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As stated, the sailing ships weren't designed to take huge oars.
However, from time to time they would unload a few of there longboats, man the oars, rig up tow-lines, and use them as tows. These would not be effective for long range travel however.
A viking 'ship" was light and hardly drew any water. They were more for coastal and river raids and shipping. Yes, they made it over to this side but it was probably island hopping across. Yes, the North Sea and upper Atlantic are not known for their calmness, even near shore so I reckon many of those Nordic craft were lost on their voyages. Cool looking boats but no matter how history looks at them they were not very seaworthy. Later on the sailing ships became more seaworthy for open ocean crossings (though many of them were lost as well). Of course that meant larger and had considerable more draft so more weight to push along as well as more mass to push through. Just look how 1 square sail could move a viking ship along but look at the vast sail area of sailing vessels from the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries.
Also, look at the freeboard (height from water line to railing) on a typical sailing ship. They would need to have holes in the hull much lower down then even cannon ports on a Man-O-War and when crossing a vast ocean that can get quite rough and stormy, holes down near the water line are not good!
Also, look at the freeboard (height from water line to railing) on a typical sailing ship. They would need to have holes in the hull much lower down then even cannon ports on a Man-O-War and when crossing a vast ocean that can get quite rough and stormy, holes down near the water line are not good!
Yeah, to have oars on a Ship of the Line is as useful as having them on a modern aircraft carrier. Useless in both cases, because the ships are heavy, while a human is weak.
Yeah, to have oars on a Ship of the Line is as useful as having them on a modern aircraft carrier. Useless in both cases, because the ships are heavy, while a human is weak.
It's amazing how big those ships really are when you see one up close. It's amazing even sails moved them along. Hell, those things look intimidating even today!
It's amazing how big those ships really are when you see one up close. It's amazing even sails moved them along. Hell, those things look intimidating even today!
Yes, they are pretty impressive, especially with the multiple gun decks.
Fun fact: You could carpet all of the floor area of the White House with the sails of Lord Nelson's flagship HMS Victory. And still be left over with 4500 sq ft worth of sail!
It's amazing how big those ships really are when you see one up close. It's amazing even sails moved them along. Hell, those things look intimidating even today!
There are different sizes however - First, Second, down to I think sixth rates (frigates). Then there are smaller vessels such as brigs and sloops and schooners - all operated exclusively by sail.
I was always amazed how many crew members it managed to accomadate.
Anyone really interested in the topic and wants to escape into that world of canvas and oak should take to reading the Patrick O'Brian/Jack Aubrey series of novels.
There are different sizes however - First, Second, down to I think sixth rates (frigates). Then there are smaller vessels such as brigs and sloops and schooners - all operated exclusively by sail.
I was always amazed how many crew members it managed to accomadate.
Anyone really interested in the topic and wants to escape into that world of canvas and oak should take to reading the Patrick O'Brian/Jack Aubrey series of novels.
Yes, there are many different ones. Though I like motors to push me along and modern day sailboats and sailing yachts are not my thing, I love the old sailing vessels of yesterday. And that includes the boats the vikings used and the Chesapeake bay skipjacks in which a few are still being used to harvest oysters today.
One thing I get a kick out of is, though the Frigates are quite large, every now and then one of the replicas of the Nina, Pinta and/or Santa Maria come to assorted ports on our coast. Those boats are tiny. Our modern day sportfishing yachts dwarf those "ships" and they are designed for a 2 to 3 person crew and maybe 1/2 dozen anglers where as those old vessels where designed to bring settlers across an ocean. Amazing they made it and still do! Though at least now days they have auxiliary motors and modern electronics as well as weather reports.
The kinds of ships the Arabs used, they crossed the indian ocean. And the Polynesians had some primitive vessels too, and they sailed all over the Pacific.
Viking longships had sails. And the longest stretch a Viking longship ever had to cover was the 650 miles from Greenland to Labrador, and even that was a stretch. Meanwhile an actual sailing vessel, using the trade winds, would voyage at least 4000 from Spain to the Caribbean.
Re: 'It's amazing how big those ships really are when you see one up close. It's amazing even sails moved them along. Hell, those things look intimidating even today'
You know I'd suggest that in their day thise great ships were the most dangerous things on the planet when it came to delivering potential destruction to an enemy. I think they were the 'nukes' of their day. Under no circumstances would one like to on decks when multiple and successive broadsides were coming fast and furious.
Why didnt ships during the Age of Sail also come with paddles like on a Tririme, or a viking longship?
Those ships can sail with wind, and if they lost the wind they can still keep going. I am watching this movie about a lost ship, with no wind, and the crew is starving to death. This is during the colonial era when ships needed wind power. They lost the wind, and they get stranding. It does not seem like a good design.
Also who did have the superior ships, the romans and greeks with their Triremes, the viking longship, or the spanish galleons?
What film?
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