Two-decker second rates and sea-keeping

Were three-decker second rates preferred because they provided better accommodation for an admiral?

Not really. Two-decker second rates proved more useful, more manoeuvrable, and better at sailing, while adding a third deck pushed the design toward a first rate.

The listener asks whether an admiral's cabin made the three-decker second rate preferable. The extra height offered an advantage, but the type was not especially useful overall. Two-decker second rates became more viable ships because they were more manoeuvrable and better sailors. Adding a third deck to that larger two-decker concept instead moved the design toward a first rate. Rating and deck count did not substitute for practical handling and seakeeping.