Carrack Ship — Carrack Info

A carrack or nao was a three- or four-masted sailing ship developed in the Mediterranean in the 15th century. It had a high rounded stern with an aftcastle and a forecastle and bowsprit at the stem. It was square-rigged on the foremast and mainmast and lateen-rigged on the mizzenmast. Pirate Ship book (Amazon affiliate link)

Carracks were the first proper ocean-going ships in Europe; large enough to be stable in heavy seas, and roomy enough to carry provisions for long voyages. They were the ships in which the Spanish and Portuguese explored the world in the 15th and 16th centuries. In Spanish this type was called carraca or nao, while in Portuguese it was called nau. In French it was nef. English military carracks were called great ships. The carrack was the high seas beast of burden of choice and has been described as the “perfected transport ship.”

Key characteristics of the carrack:

• It offered the space for crew, provisions, and also cargo.
• They were virtually impregnable to attack from small craft, which was often a problem in the East Indies.
• Their ability to carry cargo and provisions made them independent of ports en route, giving them a longer range.
• The combination of four sails allowed for a fair degree of flexibility — large square sails provided propulsion, smaller sails at bow and stern allowed for manoeuvring, and lateen sails allowed for sailing across the wind.
• The stable deck allowed for placement of guns, making the vessel an effective gun platform.

However, the large superstructures of these ships made them prone to toppling in strong winds.