Why write another sea novel set during the time of the Napoleonic Wars? Because one enjoys embarking on grand voyages from the comfort of their sofa and perhaps wishes to reinterpret this genre. What happens to the crew of the Chloe in a chaotic war is loosely based on well-known events around 1800. The prize money from the Spanish ships Santa Brigida and El Tetys served as inspiration; the naval shipyard in Bombay indeed had an Indian master carpenter; St. Vincent's leadership style before Brest is documented. However, research has also corrected some misconceptions about the Royal Navy of the 18th century. Ships and crews are viewed as differentiated and surprisingly independent organisms, not as floating penal colonies. Personal experiences before the mast have opened new perspectives for the author.