I checked my Boudriot library and didn't find anything but conventional construction as far back as Le Fleuron, 64 from 1729. The books on the larger ship classes don't show boat details. The other nomographs on individual ships (La Fleuron (1729), , Le Renomee (1744), La Belle Poule(1765), Venus (1782), 74 gun ship, etc. all show similar boat construction: the planked ceiling running from the keel to the turn of the bilge, but not up the inner, vertical sides of the ribs. But, of course these were middling sized vessels.
But it doesn't mean that it didn't happen. The larger ship's boats were bigger than most merchant vessels.
You are a keen observer. I wish I could be of more help.