Nina sailboat. The legendary "Santa Maria" of Christopher Columbus has been found. Offshore vessel

The ships of Christopher Columbus The discovery of America, Magellan's first voyage around the world, the mapping of Australia, New Zealand and, finally, Antarctica - these great geographical discoveries were made on sailing ships. The famous caravels of Christopher Columbus are most likely not caravels, but ships of a different type. Numerous images of Columbus's sailing ships, which we so often see on the pages of books, on postcards, badges, and stamps, are very inaccurate. And the usual names of Columbus's ships: Santa Maria, Niña and Pinta - these are most likely the nicknames of the ships... Not a single technical characteristic of Christopher Columbus's "caravels" can be considered reliable. Let's explain this in more detail. In the XIV-XV centuries. In the south of Europe, large, usually three-masted, maneuverable sailing ships with a strong wooden hull and high bow and stern superstructures became widespread. These ships, mostly of Spanish and Portuguese construction, were called caracas. The largest caracas were called nao, which means “large ship” in Spanish. In the 15th century Caravel-type ships also became widespread: small three-masted merchant ships designed primarily for transporting mail and passengers. A characteristic feature of carracks and caravels was that the hull plating on these ships was attached end-to-end. Subsequently, this method of fastening began to be called “caravel-type” fastening. This fastening of the hull plating was fundamentally different from that adopted during the construction of ships in northern Europe, in particular Viking longships, the plating of which was fastened over the edge (the so-called clinker plating). All ships in the south of Europe were built according to the same principle, that is, with the lining fastened “like a caravel,” and very often they were called caravels, in contrast to ships with a different plating fastening. This is how, in any case, this terminological confusion is explained by V. Urbanovich, a specialist in the history and architecture of the ship, who believes that the ships of Christopher Columbus are carcasses. Christopher Columbus himself called his Santa Maria nao, and the rest of the ships - caravels. Until experts in the history of shipbuilding have come to a consensus about what type of Columbus’s ships belong, we will call them the word “caravel,” full of romance. The names of Columbus's ships are not precisely established. The name of the flagship Santa Maria is never mentioned in Columbus's diaries. The great navigator called the ship nothing less than La Galega, i.e. e. a resident of Galicia (Galicia is the part of Spain where the ship was built). The official name of Columbus's second caravel is Santa Clara, and Niña is an affectionate nickname, translated meaning “baby”, “baby” (Columbus loved this ship very much). However, there is another version about the origin of the name of the caravel: the former owner of Santa Clara was called Juan Niño. And finally, Pinta - the name of the third ship - is also a nickname, translated from Spanish as “mug”. Although in this case, the name of the vessel is somehow associated with the name of the previous owner of Pinto. The true name of Columbus's third caravel has not yet been established. Despite the many images of Columbus's ships and even the construction of their copies, the shape of the caravels' hulls, main dimensions, main characteristics, as well as the designs of individual components and elements are not known, and any technical description of Columbus's caravels is one of the possible versions. The year of construction of Santa Maria is unknown. It is only known that it was built on the Galician coast of Spain and before Columbus’s expedition, Santa Maria was a merchant ship and transported cargo and passengers between the ports of Spain and Flanders. As researchers suggest, the length of Santa Maria was about 23 m, displacement - about 130 tons. Santa Maria Main dimensions, m. . 23.0 x 6.7 x 2.8 Gross capacity, per. t...... 237 Crew, persons................... 90 Pint Main dimensions, m. . 17.3 x 5.6 x 1.9 Gross capacity, per. t....... 101.24 Crew, persons.................... 40 Niña Main dimensions , m. . . 20.1 x 7.28 x 2.08 Gross capacity, per. t...... 167.4 Crew, persons.................... 