What types of ships exist. Classification of sailing ships (sailing weapons)

According to historical data, the first documented use of sails for navigation dates back to the 4th millennium BC. It was then, in ancient Egypt, that the first : Barges used to navigate the Nile and coastal areas were first equipped with mat sails. Initially, the sail played the role of an auxiliary propulsion device when wind directions were favorable. But over time it became the main thing, almost completely replacing the oars. Gradually the sails became more complex and more diverse.

Classification of sailing ships

The main impetus for the development of sailing ships was the era of great geographical discoveries of the 15th-16th centuries. At this time, navigation areas and the tasks assigned to ships change dramatically. And, consequently, new requirements for the design and performance of ships appear. From now on, continuous improvement and complication begins, more and more highly specialized types appear sailing ships.

Starting from the 17th-18th centuries, with the development of a unified maritime terminology, there was an urgent need to classify all ships by type. The main classifying feature for ships is the type of equipment installed on them. Secondary signs type of sailing ship were the number of masts and its purpose, and for warships also the caliber and number of cannon weapons. Let's consider types of sailing ships with various weapons.

All diversity can be divided into three large groups according to the type of prevailing sails:

Mixed type.

In addition, all ships are usually divided into:

Big ones.
Small ones.

Large ones include those that carry at least two masts. Small sailing ships are conventionally considered to be small ones that have 1 or one and a half masts (an option when one of the masts is much lower).

Straight rigged sailboats

They are the most ancient invention, used since antiquity. They were installed on Egyptian, Phoenician, Greek, Polynesian and Roman ships and boats long before our era. They have not lost their relevance in our time. Their distinctive feature is their quadrangular shape - in the form of a regular rectangle or trapezoid. They are attached with the upper luff to the yard or gaff, and the lower luff to the boom, lower yard, or directly to the deck.

The advantage of straight sails is that they are easy to work with; they are easy to set up and remove. They have good driving force in tailwinds, however, in cross and head winds it is extremely difficult or even impossible to use them. To move, the minimum angle between the wind direction and the plane of the sail must exceed 65-67 o, and this makes tacking almost impossible. The name of the sails depends on the name of the masts on which they are installed and the order of the tiers.

Types of sailing ships, with predominant straight sails:

Ship. In this case, we mean “ship” not as a vessel in general, but as a name denoting a large sailing ship with three or more masts. At the same time, they must have exclusively straight sails.
Barque. It can also have over 3 masts, but it differs from a ship in that it has oblique sails on the mizzen mast, while all the others have only straight sails.
A brig is a smaller vessel. However, it always has only two masts.

Sailboats with oblique rigs

They were invented much later than direct ones, only in the Middle Ages. The first to use them were presumably Arab sailors. From them, the oblique sail was adopted by the Europeans, where it spread quite widely, both as an independent sail and as a supplement to straight sails. The undoubted advantage of an oblique sail over a straight sail is the ability to move in side and even counter wind directions. Large ships that have oblique sails as their main ones are called schooners. Depending on the design features, they, in turn, are divided into several types:

Gaffle. It is equipped with a gaff sail, stretched between the gaff at the top and the boom at the bottom, and the luff is attached directly to the mast.
Bermuda. Sails of this type have the shape of a triangle. Its base is fixed to the boom, and the leading edge is attached to the mast.
Staysail - this type includes schooners on which the main sails are staysails (oblique sails mounted on the forestay in front of the masts).
Marseille - with an oblique foresail, but in addition to it it is equipped with a straight topsail sail.

The last two types, judging by their , would be more correctly classified as mixed-type vessels. But, in the maritime historical tradition, the name “schooner” was assigned to them, which defines them as ships with a predominant oblique rig.

Sailboats with mixed weapons

Vessels with a mixed rig include those in which both types of sails are represented in approximately equal proportions. This includes two types of ships:

A brigantine is a 2-masted ship, with slant sails on the mainmast, and only straight sails on the foremast.
Barquentine - carries at least 3 masts. The foremast has straight sails, while all subsequent ones have exclusively oblique sails.

