A galleon's continuing advantage is its large crew. That manpower makes the ship effective when the objective is to board and capture an opponent rather than win solely through gunfire. An older or otherwise imperfect vessel can therefore retain a useful fleet role. Ship value depends on the mission, and crew size can matter as much as sailing or gunnery performance during prize-taking operations.
Notable Point · 2:03:43-2:04:02
Why galleons are useful for capturing ships
Galleons may be outclassed in some roles, but their large crews make them useful boarding and prize-taking vessels.