The English did not necessarily win with technologically inferior ships. Galleys had real maritime experience behind them, but they were poorly suited to North Sea conditions. The high sides of a cog gave English archers an elevated platform from which to pour arrows onto an opponent. Ship quality depends on environment, weapons, and tactical use rather than a universal hierarchy of hull types.
Notable Point · 1:42:03-1:42:23
Cogs suited the North Sea better than galleys
High-sided cogs gave English archers an effective platform in local waters, so the merchant hulls were not simply inferior to Mediterranean-style galleys.