Low gun decks balanced stability against rough-weather firepower

Heavy guns belonged low in the hull to limit topweight, yet this brought the lower gunports close to the water. Sea conditions could prevent that deck from firing, reducing the ship's effective armament. Hull movement also formed part of the aiming process, so a manageable roll mattered to gunnery as well as survival. With enough warning and room, crews could lower upper-deck guns into the hold before a storm. When time or space prevented that, throwing them overboard offered a faster way to reduce topweight, even though these were usually the lightest guns carried.