Small sailboats

Today the vast majority of modern sailing ships belongs to the small class - yachts and boats. Small sailing ships, like their large-tonnage “brothers,” can be divided into groups according to the type of sails.

Small sailing ships and their types:

A small sailboat can carry either 1 or 2 (one and a half) . 2-masted vessels include ketches and lols. Both types carry mizzen and mainmasts, and differ in the location of the rudder stock. In a ketch it is located behind the mizzen mast, while in an iola it is in front. In addition, these two types of small sailing ships have different mizzen areas. In a ketch, its area exceeds 15% and can reach up to ¼ of the total sail area. In Iola, the size of the mizzen is somewhat more modest, and rarely exceeds 10% of the total sail area. Both ketch and yol can carry either gaff or Bermuda sails - in this situation they are called "Bermuda ketch", or, for example, "gaff yol".

Single-masted small sailboats are divided into the following types:

Tender. It has a single mast, shifted towards the amidships. Standard set of sails: mainsail (either), topsail, and jibs. Like other small sailboats, depending on the type of mainsail, they can be gaff or Bermuda.
The sloop has a slanting sail on the mainmast, and is the only one. In some cases, an additional topsail is installed above the gaff mainsail.
Kat, a small sailboat with the simplest rig, consisting of a single oblique sail.

In addition, modern yachts and boats can be classified according to the type of material from which their hull is made:

Steel.
Fiberglass.
Wood.
Reinforced cement.

Depending on the number of hulls, sailing boats can be single-hulled, double-hulled (catamarans) and even triple-hulled (trimarans). By presence of keel small sailing ships there are:

Keel boats – have a massive keel that acts as a balancer, preventing the yacht from capsizing during rough seas. Increases stability by moving the center of gravity below the waterline.
Dinghy boats. It has a centerboard - a lifting keel, which can be removed if necessary, thereby reducing the draft of the boat.
The so-called “compromise” yachts, combining in their design the advantages of both of the above types.

Barque- (gol. bark), a sea sailing transport vessel (3-5 masts) with straight sails on all masts, except for the mizzen mast, which carries oblique sails. Initially, the barque was a small merchant ship intended for coastal navigation. But then the size of this type gradually increased. The barges were mass-produced until the 1930s. XX century, their displacement reached 10 thousand tons. The two largest modern sailing ships “Kruzenshtern” and “Sedov” are 5-masted barques.

Barge- (Italian, Spanish barca, French barquc), originally it was a sailing rowing undecked fishing vessel, sometimes a coasting vessel, which first appeared in Italy in the 7th century. Subsequently, the barge turned into a light, high-speed vessel, common in Western Europe in the late Middle Ages, built like a galley. Even later, the oars disappeared on the barges and they became completely sailing ships, with two masts that carried the foresail, fore-topsail (foremast) and the mainsail, topsail (mainmast). An interesting feature was that the mizzen was mounted directly on the mainmast. The barges were primarily coastal merchant ships.

Warship- (English warship - warship). Judging by the image and characteristics in the game, this is the same frigate. In general, warships from the middle of the 16th century were ships of medium and large displacement, built specifically for military purposes.

Galleon- (Spanish galeon), sailing warship of the 16th - 17th centuries. It had an average length of about 40 m, a width of 10-14 m, a transom shape, vertical sides, 3-4 masts. Straight sails were installed on the foremast and mainmast, slanting sails on the mizzen mast, and a blind on the bowsprit. The high aft superstructure had up to 7 decks where living quarters were located. Artillery. the armament consisted of 50-80 cannons, usually located on 2 decks. Galleons had low seaworthiness due to high sides and bulky superstructures.

Caravel- (Italian: caravella), a seagoing single-deck sailing ship with high sides and superstructures at the bow and stern. Distributed in the XIII - XVII centuries. in Mediterranean countries. Caravels went down in history as the first ships to cross the Atlantic, sail around the Cape of Good Hope and on which the New World was discovered. Characteristic features of caravels are high sides, deep sheer decks in the middle part of the ship and mixed sailing equipment. The ship had 3-4 masts, which either all carried oblique sails or had straight sails on the foremast and main mast. The lateen sails on the slanting yards of the main and mizzen masts allowed the ships to sail steeply to the wind.

