Well. I just had an epic multiplayer naval battle which I miraculously won. I played the French, my opponent was the British.
The wind was with the other guy despite my positioning, but I managed to trick him and come out from behind him and steal the wind advantage early on. I had two lines. My heavy line of ships and my light frigates and other ships (including one immensely successful cannonade frigate)
First I attacked his rear ships, mostly weak ones, and I used my quicker ships to split his forces, I lost 2 ships in it, but was worth it because I managed to get him to bunch up his fleet in one small area which I harrassed with a single rocket ship. I don't think it did anything, but it was still funny.
My cannonade frigate was micromanaged most. Swerving like a Quebec driver inbetween his gargantuan ships of the line, I managed to really damage the rear of his big ship.
My main fleet first did a raking sweep, then curved around and stopped, blocking his movement into the wind. I was concerned because I lost the wind advantage, but my wall of ships managed to keep them in. He tried to break out inbetween my ships (which would have been painful) but I managed to chain shot and slow him down, then blocking his cannonade frigate with my admiral's 5th rate. At that point, it was so chaotic I didn't think I would win. Half my fleet started routing on me, so I got my admiral's 5th rate and managed to rally them, turn the ships against them and blow them to smithereens.
Phew! That was intense.