65 Above the deck of the caravel Santa -Maria towered three masts; the height of the mainmast was 28 m. A characteristic feature of Santa Maria is two high superstructures: bow and stern, because of which the middle part of the deck seemed especially low, especially since it was not protected from waves and was flooded in fresh weather. The body was distinguished by smooth contours and harmonious proportions. The underwater part was tarred, which to a certain extent protected it from rotting and destruction by woodworms. As we have already said, the lining was fastened end-to-end, “like a caravel”; the internal lining of the hull was not provided. The construction of the hull was weak, so external reinforcements were provided for the hull. At the bow of the mainmast there was a well in which there was a bilge pump (as we know, it was not possible to achieve complete waterproofness of the wooden hull). In the middle part of the hull there was a galley, which consisted of a wooden chamber lined with brick on the inside. The galley was often flooded, so the team received hot food only in calm weather. In the middle part of the ship there was a special platform where the compass was stored in a special wooden box. Near the foremast there was a windlass for raising the anchor. The high aft superstructure was two-tiered. In the upper tier (todile) was the cabin of Christopher Columbus, the leader of the expedition. In the lower tier (tolda) various ship property was stored: ropes, anchors, blocks. The bow, single-tier superstructure housed the sailors. The other part of the sailors lived in the hold. Only Admiral Columbus and a select few had beds. Hanging bunks appeared only in the 16th century. (by the way, the prototype for them was the Indian hammocks that Columbus and his companions met in America). The bulk of the crew huddled in cramped quarters in difficult conditions. The sailors slept anywhere: on boards, boxes, laying their own clothes under them, or without undressing at all. The Santa Maria had two boats: a 14-oar longboat and an eight-oar cutter. The boats were placed in the middle part of the ship, on the deck, forward of the mainmast. To facilitate the lifting of boats on board, special cutouts were provided in the bulwark (in the area where the longboat and boat were located). The caravel had many small cannons that fired mainly stone cannonballs: four 20-pounders, six 12-pounders, eight six-pounders, etc. A feature of Columbus's caravels is the type of sailing weapons they used. Initially, triangular, so-called lateen sails were installed on caravels, but by the beginning of the Age of Discovery, straight sails began to become more widespread, which, with a tailwind, made it possible to achieve greater speed. When leaving Spain, Santa Maria and Pinta carried straight sails and only Niña carried lateen sails. But at the first stop in the Canary Islands, Niña’s lateen sails were replaced with straight ones. And, apparently, the success of the voyage of Columbus's caravels, which safely crossed the Atlantic Ocean and reached the shores of America, was another argument in favor of ships with direct sails. In subsequent centuries, huge multi-masted ships with five or six tiers of straight sails began to be created. All of Columbus's ships were distinguished by their lightness, maneuverability, and good stability, but most of all the admiral loved Nina and considered her an excellent ship. According to formal criteria, Columbus had to make Santa Maria his flagship: its displacement was greater than the total displacement of the other two caravels, Niña and Pinta. We will not dwell on the description of the caravels of Niña and Pinta, because in terms of architectural type and general structure they were practically no different from the flagship ship. Although even compared to the ships of that time, Santa Maria, Niña and Pinta were considered small, the caravels managed to cross a huge ocean, still unknown to European sailors (except for the voyages of the Vikings). Subsequently, many incomparably larger sailing ships, and then steamships and motor ships, did not withstand the severe test that the Atlantic gave them and perished. One of the main merits of Christopher Columbus and his companions, apparently, should be considered not only the discovery of new lands in America, but the brave crossing of the Atlantic Ocean. As scientific research has shown, the first Europeans to set foot on America were the Vikings, and this happened five centuries before the first expedition of Christopher Columbus. Consequently, the great navigator was not the first to discover America. The significance of the geographical discoveries of the courageous navigator is enormous. The discovery of the lands and islands of Central and South America by Christopher Columbus marked the beginning of the Age of Discovery. The great navigator mapped hundreds of new geographical names, many of which have survived to this day: Santo Domingo, Honduras, Trinidad, Virgin Islands, San Salvador, Brazil (from Spanish - painting tree), Puerto Rico ("rich port" ), Costa Rica (the Columbus name “golden coast” was later clarified, and the modern name is translated “rich coast”), the Gulf of Paria and many, many others. Columbus's voyages laid the foundation for the exploration and settlement of the vast continent and the beginning of regular transatlantic voyages. Columbus's discoveries created conditions for the development of trade and navigation. Even on his first expedition, Christopher Columbus's caravels showed excellent seaworthiness in the harsh Atlantic Ocean. Based on the type of caravels of Christopher