Karakka- (French caraque), a large sailing ship, common in the XIII - XVI centuries. and used for military and commercial purposes. It had a length of up to 36m. and width 9.4m. and up to 4 decks. Developed superstructures at the bow and stern, and 3-5 masts. The sides were rounded and slightly bent inward; such sides made boarding difficult. In addition, boarding nets were used on the ships, which prevented enemy soldiers from getting onto the ship. The foremasts and mainmasts carried straight rigs (mainsail and foremast), while mizzen masts carried oblique rigs. Topsails were often additionally installed on the foremast and mainmast. Artillery. the armament consisted of 30-40 guns. By the first half of the 15th century. Over time, the karakka became the largest, most advanced and armed vessel.

Corvette- (French corvette), high-speed sailing warship of the 18th - 19th centuries. The ship had the same sailing rig as the frigate, with the only exception: a jib and a boom jib were immediately added to the blind. Intended for reconnaissance, patrol and messenger services. Artillery armament of up to 40 guns located on one deck.

Battleship- in the sailing fleet of the 17th - 19th centuries. the largest warship, had 3 masts with full sails. It had strong artillery armament from 60 to 130 guns. Depending on the number of guns, ships were divided into ranks: 60-80 guns - third rank, 80-90 guns - second rank, 100 and above - first rank. These were huge, heavy, poorly maneuverable ships with great firepower.

Pinasse- (French pinasse, English pinnace), a small sailing vessel of the flute type, but differing from it in less concave frames and a flat stern. The forward part of the ship ended in an almost rectangular transverse bulkhead extending vertically from the deck to the forecastle. This form of the front part of the ship existed until the beginning of the 18th century. The pinasse was up to 44 m long, had three masts and a powerful bowsprit. Straight sails were raised on the main and foremasts, a mizzen and a cruisel above it on the mizzen mast, and a blind and a bomb blind on the bowsprit. The displacement of pinnaces is 150 - 800 tons. They were intended mainly for trading purposes. distributed in Northern countries. Europe in the 16th - 17th centuries. It had a flat stern, 2-3 masts, and served mainly for trading purposes.

Pink- (gol. pink), fishing and trading vessel of the 16th - 18th centuries. In the North Sea it had 2, and in the Mediterranean 3 masts with oblique sails (sprint sails) and a narrow stern. It had on board up to 20 small-caliber guns. As a pirate ship it was used mainly in the North Sea.

Flutes- (Gol. fluit), sea sailing transport ship of the Netherlands of the 16th - 18th centuries. It had cambered sides above the waterline, which were tucked inward at the top, a rounded stern with a superstructure, and a shallow draft. The deck was sheer and rather narrow, which was explained by the fact that the width of the deck was a decisive factor in determining the amount of duty by the Sound Customs. The foremast and mainmast had straight sails (foresail, mainsail and topsail), and the mizzenmast had a mizzen and topsail. A blind, sometimes a bomb blind, was placed on the bowsprit. By the 18th century topsails appeared above the topsails, and a cruisel appeared above the topsails. The first flute was built in 1595 in Hoorn, the shipbuilding center of Holland. The length of these ships was 4 - 6 or more times greater than their width, which allowed them to sail quite steeply to the wind. Topmasts, invented in 1570, were first introduced into the spar. The height of the masts now exceeded the length of the ship, and the yards, on the contrary, began to be shortened. This is how small, narrow and easy-to-maintain sails arose, which made it possible to reduce the overall number of the upper crew. On the mizzen mast, a straight cruising sail was raised above the usual oblique sail. For the first time, a steering wheel appeared on flutes, which made it easier to shift the rudder. The flutes of the early 17th century had a length of about 40 m, a width of about 6.5 m, a draft of 3 - 3.5 m, a carrying capacity of 350 - 400 tons. For self-defense, 10 - 20 guns were installed on them. The crew consisted of 60 - 65 people. These ships were distinguished by good seaworthiness, high speed and large capacity and were therefore used mainly as military transport ships. During the 16th-18th centuries, flutes occupied a dominant position among merchant ships on all seas.

