7. The British attempted to maintain the fleet in American waters
The British headquarters for naval operations in North American waters was at Halifax, at the Royal Navy Yard. Construction of base facilities for the repair and maintenance of ships there had begun in 1759, during the Seven Years War, and proceeded at a snail’s pace since. The copper sheathing of ship’s hulls to prevent them from becoming riddled with worms was still experimental, and many British officers sniffed at the idea. Ships needing careening (heeling over on their sides to clean their bottoms) had long waits for the needed maintenance. The ships became slower as a result, and handled sluggishly.
Without the proper facilities, supplies, and timbers, the British ships in North American waters lost their combat and sailing efficiency. Long periods at anchor in port at New York, Philadelphia, and other seacoast cities further drained their crews. Desertion became a problem for the British Navy, as pressed sailors decided to take their chances with the colonies fighting to expel Great Britain. Press gangs in occupied American cities or in small coastal towns increased the anger at the British, and those who had theretofore been undecided in the matter tended to side with the Patriots. In some waters, American pilots and fishermen altered channel buoys, leading British ships to run aground in unmarked shoals.