Columbus, many similar ships began to be built, intended primarily for ocean voyages and the discovery of new lands. Thus, for many years, Columbus's ships became the prototypes of many pioneer ships. A few words about the subsequent fate of the famous caravels - participants in the first expedition of Christopher Columbus. The truly remarkable ship of Columbus should be considered the Niña, which, perhaps, has earned the right to be known to a much greater extent than the Santa Maria (which found its last berth in 1492 off the coast of Hispaniola). The caravel Niña was the favorite ship of the great navigator for many years. Christopher Columbus included Niña in three expeditions, which already makes Niña one of the most famous ships in the history of navigation. Caravel Pinta, after returning to Spain from the first expedition, no longer participated in historical voyages, and her further fate is unknown. In 1968, the famous underwater archaeologist Adolf Keffer, conducting acoustic reconnaissance from aircraft 172 off the island of Haiti in the area of the death of the first Santa Maria (in 1492), discovered the remains of the ship. Then scuba divers examined the place and found the keel of an ancient ship and fragments of the hull, overgrown with coral. Since then, experts have been working in this area; several objects have already been brought to the surface that can unmistakably be attributed to the 14th-15th centuries. If it is proven that the remains of the Santa Maria caravel have been found, then one of the most significant archaeological finds of our century has been made. In 1892, a commission of specialists was created in Madrid in connection with the construction of copies of three famous caravels of Christopher Columbus (during preparations for the World Exhibition in Chicago in 1893). The chairman of the commission was Cesario Duro, a specialist in the history of shipbuilding who studied the ships of Columbus. The commission included marine painter, shipbuilder and archaeologist Rafael Monleon. Based on a careful study of ancient manuscripts, chronicles, bas-reliefs, and medals, designs for all three ships were developed and copies were built. The laying of the caravel - a copy of Santa Maria - took place on April 23, 1892 at the De la Carraca shipyard, near Cadiz. Experts sought to achieve the utmost historical authenticity: “even when making a mattress for the admiral’s cabin, they did not deviate from ancient books. Accurate images and copies of instruments, nautical charts, flags, and pennants are provided. The furnishings of the living quarters are strictly in accordance with the regulations of the 15th century” (Russian Shipping magazine, 1893). New Santa Maria, with about 40 people on board, under the command of Captain Victor Concas, crossed the Atlantic Ocean in 1893, accompanied by a Spanish cruiser. Traveling at an average speed of 6.5 knots, the caravel made its amazing journey in 36 days and became one of the main exhibits of the Chicago World's Fair. Along with it, copies of two other caravels were exhibited at the exhibition: Niña and Pinta, which were also built in Spain and in 1893. towed to America. Several attempts to reproduce the caravels of Christopher Columbus were made in the 20th century. In 1929, a new copy of Santa Maria was built at one of the Cadiz shipyards according to the design of Julio Guillen. The caravel was shown at an exhibition in Seville and existed until 1945. Replicas of Santa Maria were built in Valencia in 1951 (still standing in Barcelona) and in Italy in 1965 for filming. However, when building copies of Columbus's caravel for films, the creators did not strive to reproduce a reliably historical ship; they allowed themselves such deviations as abandoning the foremast, simplifying the design of the bowsprit and sailing equipment. In 1962, naval officer Carlos Etayo, an enthusiastic researcher of the history of Columbus's voyages, built a copy of Niña's caravel at his own expense. Equipment, tools, clothing, weapons were recreated according to ancient models. Even the food was basically the same as on Christopher Columbus's caravels: vegetables, fruits, corned beef, rice, beans. Having gathered a group of enthusiasts, Carlos Etayo, in a small caravel, made a brave voyage across the Atlantic Ocean (for 77 days), repeating the path of Christopher Columbus. Columbus's researchers not only recreated his famous caravels, but also...modeled his travels. Scientist-historian and sailor S. E. Morison in 1937-1940. on sailing ships reminiscent of Columbus's caravels, he repeated the travels of the great navigator. Based on many years of work and analysis of his travels along the route of Columbus's caravels, S. E. Morison created a work that is distinguished by the depth of its research and contains a lot of very interesting information. Soon humanity will celebrate the 500th anniversary of the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus, and on this day there will be no one indifferent on earth.