Frigate- (gol. fregat), three-masted sailing ship of the 18th - 20th centuries. with full ship sailing equipment. Initially, there was a blind on the bowsprit, later a jib and a boom jib were added, and even later the blind was removed and a midship jib was installed instead. The frigate's crew consisted of 250 - 300 people. A multi-purpose ship, it was used to escort trade caravans or individual ships, intercept enemy merchant ships, long-range reconnaissance and cruising service. Artillery armament of frigates up to 62 guns located on 2 decks. Frigates differed from sailing battleships in their smaller size and artillery. weapons. Sometimes frigates were included in the battle line and were called line frigates.

Sloop- (Vol. sloep), there were several types of ships. Sailing 3 mast warship of the 17th - 19th centuries. with direct sail rig. In size it occupied an intermediate position between a corvette and a brig. Intended for reconnaissance, patrol and messenger services. There were also single-masted sloops. Used for trade and fishing. Common in Europe and America in the 18th - 20th centuries. The sailing rig consists of a gaff or Bermuda mainsail, a gaff topsail and a jib. Sometimes they were additionally equipped with another jib and jib.

Shnyava- (Gol. snauw), a small sailing merchant or military ship, common in the 17th - 18th centuries. Shnyavs had 2 masts with straight sails and a bowsprit. The main feature of the shnyava was the shnyav or trysail mast. It was a thin mast, standing on the deck in a wooden block just behind the mainmast. Its top was secured with an iron yoke or a transverse wooden beam on (or under) the rear side of the main top. Shnyavs in military service were usually called corvettes or sloops of war. Often they did not carry a lashing mast, and in its place a cable was laid from the back side of the top of the mainmast, which was lashed on the deadeyes on the deck. The mizzen was attached to this forestay, and the gaff was too heavy to lift. The length of the shnyava was 20 - 30 m, width 5 - 7.5 m, displacement about 150 tons, crew up to 80 people. Military Shnyavis were armed with 12 - 18 small-caliber cannons and were used for reconnaissance and messenger service.

Schooner- (English schooner), a sailing ship with slanting sails. They first appeared in North America in the 18th century. and initially had 2-3 masts with only slanting sails (gaff schooners). They had such advantages as a large carrying capacity, the ability to sail very steeply into the wind, had a smaller crew on board than ships with direct sails required, and therefore became widespread in a wide variety of modifications. Schooners were not used as military sailing ships, but they were popular among pirates.

Bomber ship

Sailing 2-, 3-masted ship of the late 17th - early 19th centuries. with increased hull strength, armed with smooth-bore guns. They first appeared in France in 1681, in Russia - during the construction of the Azov Fleet. Bombardier ships were armed with 2-18 large-caliber guns (mortars or unicorns) to fight against coastal fortifications and 8-12 small-caliber guns. They were part of the navies of all countries. They existed in the Russian fleet until 1828

Brig

A military 2-masted ship with a square rig, designed for cruising, reconnaissance and messenger services. Displacement 200-400 tons, armament 10-24 guns, crew up to 120 people. It had good seaworthiness and maneuverability. In the XVIII - XIX centuries. brigs were part of all the world's fleets

Brigantine

2-masted sailing ship of the 17th - 19th centuries. with a straight sail on the front mast (foresail) and an oblique sail on the rear mast (mainsail). Used in European navies for reconnaissance and messenger services. On the upper deck there were 6- 8 small caliber guns

Galion

Sailing ship of the 15th - 17th centuries, predecessor of the sailing ship of the line. It had fore and main masts with straight sails and a mizzen with oblique sails. Displacement is about 1550 tons. Military galleons had up to 100 guns and up to 500 soldiers on board

Caravel

A high-sided, single-deck, 3-, 4-mast vessel with high superstructures at the bow and stern, with a displacement of 200-400 tons. It had good seaworthiness and was widely used by Italian, Spanish and Portuguese sailors in the 13th - 17th centuries. Christopher Columbus and Vasco da Gama made their famous voyages on caravels

