Sailing ship

Lore & Background

Early sailing ships were employed for river and coastal navigation in ancient Egypt and the Mediterranean. The Austronesian peoples pioneered key maritime technologies, including the fore-and-aft crab-claw sail, as well as catamaran and outrigger hull configurations. These innovations enabled the Austronesian expansion from Taiwan through Island Southeast Asia, reaching Near Oceania, Hawaii, and New Zealand. Their vessels featured spars supporting both the upper and lower edges of the sails, unlike Western rigs which only had a spar on the upper edge. Large Austronesian trading ships, recorded by Han dynasty scholars as *kunlun bo*, could carry as many as four sails and were used by Chinese Buddhist pilgrims for voyages to Southern India and Sri Lanka. Bas-reliefs from the 8th-century Borobudur temple in Java depict large outrigger ships with various tanja sail configurations. Later Asian developments included the Chinese junk, built from teak with pegs and nails, featuring watertight compartments and center-mounted tillers and rudders. Junks were used for long-distance trade during the Ming dynasty, with Admiral Zheng He reportedly sailing to India, Arabia, and southern Africa. European sailing ships with predominantly square rigs became prevalent during the Age of Discovery, crossing oceans between continents. A full-rigged ship of this era had a bowsprit and three masts, each with a lower, top, and topgallant mast. Most were merchantmen, but large fleets of well-armed warships also developed. By the 1880s, triple-expansion steam engines allowed steamships to compete with sail on all major routes, though commercial sailing vessels continued into the 20th century in reduced numbers.

Reader's Guide

European sailing ships with predominantly square rigs became prevalent during the Age of Discovery (15th to 17th centuries), when they crossed oceans between continents and around the world. In the European Age of Sail, a full-rigged ship was one with a bowsprit and three masts, each of which consists of a lower, top, and topgallant mast. Most sailing ships were merchantmen, but the Age of Sail also saw the development of large fleets of well-armed warships. The many steps of technological development of steamships during the 19th century provided slowly increasing competition for sailing ships—initially only on short routes where high prices could be charged. By the 1880s, ships with triple-expansion steam engines had the fuel efficiency to compete with sail on all major routes—and with scheduled sailings that were not affected by the wind direction. However, commercial sailing vessels could still be found working into the 20th century, although in reducing numbers and only in certain trades.

Did You Know?

• Austronesian rigs had spars supporting both the upper and lower edges of the sails, unlike western rigs which only had a spar on the upper edge.
• Large Austronesian trading ships with as many as four sails were recorded by Han dynasty scholars as the kunlun bo.
• The Ming dynasty saw the use of junks as long-distance trading vessels; Admiral Zheng He reportedly sailed to India, Arabia, and southern Africa.
• Dhows were often built with teak planks sewn together with coconut husk fiber—no nails were employed.