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What Were Pirate Ships Like?
One of the most celebrated texts in the annals of piracy is "A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pyrates," published in 1724 by Captain Charles Johnson (whose true identify is thought by many to be none other than Daniel Defoe). In it, a variety of ship types are mentioned.
When we think of pirate ships, the quintessential vessel that comes to mind is the galleon, that three-masted "workhouse" of the Spanish Empire that transported precious bullion and spices across both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Because it was large and capacious, and, therefore, carried vast amounts of booty, the galleon was a prime target for robbery on the high seas. But read Johnson's tome -- or any book on pirates for that matter -- and it is evident that the preferred vessel for carrying out piracy was the sloop, a small sailing craft, usually with a single mast set aft of the bow about one third the length of the vessel.
Why the sloop? Because it was small and easily maneuverable; because it presented a minimal profile against the horizon, which provided a modicum of stealth; and because it could easily approach and sail under the fantail (sterncastle) of its intended target, the prime area for boarding the ship. |