The Santa Maria, Christopher Columbus's legendary flagship that sank off the coast of Haiti in 1492, appears to have been found. According to the British publication The Independent, the location of the ship's wreck became known this Tuesday. An expedition led by the famous American oceanographer Barry Clifford, following the course that Columbus himself left in his diaries, came across the remains of an ancient sailing ship lying on the seabed near the northern coast of Haiti. The discovery will likely be the most important in the history of underwater archaeology.

On August 3, 1492, the 21.4-meter Spanish carrack "Santa Maria" (some sources mention a length of 24 meters) led the flotilla of the first expedition of Christopher Columbus, which left the port of Palos de la Frontera, consisting of two more ships - caravels "Nina" and "Pinta", whose sailor was the first to see the land of the New World on October 12, 1492.

On December 25, 1492, having at that time discovered a number of islands in the Caribbean, the Santa Maria landed on reefs off the northern coast of Haiti. Having stopped unsuccessful attempts to save the ship, the expedition, with the help of local residents, removed guns, supplies and valuable cargo from the Santa Maria.

Part of the wreckage of the ship was used to build a fort on the island of Haiti, called “La Navidad” (from Spanish “Christmas” - after the date of the death of “Santa Maria”). Here Columbus left part of his team for a while, and on January 4, 1493 he himself went with a report to Spain. He returned back at the head of a flotilla that already consisted of 17 ships, but too late: Columbus’s second expedition, which set foot on the island of Haiti on November 27, 1494, found only corpses and ashes at the site of Fort La Navidad.

The remains of the fort, built from the wreckage of the Santa Maria, were discovered by archaeologists in 2003 near the modern Haitian city of Môle Saint-Nicolas. It was this discovery that Barry Clifford’s team focused on in their many years of searching, following the clues left in Columbus’s diary. After examining more than 400 different sea-day anomalies off the northern coast of Haiti, Clifford's expedition was finally able to find the site of the legendary sailing ship's wreck. “All the geographic, underwater topographical and archaeological evidence strongly suggests that the remains discovered are Columbus's famous flagship, the Santa Maria,” Clifford says.

Until now, Clifford's team has only carried out non-contact surveys of the accident site using marine magnetometers and sonar. Now, with the support of the government of the Republic of Haiti, archaeologists will begin excavations.

“Columbus discovered America, he was a great sailor,” as one song says... However, before setting sail, the famous navigator spent many years looking for funding for his venture. And although many nobles of that time liked Christopher Columbus’s project, they were in no hurry to allocate money for its implementation. However, the future discoverer was an assertive man, and nevertheless collected the necessary funds and equipped three ships, each of which has its own amazing history.

Christopher Columbus

Before learning about the ships on which Columbus made his legendary journey, it is worth remembering the greatest navigator himself.

Christopher Columbus was born in 1451. Scientists argue especially hotly about his nationality. Christopher himself is considered a Spanish navigator, since the Spaniards equipped his expedition. However, different sources call him an Italian, a Catalan, and even a Jew who converted to Christianity.

In any case, Columbus was an extraordinary person, which gave him the opportunity to receive a decent education at the university of the Italian city of Pavia. After studying, Christopher began to swim often. Most often he participated in sea trade expeditions. Perhaps it was precisely because of his passion for sea travel that at the age of nineteen, Columbus married the daughter of the famous navigator Dona Felipe de Palestrello.

When the future discoverer of America turned twenty-three, he began to actively correspond with the famous Florentine scientist Paolo Toscanelli, who gave him the idea of traveling to India across the Atlantic Ocean.

Having carried out his own calculations, Christopher Columbus was convinced that his pen pal was right. Therefore, in the coming years, he presented the travel project to the wealthiest people in Genoa. But they did not appreciate it and refused to finance it.

Disappointed in his compatriots, Columbus offers to organize an expedition and then to the nobles and clergy of Spain. However, years passed, and no one allocated funds for the Columbus project. In despair, the navigator even turned to the British king, but all in vain. And just when he was about to move to France and try his luck there, Queen Isabella of Spain undertook to finance the expedition.

Columbus's voyages

In total he made four voyages from Europe to America. All of them were carried out in the period from 1492 to 1504.

