The last choice separates ships that would settle major archaeological debates from a specific ship whose survival was still within reach. Implacable was a French-built third-rate that had fought at Trafalgar, survived into the Second World War as HMS Foudroyant, and was reportedly the last afloat veteran of that battle. Her 1949 scuttling is the sharpest example here of a museum opportunity lost despite an unusually well-documented and accessible historic vessel.
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Why Implacable completes the final three
HMS Implacable is chosen over Great Michael, Carcass, turtle ships, treasure ships, and quinqueremes because she was a known surviving third-rate lost as late as 1949.