Historical Timeline of Sailing Ships

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Historical Timeline of Sailing Ships

STAR CLIPPERS

Historical Timeline of Sailing Ships The three vessels that make up the Star Clippers fleet offer

featured a single mast with a square sail, which powered the

a nod to a bygone era of traditional tall ship sailing. Sailing

ship alongside a series of oars. The only problem with using

on board the Star Clipper, Star Flyer or the magnificent

these types of wood is that only short lengths could be cut.

Royal Clipper, you will be able to enjoy this traditional style

From 2900BC, cedar wood was used, from which longer

of sailing whilst visiting hidden coves, tranquil islands, and

planks could be sawn.

paradise beaches. While these ships offer an insight into a historical era of trade routes and exploration, the origins of

Ancient Greece

the traditional sailing vessels extends over many thousands

By 480BC, it was established that wind sails were the best way

of years. This week, we take a closer look at the origins of

to power ships. However, the Greeks decided to enhance their

traditional sailing vessels and how these have evolved into the

war efforts by using oars, which gave them an edge in terms

clipper ships we know today.

of manoeuvrability and speed. These ships were rowed by three banks of oarsmen and helped steer Greek triremes to

Origins

victory over the mighty Persian fleet.

Travel back thousands of years to a period where there were no main roads and the efficiency of travelling by water soon

Vikings

becomes clear. The very first forms of ‘boat’ to be used were

The Viking longship is one of the most iconic sailing vessels

most likely nothing more than logs, which were either tied

in maritime history. Built using overlapping planks (clinker-

together to form a raft or hollowed out to make canoes. These

built) which were riveted to frames, these vessels were

logs were then propelled either by simple paddles or poles,

resilient and flexible enough to endure long journeys from

which could be pushed into the river bed.

Scandinavia to the coasts of Britain, France and Spain. By 1000AD, they were enhanced with wide hulls and managed to

Ancient Egypt

reach Iceland, Greenland and North America.

The Ancient Egyptians are thought to have introduced one of the first types of sailing vessel back in 3400BC. These

Europeans

ships were made of wood from acacia or sycamore trees and

The Europeans were inspired by the clinker-built Viking

vessels and decided to apply this technique to their own

Spanish Galleon

ships for several centuries. In the thirteenth century, cog

In the 16th century, Spain needed a new type of ship to assist

ships followed the clinker-built procedure but featured raised

in bringing back gold and other treasures from America. A

platforms at either end to provide vantage points from which

new ship – which combined the factors of speed, size and

archers could shoot arrows. The clinker-built approach was

strength of predecessors – was introduced around the time of

adapted during the construction of Carrack ships, which

the Spanish war against the English fleet. The sails on galleon

required larger hulls. The carvel method of shipbuilding

vessels were huge and had to be let down or pulled up by

saw planks fitted edge-to-edge onto a frame and resulted in

sailors using heavy ropes.

vessels being able to carry more cargo.

Royal Clipper Chinese Junk

Lasting from the 16th to the mid-19th century, the Age of

Chinese Junk sailing ships date back to the 2nd century AD,

Sail saw a series of explorers reach the far corners of the

although they are still used by some fishermen to this day.

earth to discover new lands and establish trade routes. Ships

Between 1405 and 1433, a fleet of junks made a series of

were continually enhanced in terms of efficiency and speed

expeditions across the Indian Ocean from China under the

and, 150 years ago, the clipper ship was born. Clipper ships

guidance of Zheng He, a trusted servant of the Ming emperor

reached their peak upon the introduction of barques – which

of China. The largest of these junks ships featured nine masts

were high-capacity, multi-masted sailing ships. The Royal

and measured 150 metres in length. They were strengthened

Clipper is a five-masted barque and is the largest ship of its

by wall-like partitions called bulkheads and the sails were

kind to be built for 100 years.

stiffened by bamboo poles.

STAR CLIPPERS