During Columbus's first expedition, about a hundred people went with him on three ships. In total, the round trip took about seven and a half months. During this expedition, navigators discovered the islands of Cuba, Haiti and the Bahamas in the Caribbean Sea. For many years, everyone called the lands discovered by Columbus the Western Indies. It is noteworthy that some researchers argue that the goal of Columbus's expedition was not India, but Japan.

Over time, due to various disputes, the open lands were no longer the property of the Spanish crown alone and were divided among European maritime powers.

While Christopher was on his third expedition, Vasco da Gama discovered the real route to India, thereby putting the mark of a deceiver on Columbus's reputation. After this, the navigator himself was sent home in shackles and wanted to be tried, but the Spanish rich, who had already made good money on open lands, defended Columbus and achieved his release.

Trying to prove that he was right, the navigator undertook a fourth expedition, during which he finally reached the very continent of America.

In the latter he tried to return the title of nobility granted to him by the crowned couple of Spanish monarchs, as well as privileges on open lands. However, he never managed to do this. After his death, the discoverer's remains were reburied several times, so that there are now several possible graves of Christopher Columbus.

Three ships of Columbus (carracks and caravels)

When Christopher Columbus finally secured funding for his first expedition, he began preparing ships.

First of all, it was necessary to decide on the quantity. Since his enterprise was quite risky, it was expensive to equip a large flotilla. At the same time, one or two ships is too few. Therefore, it was decided to equip three units. What were the names of Columbus's ships? The main one is the carrack "Santa Maria", and two caravels: "Nina" and "Pinta".

Karakka and caravel - what are they?

Christopher Columbus's ship "Santa Maria" was a carrack type. This was the name given to sailing ships with 3-4 masts, common in the 15th-16th centuries. It is noteworthy that in Europe they were the largest at that time. As a rule, such ships could easily accommodate from five hundred to one and a half thousand people. Considering that the entire crew of Columbus's three ships was one hundred people, the Santa Maria was probably a small carrack.

Columbus's other ships (their names were "Nina" and "Pinta") were caravels. These are 2-3 mast ships, common in the same years. Unlike the karakkas, they were less suitable for long expeditions. At the same time, they were distinguished by greater maneuverability, and were also light and cheap, so they soon undeservedly replaced the bulky carracks.

Columbus's ship Santa Maria

Like the portrait of the great navigator, the appearance of his first three ships has not been preserved. The description of Columbus's ships, as well as their drawings, are rather approximate and compiled from the words of surviving eyewitnesses many years later or according to the assumptions of scientists.

As is commonly believed, the Santa Maria was a small single-deck carrack with three masts. It is assumed that the length of the ship was up to 25 m, and the width was up to 8 m. Its displacement was about 1200 tons. The ship's hold was 3 m deep, and on the deck there was a two-tier extension where cabins and storage rooms were located. There was a triangular platform on the tank.

"Santa Maria" (Columbus's ship) was equipped with several cannons of different calibers, designed to fire stone cannonballs. It is noteworthy that in his notes the navigator periodically called his flagship either a carrack or a caravel. Columbus's flagship belonged to Juan de la Cosa, who was also its captain.

The fate of "Santa Maria"

Unfortunately, the Santa Maria was not destined to return home to Spain, since back in December 1492, during its first voyage, Columbus's flagship landed on reefs near Haiti. Realizing that it was impossible to save the Santa Maria, Christopher ordered everything that could be of value to be taken from her and transferred to the caravels. It was decided to dismantle the ship itself for building materials, from which Fort “Christmas” (“La Navidad”) was later built on the same island.

"Nina"

According to the discoverer's contemporaries, the Niña (Columbus's ship) was the favorite ship of the discoverer of new lands. During all his travels, he covered over forty-five thousand kilometers on it. After the death of the Santa Maria, it was she who became Columbus's flagship.

The real name of this ship was "Santa Clara", but the expedition members affectionately called her "baby", which sounds like "niña" in Spanish. The owner of this ship was Juan Niño. But on Columbus's first voyage, the captain of the Niña was Vicente Yáñez Pinzón.

