Hanging a net above the deck was quite "standard" during battle as quite a bit
of rigging including blocks/sheeves and all kinds of heavy stuff would come
crashing down from above, especially if chain shot was usedon your rigging. You
would rig the netting the same way as you would any awning to create shade on
deck, this was also quite common in port or at anchor when there was less wind
across the decks. If it was used at Trafalgar i have no idea as i wasnt there,
but most likey some of the ships would have been rigged that manner. Also just
remebered that they used the netting as a means of keeping off boarders when the
boats came along side as an additional means to keep boarders off your decks or
at least prolong their exposure on the rails so you could bring your swivel guns
into play (old shotgun type blunderbuss mini canons).
The net would span across all exposed decks not just the quarterdeck, might not
have been any netting over the "qd" but more likely in the waist and gundeck
Hope that helps
Faan

Kruger cmpq wrote:

I read somewhere that before an action, crews would span nets over the
quarterdeck to prevent sails etc from falling on the falling on the deck and
entangling the sailors during action does anyone know how this was done or
can anyone let me have an illustration can anyone say whether this was the
case on the victory at Trafalgar?