Piracy History

The Republic of Salé

The Republic of Salé was an independent corsair city-state on the Moroccan coast. It was a major piratical port during its brief existence ...

24 Nov 2010 / 0 Comments / Read More
Piracy History

The Black Flag

"Why is our flag black? Black is a shade of negation. The black flag is the negation of all flags. It is a negation of nationhood which put...

02 Nov 2010 / 0 Comments / Read More

Galleon


A galleon was a large, multi-decked sailing ship used primarily by European states from the 16th to 18th centuries. Whether used for war or commerce, they were generally armed with the demi-culverin type of cannon.


The galleon was an ocean going ship type which evolved from the carrack in the second half of the sixteenth century. A lowering of the forecastle and elongation of the hull gave galleons an unprecedented level of stability in the water, and reduced wind resistance at the front, leading to a faster, more maneuverable vessel. The galleon differed from the older types primarily by being longer, lower and narrower, with a square tuck stern instead of a round tuck, and by having a snout or head projecting forward from the bows below the level of the forecastle.

In Portugal at least, carracks were usually very large ships for their time (often over 1000 tons), while galleons were mostly under 500 tons, although the Manila galleons were to reach up to 2000 tons. Carracks tended to be lightly armed and used for transporting cargo, while galleons were purpose-built warships, and were stronger, more heavily armed, and also cheaper to build (5 galleons could cost around the same as 3 carracks) and were therefore a much better investment for use as warships or transports. There are nationalist disputes about its origins and development, but each Atlantic sea power built types suited to their needs, while constantly learning from their rivals.

The galleon was powered entirely by sail, carried on three or four masts, with a lateen sail continuing to be used on the last (usually third and fourth) masts. They were used in both military and trade applications, most famously in the Spanish treasure fleet, and the Manila Galleons. In fact, galleons were so versatile that a single vessel may have been refitted for wartime and peacetime roles several times during its lifespan. The galleon was the prototype of all square rigged ships with three or more masts for over two and a half centuries, including the later full rigged ship.


The principal warships of the opposing English and Spanish fleets in the 1588 confrontation of the Spanish Armada were galleons, with the modified English "race built" galleons developed by John Hawkins proving decisive, while the capacious Spanish galleons, designed primaráily as transports for long ocean voyages, proved incredibly durable in the battles and in the great storms on the voyage home; most survived the ordeal.

Galleons were constructed from oak (for the keel), pine (for the masts) and various hardwoods for hull and decking. Hulls were usually carvel-built. The expenses involved in galleon construction were enormous. Hundreds of expert tradesmen (including carpenters, pitch-melters, blacksmiths, coopers, shipwrights, etc.) worked day and night for months before a galleon was seaworthy. To cover the expense, galleons were often funded by groups of wealthy businessmen who pooled resources for a new ship. Therefore, most galleons were originally consigned for trade, although those captured by rival states were usually put into military service.

The most common gun used aboard a galleon was the demi-culverin, although gun sizes up to demi-cannon were possible.
Because of the long periods often spent at sea and poor conditions on board, many of the crew sometimes perished during the voyage; therefore advanced rigging systems were developed so that the vessel could be sailed home by an active sailing crew a fraction of the size aboard at departure.

The most distinguishing features of the galleon include the long beak, the lateen-rigged mizzenmasts, and the square gallery at the stern off of the captain cabin. In larger galleons, a fourth mast was added, usually a lateen-rigged mizzen, called the bonaventure mizzen.

The galleon continued to be used into the 18th century, by which time purpose-built vessels such as the fluyt, the brig and the full rigged ship, both as a trading vessel and ship of the line, rendered it obsolete for trade and warfare respectively.

The oldest known scale drawings in England are in a manuscript called "Fragments of Ancient Shipwrightry" made in about 1586 by Mathew Baker, a master-shipwright. This manuscript, held at the Pepysian Library, Magdalene College, Cambridge, provides an authentic reference for the size and shape of typical English galleons built during this period. Based on these plans, the Science Museum, London has built a 1:48 scale model ship that is an exemplar of galleons of this era.

Posted by Under The Black Flag on 11:56 π.μ.. Filed under , . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0

0 σχόλια for �Galleon�

Leave comment

Ads by Smowtion

FLICKR PHOTO STREAM

Pirates Islands

Turks & Caicos islands

The first known inhabitants of the islands were Taíno Indians, who left evidence of their occupation in the form of utensils and a ball cou...

24 Jun 2010 / 0 Comments / Read More
Nassau Stronghold of PiratesBahamas The Pirate BaseThe Pirate Island of Milos
Sea Songs

The Night Before Noggmas‏ by Douglas Lee

Twas the Night before Noggmas, At the Old Ben Bow Inn All Sing'n & Merry & talking 'Bout Sin! When In walks this Pirate all dresse...

