Rostislav was the joint product of two leading builders who helped establish Russia's domestic naval-architecture tradition. One is credited with 50 gunboats, 40 ships of the line, 24 frigates, and the introduction of copper sheathing to Russia; his collaborator is credited with 33 ships of the line and frigates. Assigning both men to one ship at Kronstadt was unusual and reflects the priority placed on building her to the best available standard. Their construction choices still involved tradeoffs between operating areas. Rostislav's shallower, narrower hull suited Baltic conditions, while her North Sea sailing and visit to the Isle of Man inform the judgment that Victory would have been preferable there. The regional Russian design and Britain's worldwide cruising requirements produced different compromises.
Notable Point · 11:49-15:08
Rostislav and Russia's naval architecture school
Two prolific Russian shipbuilders combine their experience at Kronstadt to produce a first rate optimized for Baltic service rather than global cruising.