I am finally watching this movie! I know I know, it's about time. Moving on though I have a question. Maybe they answer it but I am currently watching. Anyways, in the very begenning they were prepping for a possible fight in the fog and they lowered all the life boats in the water. It looked like nobody was in them. Why?
Master and commander
@anubis316 Oh man! I haven't seen this movie since it came out in theaters. Sorry, I don't know the answer but I just wanted to say I hope you enjoy it! I remember is being so good!
15 years is better late than never!? :D
To answer your question, the boats would be taken down and lowered into the water for towing as a means for safe keeping or readiness. This was done to clear the decks for combat. The boats would be in the way otherwise and would be in more danger of being holed or destroyed from enemy cannon fire. These small boats were a very important part of a ship's equipment. They were the main means and sometimes only means of moving men, goods and communications to and from the ship and port if no deep water off shore dock was available. Keeping the spar deck clear made sense economically and to tow some or all of the boats allowed them to be available for action much more readily. In action, the ship's boats would be used for a number of purposes also - as lifeboats, for boarding and for communications. A ship-of-the-line would have as many as seven boats, while a small ship like a sloop would have three to four.
Hope that answers your question.
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