Scipion class ship of the line

The Scipion class was a class of three 74-gun ships built to a design by François-Guillaume Clairin-Deslauriers, the ingénieur-constructeur en chef at Rochefort Dockyard. These were the shortest 74-gun ships built by France since the 1750s, and they were found to lack stability as a consequence. The third ship - originally the Pluton - was 'girdled' (sheathed) with 32 cm of pine at Rochefort in 1799 to overcome her instability, and the design of two further ships ordered at the same dockyard in 1779 were lengthened.

Scipion

Builder: Rochefort DockyardOrdered: early 1778Begun: 10 April 1778Launched: 19 September 1778Completed: February 1779Fate: Wrecked in Samana Bay, off San Domingo on 19 October 1782.

Hercule

Builder: Rochefort DockyardOrdered: early 1778Begun: 1 April 1778Launched: 5 October 1778Completed: February 1779Fate: Razéed to 50-gun frigate in February to June 1794, and renamed Hydre in May 1795; discarded 1797.

Pluton

Builder: Rochefort DockyardOrdered: early 1778Begun: 10 April 1778Launched: 5 November 1778Completed: February 1779Fate: Renamed Dugommier on 17 December 1797. Taken to pieces at Brest in 1805.