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<blockquote data-quote="HeavenShallBurn" data-source="post: 3040987" data-attributes="member: 39593">Crow's Nest or Fighting Top?Crow's Nest were found on &quot;civilian&quot; vessels.&nbsp; Though that doesn't mean unarmed obviously, it also didn't really include the Portuguese or Spanish treasure fleet ships or the East Indiamen of any of the major powers.&nbsp; They were basically warships that carried cargo.&nbsp; Now they varied in both size, number and shape, but most of the period illustrations and the view remaining examples I've seen show what is not so much a proper 'railing' as a short lip.&nbsp; They couldn't build them solid because it would affect handling so they railed but they were also shorter like half-way up the calf rather than say like a modern stair rail, and these were often cut away because they hindered movement aloft by the crew.Fighting Tops were a different story.&nbsp; These you found on proper warships mostly and also the Treasure Fleet ships and Indiamen along with some of the larger privateers.&nbsp; They had no railing, lips, or obstruction and were generally of sturdier construction with some attempt to clean up the lines to improve lines of fire downward in the arc an enemy ship would occupy.&nbsp; Basically they were an elevated shooting platform for Marine marksmen in naval vessels and their other functions were secondary to that.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="HeavenShallBurn, post: 3040987, member: 39593"] [b]Crow's Nest or Fighting Top?[/b] Crow's Nest were found on "civilian" vessels. Though that doesn't mean unarmed obviously, it also didn't really include the Portuguese or Spanish treasure fleet ships or the East Indiamen of any of the major powers. They were basically warships that carried cargo. Now they varied in both size, number and shape, but most of the period illustrations and the view remaining examples I've seen show what is not so much a proper 'railing' as a short lip. They couldn't build them solid because it would affect handling so they railed but they were also shorter like half-way up the calf rather than say like a modern stair rail, and these were often cut away because they hindered movement aloft by the crew. Fighting Tops were a different story. These you found on proper warships mostly and also the Treasure Fleet ships and Indiamen along with some of the larger privateers. They had no railing, lips, or obstruction and were generally of sturdier construction with some attempt to clean up the lines to improve lines of fire downward in the arc an enemy ship would occupy. Basically they were an elevated shooting platform for Marine marksmen in naval vessels and their other functions were secondary to that. [/QUOTE]

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