Karakka

Sailing 3-mast ship XIV - XVII centuries. with a displacement of up to 2 thousand tons. Armament: 30-40 guns. It could accommodate up to 1200 people. Cannon ports were used for the first time on the karakka and guns were placed in closed batteries

Clipper

A 3-masted sailing (or sail-steam with a propeller) ship of the 19th century, used for reconnaissance, patrol and messenger services. Displacement up to 1500 tons, speed up to 15 knots (28 km/h), armament up to 24 guns, crew up to 200 people

Corvette

A ship of the sailing fleet of the 18th - mid-19th centuries, intended for reconnaissance, messenger service, and sometimes for cruising operations. In the first half of the 18th century. 2-masted and then 3-masted vessel with square rig, displacement 400-600 tons, with open (20-32 guns) or closed (14-24 guns) batteries

Battleship

A large, usually 3-deck (3 artillery decks), three-masted ship with square rigging, designed for artillery combat with the same ships in the wake (battle line). Displacement up to 5 thousand tons. Armament: 80-130 smoothbore guns along the sides. Battleships were widely used in wars of the second half of the 17th - first half of the 19th centuries. The introduction of steam engines and propellers, rifled artillery and armor led in the 60s. XIX century to the complete replacement of sailing battleships with battleships

Flutes

A 3-masted sailing ship from the Netherlands of the 16th - 18th centuries, used in the navy as a transport. Armed with 4-6 cannons. It had sides that were tucked inward above the waterline. A steering wheel was used for the first time on a flute. In Russia, flutes have been part of the Baltic Fleet since the 17th century.

Sailing frigate

A 3-masted ship, second in terms of armament power (up to 60 guns) and displacement after the battleship, but superior to it in speed. Intended mainly for operations on sea communications

Sloop

Three-masted ship of the second half of the 18th - early 19th centuries. with straight sails on the forward masts and a slanting sail on the aft mast. Displacement 300-900 tons, artillery armament 16-32 guns. It was used for reconnaissance, patrol and messenger services, as well as a transport and expedition vessel. In Russia, the sloop was often used for circumnavigation of the world (O.E. Kotzebue, F.F. Bellingshausen, M.P. Lazarev, etc.)

Shnyava

A small sailing ship, common in the 17th - 18th centuries. in the Scandinavian countries and in Russia. Shnyavs had 2 masts with straight sails and a bowsprit. They were armed with 12-18 small-caliber cannons and were used for reconnaissance and messenger service as part of the skerry fleet of Peter I. Shnyava length 25-30 m, width 6-8 m, displacement about 150 tons, crew up to 80 people.

Schooner

A sea sailing vessel with a displacement of 100-800 tons, having 2 or more masts, is armed mainly with oblique sails. Schooners were used in sailing fleets as messenger ships. The schooners of the Russian fleet were armed with up to 16 guns.

A sailing fleet is a group of ships propelled by sails. As a rule, the use of the fleet was immediately accompanied by the appearance of the ships themselves, which were suitable for long expeditions or naval battles.

A Brief History of Sailboats

The first sailing ships appeared in the last years of antiquity. They consisted of primitive sailing-row ships and could reach speeds higher than the wind. A group of such ships cannot be called a full-fledged fleet, because... everyone acted independently in battles, and the outcome of the battle was decided mainly by numbers. The main techniques of confrontation were ramming, piling and boarding. Large sailing ships were equipped with additional weapons: a stone thrower (mainly for taking coastal fortresses), a harpoon and Greek fire.

In the 12th - 13th centuries, ships carrying military weapons on board appeared. However, they have developed towards personal power. Ships of the Karakka type could fight alone against a small group of ships, as well as carry out raiding operations.

If we are talking about a full-fledged sailing ship, it was first built in the British Empire in the 16th century. He bore the name Great Harry (“Great Harry”). The first Russian military sailing ship was launched in 1668. He did not belong to a specific type and bore the name “Eagle”.

