HMS Victory

HMS Victory at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Victory
Ordered	14 July 1758
Builder	Chatham Dockyard
Laid down	23 July 1759
Launched	7 May 1765; 259 years ago (1765-05-07)
Commissioned	1778
In service	246 years
Homeport	Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, England 50°48′07″N 1°06′35″W / 50.80194°N 1.10972°W / 50.80194; -1.10972
Honours and awards	Participated in: First Battle of Ushant (1778) Second Battle of Ushant (1781) Battle of Cape Spartel (1782) Battle of the Hyères Islands (1795) Battle of Cape St Vincent (1797) Battle of Trafalgar (1805)
Status	Active Flagship of the First Sea Lord and museum ship
General characteristics [1]
Class and type	104-gun first-rate ship of the line
Displacement	3,500 Long ton (3,556 tonnes)[2]
Tons burthen	2,142 bm
Length	186 ft (57 m) (gundeck), 227 ft 6 in (69.34 m) (overall)
Beam	51 ft 10 in (15.80 m)
Draught	28 ft 9 in (8.76 m)
Depth of hold	21 ft 6 in (6.55 m)
Propulsion	Sails—6,510 sq yd (5,440 m2)
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Speed	up to 11 knots (20 km/h)
Complement	Approximately 850
Armament	Trafalgar: Gundeck: 30 × 2.75-ton long pattern Blomefield 32-pounders (15 kg) Middle gundeck: 28 × 2.5-ton long 24-pounders (11 kg) Upper gundeck: 30 × 1.7-ton short 12-pounders (5 kg) Quarterdeck: 12 × 1.7-ton short 12-pounder (5 kg) Forecastle: 2 × medium 12-pounder (5 kg), 2 × 68-pounder (31 kg) carronade
Notes	Height from waterline to top of mainmast: 205 ft (62.5 m)

HMS Victory is a 104-gun first-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy. She was ordered in 1758, laid down in 1759, and launched in 1765. With 246 years of service as of 2024, she is the world's oldest naval vessel still in commission.

Victory is best known for her role as Horatio, Lord Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar on 21 October 1805. She additionally served as Keppel's flagship at Ushant, Howe's flagship at Cape Spartel and Jervis's flagship at Cape St Vincent. After 1824, she was relegated to the role of harbour ship. In 1922, she was moved to a dry dock at Portsmouth, England, and preserved as a museum ship. She has been the flagship of the First Sea Lord since October 2012.