square sails
Yard-mounted canvas sheets
Square sails are four-cornered sails set perpendicular to a ship's length, hung from horizontal yards across the mast.
They powered most sailing ships from antiquity through the age of exploration, catching wind from behind.
Ships with square sails—called square-riggers—excelled at ocean crossings but struggled to sail into the wind: The square sails billowed as the trade winds filled them.
Outer spar end
- mastVessel's sail support
- foremastShip's frontmost vertical spar
- mainmastShip's central vertical spar
- mizzenAftermost sail or mast
topsail · topgallant · royals · course · clew · leech · footrope · gasket
Large historical sailing ship
- caravelSmall Portuguese exploration ship
- clipperFast ship or trimmer
- carrackLarge 15th-century merchantman
- merchantmanCommercial sailing vessel
longship · Age of Discovery · Columbus · Magellan · Vasco da Gama · Armada · spice trade · transatlantic
Heavy woven cloth
- sailclothHeavy fabric for sails
- seamingJoining by stitching
- grommetHole-protecting ring insert
- reinforcementAdding support or encouragement
sailmaker · stitching · patching · hemp · flax · linen · cutting · shaping
Reliable equatorial air currents
- doldrumsState of inactivity
- runningSwift foot travel
- downwindIn airflow's direction
- dead reckoningPosition-tracking via estimated motion
celestial navigation · compass · latitude · longitude · prevailing winds · monsoon · passage · voyaging
yardarm
Outer spar end
mizzen · topsail · topgallant · royals · course · clew · leech · footrope · gasket · braces
galleon
Large historical sailing ship
- caravelSmall Portuguese exploration ship
- clipperFast ship or trimmer
- carrackLarge 15th-century merchantman
merchantman · longship · Age of Discovery · Columbus · Magellan · Vasco da Gama · Armada · spice trade · transatlantic · exploration
canvas
Heavy woven cloth
reinforcement · sailmaker · stitching · patching · hemp · flax · linen · cutting · shaping · panels
trade winds
Reliable equatorial air currents
dead reckoning · celestial navigation · compass · latitude · longitude · prevailing winds · monsoon · passage · voyaging · crossing