Recognizing ships of the line and frigates

For a quick visual reading, three gun decks normally point to a first or second rate, while a two-decker is much more likely to be a third rate than a fourth. A single-deck warship is usually a frigate, though exceptions remain. Long, slimmer frigates were built for speed and independent work, while the Royal Navy preferred somewhat shorter, broader ships of the line that could manoeuvre effectively in battle. British coppering could erode some of the open-ocean speed advantage of longer, slimmer opponents, leaving battle manoeuvrability as the important trade-off. Frigate service offered prize money and public glamour, but most captains spent their careers on demanding patrol and scouting work rather than spectacular captures.