According to scientists, the size of "Santa Clara" was about 17 m in length and 5.5 m in width. It is also believed that the Niña had three masts. According to the ship's log, initially this caravel had oblique sails, and after being in the Canary Islands they were replaced with straight ones.

Initially, there were just over twenty crew members on the ship, but after the death of the Santa Maria, their number increased. Interestingly, it was on it that sailors first began to sleep in hammocks, having adopted this tradition from the Indians.

The fate of "Nina"

Having safely returned to Spain after Columbus's first expedition, the Niña also took part in Christopher's second voyage to the shores of America. During the infamous hurricane of 1495, the Santa Clara was the only ship to survive.

Between 1496 and 1498, the favorite ship of the discoverer of America was captured by pirates, but thanks to the courage of her captain, she was freed and set off on Columbus's third voyage.

After 1501 there is no information about it, probably the caravel sank during one of the campaigns.

"Pint"

Accurate data on the appearance and technical characteristics of this ship have not been preserved in history.

It is only known that Columbus’s ship “Pinta” was the largest caravel in the first expedition. However, for unknown reasons, after the death of “Santa Maria”, the leader of the voyage did not choose her as the flagship. Most likely, it was the owner and captain of the ship, Martin Alonso Pinson. Indeed, during the journey, he repeatedly challenged Columbus’ decisions. Probably, the great navigator feared a riot and therefore chose a ship where Martin’s brother, the more flexible Vicente, was the captain.

It is noteworthy that it was the sailor from the Pinta who was the first to see the land of the New World.

It is known that the ships returned home separately. Moreover, the captain of the Pinta did his best to ensure that his ship arrived first in Spain, hoping to convey the good news himself. But I was only a couple of hours late because of the storm.

The fate of "Pinta"

It is unknown what the fate of the Pinta ship was after Columbus's voyage. There is evidence that after returning, the ship's captain was received rather coldly at home. And due to health problems received during the expedition, he died a few months later. Probably, the ship was either sold and changed its name, or died during the next voyage.

Columbus's other ships

If during the first expedition Columbus's flotilla consisted of only three small ships, then in the second there were seventeen of them, in the third - six, and in the fourth - only four. This was due to the loss of confidence in Christopher Columbus. Ironically, just a few decades later, Columbus would become one of Spain's greatest heroes.

The names of most of these ships have not been preserved. It is only known that the flagship in the second expedition was a ship called “Maria Galante”, and in the fourth - “La Capitana”.

After so many years, after it was found out which ships Columbus took on his first voyage and discovered a new world for all mankind, it becomes surprising how they were able to sail there at all. After all, the Spanish crown had more powerful and voluminous ships at its disposal, but their owners did not want to risk them. The good news is that the owners of “Santa Maria”, “Santa Clara” (“Niña”), and also “Pinta” turned out to be different and risked going on Columbus’s expedition. It is thanks to this that they forever entered world history, as did the islands and two new continents they discovered.

Three ships of Christopher Columbus - the first European ships, which in 1492. crossed the Atlantic, discovering the lands of the New World: the Bahamas, Cuba and Hispaniola (Haiti). The Pinta and Niña caravels, each displacing 60 tons, had good seaworthiness.

These were single-deck ships with high sides and superstructures at the bow and stern. "Nina" carried triangular lateen sails, and "Pinta" - straight ones. Subsequently, the same sails, which were usually preferred during full courses, will be equipped with the Niña. The third ship of the flotilla, the notorious Santa Maria, was not a caravel. Chartered from the Galician captain Juan de la Cos, she was a hundred-ton carrack.

In a word, these were the ships of their time and the records they set still evoke admiration among seafarers. Admiral Columbus's flotilla was strong and resilient, which cannot be said about the crew. Thirty days on the high seas - and no land! It seemed crazy to swim any further. A riot was brewing.

To reassure the sailors, the captain promises to turn around if they still do not see land within the next three days. What did Columbus hope for when he set this deadline? Surely, not only on intuition. Signs of nearby land were evident. Algae became more and more common, flocks of birds landed on the masts, and when on the night of October 11-12 a cry was heard from the Pinta: “Earth!”, Admiral Columbus no longer doubted that his dream had come true.