Ship "Great Harry"

A regular navy of sailing ships appears in the early 17th century in the Western powers. These were overwhelmingly colonial empires - Britain, Portugal, Spain and France. After 100 years, a full-fledged fleet was formed in almost all of Europe, which subsequently played a key role in expansionist companies. Also, many criminals - pirates - took possession of warships.

Era of 17th century sailing ships

With the discovery of the steam engine, large battleships of the sailing fleet still existed for some time, but the sail no longer served as the main force of movement of the ship. It was used as an additional means of navigation in case of boiler failure or to save fuel in strong winds. Sailing ships were completely replaced by dreadnoughts and battleships. A sailboat with an unprotected mast had no chance against an armored ship. It is worth noting that in the 60s of the 19th century there was no rifled artillery yet and dreadnoughts were practically unsinkable.

Classification of sailing ships

The demand for ships was based on the tasks they performed - for expeditions or military operations. In the second case, the ship was required to achieve specific tactical goals, which led to the development of different types of ships. The main characteristics of any combat naval unit were: displacement, number of artillery guns and masts. Ultimately, a classification of ships by rank was formed:

The first three included only battleships;
4 - 5 ranks were frigates;
6 - 7 ranks - other smaller vessels (brigs, tenders, corvettes).

Simultaneously with the development of the main combat units, additional ships were formed, which were supposed to solve auxiliary tasks to achieve strategic goals on the battlefield.

These were mainly:

Fire ships. A ship with explosives on board to set fire to an enemy ship. They were developed through simple training. Fire ships were not built and, in fact, they are not an independent class of vessel. The decision to use them was often used already during battles; for preparation, a disabled ship was used, which could not fight, but was still capable of sailing. There was a special effect if the enemy ship was in close formation with others or was in a bay.
Bomber ships. In terms of its capabilities, it did not differ from the main battleships - a large 3-masted ship with artillery guns. It had low sides and was intended for shelling coastal infrastructure (bays, docks, fortifications). In a naval battle he could also prove himself effectively, but because of his sides he became an easy target.
Transport vessels. Among them there were also different types of ships for specific tasks (clippers, sloops, packet boats, etc.)

It is worth noting that there were practically no cargo ships among the ships of the sailing fleet of the colonial powers. Cargo was stored on the main ships, and if the need for a transport ship did arise, they were hired from private individuals.

Main combat sailing ships

During the Renaissance, the navy played an important role for any state, and its power determined the world politics of that time. The development of ships lasted two centuries before they received a clear classification. The main warships of the sailing fleet were:

