Q&A · 21:59-23:05

Boarding ships through gunports

A favourite fictional trope prompts a description of boarding through gunports, ladders, and tangled rigging.

Question

What is your favourite naval trope in fiction?

Short answer

Sailors swinging neatly between ships on ropes: the historical comparison involves a much less orderly scramble, including entry through gunports.

Notes

The chosen fictional naval trope is the sight of sailors swinging neatly between ships on ropes. Actual boarding could involve forcing a way through gunports onto the enemy gun deck. Bringing ships close enough to jam the gunport shutters open prevented defenders from closing that route. Ropes and ladders also had a place, with rigging tangled together as crews crossed. The account describes a scramble through obstacles, with several possible routes onto the opposing ship.