22 Nov 2010 / 0 Comments / Read More
Southern Cross by Nikos KavvadiasSir Richard GrenvilleSONG OF THE RED WAR BOAT
Pirate Games

Pirates of the Caribbean: Armada of the Damned Cancellation

Disney's upcoming action role-playing game Pirates of the Caribbean: Armada of the Damned has been canned and that the studio behind the ga...

17 Oct 2010 / 0 Comments / Read More
Eve On line - PiratesPirates Of The Burning Sea Switching To Free-To-Play ModelPirates of the Burning Seas Expansion
ΠΕΙΡΑΤΕΙΑ ΣΤΗ ΜΕΣΟΓΕΙΟ

Μπαρμπαριά

Οι  Πόλεμοι της Μπαρμπαριάς πριν από 200 χρόνια, εποχή κατά την οποία πειρατές από τις ακτές της Βόρειας Αφρικής (στο σημερινό Μαρόκ...

04 Oct 2010 / 0 Comments / Read More

Κουρσάροι στη Μεσόγειο

Στο βιβλίο του «Problemes» («Προβλήματα»), που εξέδωσε στα 1624 στη Λυών, ο Γάλλος μαθηματικός Μπασέ είχε θέσει και το ακόλουθο πρόβλημ...

01 Oct 2010 / 0 Comments / Read More

Η Πειρατεία στον Αρχαίο Μεσογειακό Κόσμο

Η πειρατεία στον αρχαίο μεσογειακό κόσμο αποτελεί την αρχαιότερη καταγεγραμμένη εμφάνιση του φαινομένου της πειρατείας, δηλαδή της καταλήσ...

27 Sep 2010 / 0 Comments / Read More

Περιστατικά μανιάτικης πειρατείας

H πειρατεία στις ελληνικές θάλασσες εμφάνισε έξαρ­ση κατά τους δύο τελευταίους αι­ώνες της Τουρκοκρατίας. Σε αυτό συνέβαλε και ο ανταγω...

30 Aug 2010 / 0 Comments / Read More
Pirates News

Modern Day Pirate Ship, Made Surfer Style

By: Rhea Cortado Photo courtesy of Thomas @ Reefrider.netThe last time Santa Teresa resident Thomas Ritchie launched his extraordinary woo...

12 Jan 2011 / 0 Comments / Read More

Divers say they’ve found wreck of Oliver Hazard Perry’s ship off Westerly

A team of Connecticut scuba divers say they’ve discovered off the Westerly coast the wreck of a ship once commanded by Rhode Island naval...

11 Jan 2011 / 0 Comments / Read More
stat tracker
Interview with UTBF Captain

Interview With a Captain of U.T.B.F

Ahoy Captain Francisco El Drako!Please, spare some time and share with our fine and dear U.T.B.F. Brotherhood, some treasure from yer life,...

02 Jul 2010 / 0 Comments / Read More

Interview With a Captain of U.T.B.F

Ahoy Captain Black!Please, spare some time and share with our fine and dear U.T.B.F. Brotherhood, some treasure from yer life, so as the ...

29 Jun 2010 / 0 Comments / Read More
Ships

The History of Turtle Ship

The 'Turtle War' Ship (Keo-Book-Sun) is a very famous Korean war ship that was under the command of Admiral Lee Sun Shin (1545-1598). The...

26 Aug 2010 / 0 Comments / Read More

Xebec

A xebec (pronounced /ˈziːbɛk/ or /zɨˈbɛk/), also spelt zebec, was a Mediterranean sailing ship that was used mostly for trading. It would h...

14 Jul 2010 / 0 Comments / Read More
Books

Pirate Latitudes

Pirate Latitudes is an action adventure novel written by Michael Crichton. The book was published posthumously by HarperCollins on November...

09 Nov 2010 / 0 Comments / Read More

Οι μεγάλες συγκρούσεις στη θάλασσα

 Ναυμαχίες και πολιορκίες στη Μεσόγειο των Οθωμανών, των πειρατών και της Δύσης O ιστορικός Ρότζερ Κρόουλι, που έζησε τα παιδικά...

27 Sep 2010 / 0 Comments / Read More
Movies

Treasure Island 1934

Treasure Island is a 1934 movie adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s famous 1883 novel Treasure Island. Jim Hawkins (Jackie Cooper) disco...

03 Nov 2010 / 0 Comments / Read More

Fortunes of Captain Blood

Fortunes of Captain Blood (1950) is a pirate film directed by Gordon Douglas. Based on the famous Captain Blood depicted in the novel by Ra...

09 Oct 2010 / 0 Comments / Read More

2010 Under The Black Flag. All Rights Reserved. - Designed by SimplexDesign