"Ninya", one of Columbus's caravels

Following Columbus, the Spanish conquistadors - conquerors and colonizers - rushed to the shores of the New World. After just half a century, all of Mexico, Central America and even part of South America, along with a wide strip of land from the Caribbean Sea to Cape Horn, were in the possession of Spain.

The acquired wealth - huge reserves of gold, silver and copper that ended up in the occupied lands - Columbus's arrogant homeland did not want to share with anyone. “The Caribbean is a closed sea,” declared the Spaniards, imposing a cruel monopoly on trade with the New World. However, already in the first quarter of the 16th century. England and France are planning to reshape the world in their own way. Pirates played a huge role in the struggle for maritime dominance, taking to the high seas with the knowledge and blessing of the highest persons of their states.

Reconstruction of "Santa Maria", carried out in our time

Perhaps the most cruel and successful corsair can be called Francis Drake. Forever harboring a grudge against the treacherous Spaniards who “confiscated” his merchant ship off the coast of Africa, Captain Drake creates a small squadron and makes his first raid on the Caribbean coast.

Robbing Spanish cities and capturing treasure ships one after another, he generously shares the spoils with the English treasury. It is not surprising that Queen Elizabeth, who becomes the main shareholder of Drake’s corsair “company”, counting on large dividends, gives him official permission to actively interfere with Spanish trade in the Pacific Ocean.

Reconstruction of the ship "Golden Hind" by Francis Drake

Elizabeth was justified: the pirate voyage of 1577-1580. brought Drake four thousand seven hundred percent of net profit, the lion's share of which, of course, went to the Queen of England. Not out of simple curiosity, but by force of circumstances, fleeing the pursuit of Spanish ships, Drake makes his second trip around the world, after Magellan.

He is the first of the Europeans to reach the Columbia River and the southern tip of Vancouver Island, after which, sending his ship through the Pacific waters, he leaves behind the Mariana Archipelago and reaches Ternate, one of the Moluccas Islands. From there, passing Java and rounding the Cape of Good Hope, Drake returned to his native Plymouth.

Portuguese caravel

Knyavdiged - the upper part of the stem protruding forward, was often decorated with a carved figure.

The waist is the part of the upper deck between the forecastle and the quarterdeck.

Utah - part of the deck between! mizzen mast and stern flagpole.

The topmast is a spar that serves as a continuation of the mast.

A tiller is a lever mounted on the head of the steering wheel and used to shift it.

Mars - a platform at the top of a composite mast, serves for the separation of wall cables and a place for work when setting and cleaning the sails.

Drake's faithful companion in his sea wanderings was the Pelican, which was later renamed the Golden Hind by the corsair for its excellent seaworthiness. The new name, however, did not change the appearance of the ship: the pelican painted on its stern continued to feed its chicks for a long time, and the sculptural image of the proud bird still adorned the princediged protruding from the bow of the ship.

The legendary "Golden Hind" was a small 18-gun ship about 18 m long. A well-made set of oak frames and plating made of hard wood gave the vessel special strength. On the waist between the ladder coming from the short forecastle and the mainmast there were two cannons - on the starboard and port sides. Three light falconets, placed on special swivel mounts, fired at enemy ships, and in the event of boarding, they turned around and could fire along the deck.

The elevation on the deck between the main and mizzen masts was called the quarterdeck. Only the captain was allowed to rest on the quarterdeck. Two ladders led to the high poop deck. The ship's three-masted sailing rig met the latest trends of its era. On the blind yard, under the high bowsprit, there was a blind sail. The foremast and mainmast, which carried straight sails, consisted of two parts - a topmast was attached to the so-called lower mast, which held the flagpole. The short mizzen was armed with an oblique lateen sail. To control the mounted rudder, a tiller was still used, replacing the steering wheel.

Spanish galleon "Flemish". 1593

Kruysel is the second straight sail from the bottom on the mizzen mast.

In the 15th century The word “cannone” (cannon) began to be used to describe an artillery piece of any type and size. The smallest of them were falconets, muskets (gradually turned into hand guns) and ship bombardels, which fired stone or iron cannonballs. Small-caliber guns were placed on the bulwarks and held by rotating forks - swivels.

