2
General characteristics
Type	Ship 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)
Propulsion	Sails
Armament	74 guns: Gundeck: 28 × 32-pounders Upper gundeck: 28 × 18-pounders Quarterdeck: 14 × 9-pounders Forecastle: 4 × 9-pounders
Notes	Ships in class include: Carnatic, Colossus, Leviathan, Minotaur, Aboukir, Bombay, Blake, San Domingo

Ships

Standard group

• HMS Carnatic

Builder: Dudman, Deptford

Ordered: 14 July 1779

Launched: 21 January 1783

Fate: Broken up, 1825

• HMS Colossus

Builder: Clevely, Gravesend

Ordered: 13 December 1781

Launched: 4 April 1787

Fate: Wrecked, 1798

• HMS Leviathan

Builder: Chatham Dockyard

Ordered: 9 December 1779

Launched: 9 October 1790

Fate: Sold out of the service, 1848

• HMS Minotaur

Builder: Woolwich Dockyard

Ordered: 3 December 1782

Launched: 6 November 1793

Fate: Wrecked, 1810

Lengthened group

• HMS Aboukir

Builder: Brindley, Frindsbury

Ordered: 24 November 1802

Launched: 18 November 1807

Fate: Sold, 1838

• HMS Bombay

Builder: Deptford Dockyard

Ordered: 23 July 1805

Launched: 28 March 1808

Fate: Broken up, 1825

Modified group

• HMS Blake

Builder: Deptford Dockyard

Ordered: 30 October 1805

Launched: 23 August 1808

Fate: Sold, 1816

• HMS San Domingo

Builder: Woolwich Dockyard

Ordered: 30 October 1805

Launched: 3 March 1809

Fate: Sold, 1816

References

• 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.