The Carpenter was responsible for the maintenance and repair of the wooden hull, masts and yards. He worked under the direction of the ship's Master and Boatswain.
The Carpenter's duties were to check the hull regularly, placing oakum between the seems of the planks and wooden plugs on leaks to keep the vessel tight. More often than not, the Carpenter would also serve as the Ship's Surgeon and perform operations and amputations with the same wood working tools (with no anesthetic!).