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That would depend on how well they were cared for.

Many of the sailing ships from Europe in the 14th through 18th century were damaged or sunk because of accidents, pirates, and wars. When Spanish ships first sailed the waters of the Caribbean, "shipworms" (teredo boreworms) became a major problem. In the early 1800's, the service life of a wooden warship was between 10 and 15 years.

With proper care (and some replacement of timber), well-built ships can last hundreds of years, as evidenced by the USS Constitution ("Old Ironsides") built in 1797 and still on the Naval Register of the US Navy.

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