NAVYPEDIA

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
Repulse			Woolwich DYd // Sheerness DYd	29.4.1859	25.4.1868	31.1.1870	guardship 1881, sold 2.1889

Technical data

Displacement normal, t	6010
Displacement full, t	6190
Length, m	76.8 pp
Breadth, m	18.0
Draught, m	7.87
No of shafts	1
Machinery	sails + 1 2-cyl HSE, trunk, 6 rectangular boilers
Power, h. p.	3347
Max speed, kts	12.3
Fuel, t	coal 460
Endurance, nm(kts)	1700(10)
Armour, mm	iron; belt: 152-114 with 787mm teak backing, box battery 152, bulkheads 114
Armament	12 x 1 - 203/15 MLR Mk III, 2 x 1 - 100/21 20pdr BL (saluting)
Complement	515

Project history

Last wooden capital ship constructed for the Royal Navy, laid down as 90-gun two-decker and approved for conversion to ironclad in 1861 but was held up until 1866 pending the results from earlier conversions. Similar to Zealous but with shorter box battery and heavier guns and arour. Eight 203mm guns were placed in the battery and remainder were equally disposed at fwd and aft ends of the upper deck. She had a straight stem with a light knee head. Woolwich DYd was closed in October 1869 and before it Repulse was in 1868 towed to Sheerness for completion. She was ship-rigged, with 2700m² sail area. Good, steady and handy seaboat, handled well under both sail and steam.

Ship protection

Full length waterline belt 152mm amidships and 114mm at the ends extended from the main deck to 1.8m below waterline. The central battery between the main and upper decks was 21m long.

Modernizations

1877: - 12 x 1 - 203/15; + 10 x 1 - 229/14 MLR Mk IV

1880: - 2 x 1 - 100/21; + 9 x 1 light guns, 8 x 1 MGs, 4 x 1 - 356 TT (12)

Naval service

No significant events.