Carrying and towing a sailing warship's boats

Were a sailing warship's boats normally carried on deck or towed?

Boats were normally carried on deck. Towing suited some inshore or shallow-water operations, while boats could be launched to tow a becalmed ship.

A sailing ship normally carried its boats on deck during a voyage. Inshore work or very shallow water could call for keeping boats afloat and towing them. If the ship was becalmed, the crew could launch the boats and use their rowers to pull it. The choice depended on the immediate operation.