Manning the ships, and keeping the crews adequately fed and healthy, was only part of the task of the administration in the Caribbean. Equally important was the need to keep the ships seaworthy. Facilities had to be provided for replacing expendable stores, for repairing the damage that arose during the normal course of service, and, exceptionally, for carrying out large scale repairs on ships damaged during battle or severe weather. Ships serving in the Caribbean also had to be cleaned periodically to prevent them being wrecked by the teredo navalis, a worm that thrived in tropical waters, and which ate its way through the hulls of wooden ships. Consequently yard facilities had to be provided, together with a supply of the necessary stores and sufficient skilled labour to do the work. Strictly speaking, the facilities in the West Indies at this time were careening yards, as no dry docks had been built. Contemporary usage was, however, loose enough to refer to them as dockyards and a similar liberty has been taken here.

Ship requirements

Before looking at the facilities that were eventually provided, it is useful to consider the damage that occurred to ships in the Caribbean. First and foremost was that caused by teredo navalis. Until copper sheathing was introduced, there was little protection against it. Some attempt was made by coating the outside of the hull with hair and tar and then laying on another layer of wood, usually deal or fir. In effect, this worked by giving the worms more to eat, and thus postponing the time when their depredations would become critical.