A painting demonstrating a variety of sailing vessels becalmed. To the right, the coastline is visible beyond the line of three men-of-war lying at anchor. To the right, in the foreground, a small boat with a dipping lugsail sails out of the frame in starboard-broadside view with five people on board. Towards the centre a cutter-rigged hoy, with all sail set to a topgallant and apparently with her outer jib boomed out to starboard, is in stern view. A similar vessel is on the far left and in between what may be a frigate or small Indiaman becalmed since, despite having a lion figurehead, she is not flying a naval pennant. A cloud towers to the right and spreads across the sky, darkening to the top right. The artist has signed his name on a buoy, lower left.