[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by CaptainRamius

I know this! The Vasa. A newly made Swedish first-rate. It mounted heavy guns on the top decks and the gun ports were especially low. She stayed afloat during her maiden cruise for about 20 seconds. She sank in the mud, and, after recovery a while ago, she's now in the museum.

Actually Vasa was not a first rate (72 guns) in the sense that HMS Victory (104 guns) was classed 'a first rate', generally based on the gun count. Sweden's later flagship, Kronan was a 110 gun vessel and also top heavy: After four years of service, the ship foundered in rough weather at the Battle of Öland on 1 June 1676: while making a sharp turn under too much sail she capsized, and the gunpowder magazine ignited and blew off most of the bow. Kronan sank quickly, taking about 800 men and more than 100 guns with her, In both cases the Swedish ships' guns were salvaged using diving bells of the period...almost immediately before being lost to memory.

with a diving bell made according to 17th-century specifications. In 1986, further experiments were done on Kronan. The tests proved successful and the conclusion was that the 17th-century operations must have required considerable experience, skill and favorable weather conditions. Though the conditions off Öland were often difficult, with cold water and unpredictable weather, and required a large crew, the expeditions were very profitable. Historian Björn Axel Johansson has calculated that the total cost for the entire crew for all eight diving seasons was less than 2,000 dalers, the value of one of Kronan's 36-pounder guns.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kronan_(ship) The Kronan And other royal vessel (Svardet 86 guns) also lost with 600 men when a Dutch fireship set off her gun powder, which is currently also a salvage project. 30,000 artifacts from Kronan have been salvaged and cataloged. Both are pictured in the battle of Öland <(enlarges)-In 2011 Svardet was also found off Öland and ID'd.