What I think you've in mind is the only way I'll ever be 'boarded'! O.K. Great Cabin- Some great cabins had small gunports hidden in the finery, in case a quick stern chaser was needed. Mine doesn't as I have swivel gun mounts aft on the poop deck. Between decks- only applies to ships larger than a frigate, like a ship of the line. That's where most crew, wives,girlfriends, lived. Gunports open outward to the sea. Children raised here became known as ' a son of a gun'. Safety nets are out of period on the bowsprit, modern times. The Royaliste has none. You are a rigger, or shark bait.Pitch and tar were used to cover most standing rigging, and along with oakum beaten into seams as caulking, sealed the seams in plank. I use flat black paint in the bulk of these locations other than seams,as no one will play pirate with you if they keep getting covered with tar. More???? or is it time to board me? p.s. Most styles of tactical warfare called for broadsides, that's why there's like 74 guns per side. But a bow or stern shot was much more fatal to the ship; easy to blow out all frames from end to end, and that much splintering between deck resulted in 2-300 casualties. Depends on whether ya wanna sink 'er, or sell 'er as a prize!