How could a ship damaged badly enough to surrender still be worth repairing?
Short answerBattle damage could disable guns, masts, and crew without ruining the hull, and captured ships could then receive major dockyard refits.
NotesDamage that ended combat did not necessarily destroy the hull. A crew might surrender after losing masts, guns, command cohesion, or too many people while the basic structure remained recoverable. Chain shot could cripple rigging and spars that a dockyard was able to replace more readily than an entire ship. Captured vessels could also receive unusually extensive work because prize repair funding was easier to justify than new construction. The question separates immediate fighting ability from the longer-term economic value of a surviving hull.