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That was what stood out to me, too. 1/8 of the entire navy destroyed by lightning in a five year period.
by relistan 2y ago
That was what stood out to me, too. 1/8 of the entire navy destroyed by lightning in a five year period.
- potato3732842 2y agoThe "destroyed" framing isn't appropriate. Rigging and steering gear was routinely damaged in inclement weather. Rigging including masts is consumable on wooden ships. Ships carried spares and drilled replacing them. The top half of a mast being turned into confetti was something that would have had a ship down for hours, not days. These ships were routinely completely de-masted and swiss cheesed above the water line in combat and the slightly less swiss cheesed and de-masted winner would wind up towing (until rigging could be refitted and it could sail itself) the loser away as a captured prize to be refitted and recommissioned in one's own navy.