After the radical move toward the race-built galleon, wooden warship development settled into a much more gradual pattern. Ships remained in service for long periods and were repeatedly rebuilt, so navies kept adapting proven forms rather than replacing them wholesale. Each hull also represented a major investment, making an unsuccessful leap especially costly. Navies consequently had strong financial reasons to keep changes small.
Notable Point · 15:09-16:03
Why costly warships usually evolve cautiously
Long service lives, rebuilds, and high capital costs pushed navies toward incremental design changes after the race-built galleon.