Launched in 1562, Triumph served for decades and was rebuilt in 1595-1596 from a conventional square-rigged galleon into a faster race-built form. Wood permitted reuse, steaming, reshaping, and replacement, blurring the line between rebuilding an old ship and constructing a new one. Substantial reuse seems plausible for these early rebuilds, while later claims to have rebuilt a ship could conceal much more extensive replacement. Officials viewing the finished vessel afloat could easily miss changes below the waterline. Triumph's nominal 1,000 tons burthen contrasts with a working estimate of about 742, close to the estimated size of Mary Rose after her refit. Her 42-gun rating also contrasts with counts of as many as 90 guns for Mary Rose, showing why the number of gunports and the weapons actually carried need separate treatment. Heavy guns belonged low in the hull for stability, while upper-deck guns were easier to jettison in a storm.
Chapter · 22:21-29:24
Triumph and the adaptable wooden galleon
Triumph's long career and race-built reconstruction show how wooden hulls could be reshaped while gun ratings, actual armament, and stability remained separate questions.