Sailing ship
A sailing ship is a big boat with sails attached to the mast, to catch the wind. The wind pushes the boat along. A sailing ship had a rig of at least three masts, square rigged.
Sailing ships have been used since prehistoric times. They were greatly improved around the 15th century, and were the main kind of ship until the middle 19th century. They were very important for trade and war. All large boats became known as "ships", so when steam power was invented people talked about "steam ships" to distinguish them from "sailing ships".
Small boats with sails are called "yachts" or sailboats. They are used today for leisure activities.
Sailing Ship Media
A barque—a three-masted sailing ship with square sails on the first two masts (fore and main) and fore-and-aft sails on the mizzenmast
Fijian voyaging outrigger boat with a crab claw sail, an example of a typical Austronesian vessel with outriggers and a fore-and-aft sail
A carved stone relief panel showing a Borobudur ship (Austronesian) from 8th century Java, depicted with outriggers and fore-and-aft tanja sails
Chinese junk Keying with a center-mounted rudder post, c. 1848
Roman ship with sails, oars, and a steering oar
A traditional Maldivian Baghlah with a fore-and-aft lateen rig
Replica of Ferdinand Magellan's carrack, Victoria, which completed the first global circumnavigation.
1798 sea battle between a French and British man-of-war
The five-masted Preussen was the largest sailing ship ever built.
