Dutch ships of the line were predominantly two-deckers, although a few three-deckers had been built. The 80- and 90-gun ships built in the 1810s were also two-deckers, and most of those were reworked as 74s. Larger warships faced limits imposed by ports and supporting infrastructure that were not designed to accommodate them. The predominance of third rates therefore reflected the shore facilities available to build and support the fleet.
Notable Point · 2:42:30-2:44:29
Why were most Dutch ships of the line two-deckers?
Dutch ports and supporting infrastructure constrained the navy to two-decked third rates even when it experimented with larger ships.