Could a first rate crew both broadsides?

Would a first rate carry enough gun crews to fight on both sides at once?

Yes; about 800 crew could man both broadsides, although one-sided action allowed crews to combine into larger teams.

Blocks and tackles reduced the manpower required to run a gun, with roughly four people sufficient for lighter pieces and six for the heaviest. A large first rate carried enough people to serve both sides in battle. When engaging on only one side, crews could combine to increase each gun team to about eight and work the battery more effectively. The action determined whether all guns fired with minimum crews or larger teams concentrated on one broadside.