Dutch or English shipbuilding for a global sailing navy

Should an early eighteenth-century navy use Dutch or English shipbuilding methods?

Choose Dutch methods for shallow coastal waters and English methods for stable, sustainable long-range operations.

Dutch construction was well adapted to shallow harbors, shoals, and coastal waters. English methods produced ships with better stability and sustainability for long ocean passages. A ship intended for global service might take longer to reach a station, but its crew and supplies would arrive in better condition. The right choice therefore follows the navy's operating geography rather than a universal ranking of shipbuilders.