During the battle they were placed on the quarterdeck, forecastle and tops of the masts. In order to give the vessel additional stability, heavy cartauns and long-barreled large-caliber culverins were placed on the lower deck. Gradually, cannon barrels began to be cast along with trunnions - cylindrical protrusions that made it possible to aim the gun in a vertical plane.

French pinnace from the 17th century.

By the middle of the 16th century. the term "karakka" falls out of use, and a large sailing ship with three or four masts begins to be called simply a "ship". A variety of naves of those times were Portuguese and French caravels, as well as Spanish galleons. The seas are dominated by large sailing ships armed with artillery of various calibers.

The ratio of the length of the hull to its width increased and ranged from 2:1 to 2.5:1, due to which the seaworthiness of sailing ships improved. Composite masts carried several sails at the same time. The shipbuilders increased the area of the topsails and cruises - and steering the ship became much easier, and the sailboat itself became unexpectedly agile and maneuverable.

"Great Harry." 1514

Not long ago, the remains of such a ship, which had a clinker lining, were raised from the bottom of the Hamble River. According to experts, the found sailing ship is none other than the famous “Great Harry” of the English king Henry XVIII, built in 1514. Probably, “Harry” was the last large ship with a displacement of 1000 tons, which was sheathed using wooden dowels.

Old technologies became a thing of the past, and in the 16th century. In the north of Europe, a new type of sailing ship appears - a three-masted pinnace with a displacement of 100-150 (and later up to 800) tons. The small pinnace was mainly used as a cargo ship, and therefore was armed with only 8-10 cannons.

The Portuguese galleon, willingly borrowed by the Spaniards, British and French, had much in common with the pinnace and became the basis of all strong European fleets by the end of the century. A special feature of the galleon was its sharp hull, the length of which along the keel (about 40 m) was almost four times greater than its width. The heavy aft superstructure characteristic of the karakka was replaced by a narrow and high one, accommodating up to seven decks, in which the captain’s cabin and the cruise chamber were located (powder magazine) and storage facilities.

Fifty to eighty guns mounted on two battery decks fired at the enemy through the ports. The bow superstructure moved to the center, and a ram was equipped on the bow, which over time turned into a latrine decorated with a figurehead. At the stern there were one or two galleries; later they began to be built up and glassed. The prefabricated structure of the masts was reinforced with topmasts. The main and foremasts usually had three sails (main, topsail and topsail). The mizzen and bonaventure masts had slanting sails - lateen ones, and on the bow there was another straight sail, which received the funny name "artemon".

Due to their high sides and bulky superstructures, galleons had low seaworthiness. The crew of the galleon, as befits a large warship with a displacement of 500-1400 tons at that time, reached 200 people. Often, galleons delivered settlers to America, returning back with a cargo of precious metals - a tasty morsel for numerous sea pirates, from whose all-seeing eyes it seemed impossible to escape.

A latrine is an overhang at the bow of a sailing ship, along the sides of which there were latrines for the crew.

Bonaventure mast - the fourth mast, was located at the stern behind the mizzen mast and carried a lateen sail.

You will find out in this article what the name of Christopher Columbus's ship was on which he made his famous discovery.

What was the name of Christopher Columbus's ship?

For an expedition to India across the Atlantic Ocean, he set out on three ships: Santa Maria, Niña, Pinta.

Santa Maria- the flagship ship on which Christopher Columbus discovered America in 1492.

It was a three-masted carrack no more than 25 meters long. The length of Santa Maria was from 21.4 to 25 meters. The ship could accommodate about 40 people. The owner and captain of the carrack was the Cantabrian Juan de la Cosa, a famous Spanish traveler and cartographer.

The Santa Maria crashed on Christmas Day 1492 off the coast of Haiti. Not a single image of Columbus's ship has survived.

They sailed for Santa Maria " Niña«, « Pint«.

The real name of the Niña is Santa Clara. The name "Niña" is most likely derived from the name of its owners, the Niño brothers from Moguer.

Caravels allowed a maximum speed of 12-14 knots (1 knot = 1 mph; 1 nautical mile ~ 1800 meters) or approximately 20 km/h in land measurement. Thus, with a favorable wind, a caravel could cover 200-300 km in a day.