The Design Blunder that Sank the Mary Rose
A major part of the Mary Rose’s redesign and upgrade revolved around a new gun deck. The addition of more and heavier cannon increased the ship’s weight from 500 tons to 700. That made the Mary Rose to ride lower in the water. That in turn brought its lower deck’s gun portholes closer to the sea’s surface. The consequences played out in the 1545 Battle of the Solent. In that engagement, the Mary Rose was among a fleet of English sailing ships becalmed in the Solent and unable to maneuver for lack of wind, when they were attacked by French rowing galleys. The English fleet was in trouble, and the French galleys seemed on the verge of a victory over the immobilized English sailing ships.
Then the wind finally picked up. The Mary Rose sailed out in a stiff breeze, and led the English counter attack. The outgunned French galleys were the ones in trouble now. However, the Mary Rose’s first broadside caused her to heel or lean over to her starboard side. Her gun portholes, now lower and closer to the water’s surface thanks to the additional weight of the 1536 upgrade, dipped into the water. The sea rushed in through the open gun ports and the crew was unable to correct the sudden imbalance. Guns, ammunition, and cargo shifted to the submerging side of the ship. That made tilt even further. The Mary Rose sank quickly, and took 90% of her crew with her.