Brigantine. A 2-masted vessel with a straight foremast and an oblique mainmast. Appeared in the 17th century and was used for reconnaissance operations. There were 6 - 8 guns on board.
Brig. A 2-masted ship of the 7th rank with a displacement of up to 400 tons. It was the main reconnaissance messenger ship in all fleets of the world. It also had from 8 to 24 cannons on board, which were used for shooting when escaping from pursuit. The brigantine appeared as a more practical and simpler option, but did not completely supplant them.
Galion. The largest ship from the 15th to 17th centuries. It could include from 2 to 4 masts, and the displacement was up to 1600 tons. Galions were the dominant ships in battles before the advent of battleships.
Caravel. 3 - 4 mast universal vessel with a displacement of up to 450 tons. It is more widely used in expeditions. Good seaworthiness is achieved thanks to versatile masts and superstructures at the bow and stern. Despite their high sides, caravels were only single-deck ships. In battles, it often served as a cargo ship, capable of firing at small ships and during boarding.
Karakka. Large 3-masted ship of early times. It had a displacement of up to 2000 tons and 30 - 40 guns on board. The ship could carry a large number of passengers, up to 1,300 people. The Karakka proved itself well in the 13th - 16th centuries as a powerful vessel capable of fighting back single-handedly. However, with the formation of fleets and the advent of large ships, they lost their importance.
Corvette. 2 - 3 mast vessel with a displacement of up to 600 tons for solving tactical problems. It appeared in the 18th century and is one of two (along with the frigate) classes of ships that have survived to this day. It was used for cruising hunting or destroying single targets, less often for reconnaissance. It was equipped with an open or closed artillery battery with dozens of guns.
Battleship. The largest 3-masted ship with three gun decks (mostly with enclosed batteries). According to the standard, ships with a displacement of up to 5,000 tons were considered battleships, but many ships of this type are known in history and up to 8,000 tons. The entire battery could include up to 130 pairs of guns located along the sides. They were used mainly to combat similar large ships and shell the coastline. Battleships are one of the few combat sailing ships that served in the naval forces until the beginning of the 20th century.
Flutes. 3-masted transport sailboat. The displacement was arbitrary, but often did not exceed 800 tons. They had up to 6 guns and were distinguished by high maneuverability. Often used by corsairs for robberies. In Russia, the first flutes appeared in the Baltic Fleet in the 17th century.
Frigate. A 3-masted ship with a displacement of up to 3,500 tons. It was next in power after the battleship and had up to 60 pairs of guns on board. It was used as a large support ship along the entire front line or to perform communication tasks (protecting merchant ships). It was the main warship of the sailing fleet of the Russian Empire.
Sloop. 3-masted ship with low sides. It had a displacement of up to 900 tons and 16 - 32 artillery pieces. Served as a long-range reconnaissance or expedition vessel. Sloops were popular in the 17th - 19th centuries among Russian expeditioners for round-the-world voyages.
Shnyava. A small sailboat with 2 straight masts, which has become widespread in the Scandinavian region. In Russia, they were actively used by Peter I for reconnaissance operations before battles. The displacement was up to 150 tons, and the number of guns ranged from 2 to 18.
Schooner. A vessel with an arbitrary, mostly large displacement. It could include up to 16 guns and was distributed as part of the sailing fleet of the Russian Empire. War schooners were exclusively 2-masted, and messenger ships had an arbitrary number of masts.

Some countries had unique types of combat ships that did not become widespread. For example, Portuguese ships, comparable in displacement to a frigate, but with several gun decks, were called cruisers, although this type was already assigned to more modern ships.

Large ships of the Russian sailing fleet

The first mentions of Russian sailing ships can be found in The Tale of Bygone Years, which tells about Prince Oleg’s campaign to Byzantium on ships. The Russian sailing fleet was formed by Peter I. The construction of the first ships was similar to European ones. The first major battle of the Russian fleet is celebrated with the Swedes in the Northern War. In the future, the naval forces only begin to grow.

Large ships of the Baltic Fleet

The largest military sailing ships in Russia (as well as in the world) were battleships. The first battleships were laid down at the Ladoga shipyard, which had no experience in building large ships, as a result of which the ships received poor seaworthiness and maneuverability. List of sailing battleships of the Russian Imperial Navy, which were the first in service in the Baltic:

Riga,
Vyborg,
Pernov,

All three ships were launched in 1710 and were classified as battleships of rank 4. On the sides there were 50 guns of various calibers. The ship's crew consisted of 330 people. Sailing ships also lost their importance in the Russian fleet with the development of steam engines and battleships, but were still used for reconnaissance operations until the time of the Civil War.

M

Shop- floating warehouse.

Multihull- a vessel, ship or boat consisting of more than one displacement hull. Double- and triple-hulled vessels have been studied and used. Double-hulled vessels include catamaran (see), duplus (see), trisec (see), proa (see). Three-hulled vessels or ships include a vessel with outriggers (see), trimaran (see), tricor (see). All types of multihull vessels are distinguished by increased deck area (and internal volume of structures), simple provision of lateral stability, to one degree or another better seaworthiness, increased unsinkability and navigation safety. Multihull ships are most effective for transporting passengers in salons or cabins, wheeled vehicles, light containers, for housing scientific laboratories and combat posts of surface ships. Double-hulled vessels are widely used, and the use of vessels and ships with outriggers has begun. A four-hulled ship with a small waterline area was built, and five-hulled ships and vessels were proposed.

Monitor- An armored coastal defense turret ship with a shallow draft. Displacement of monitors: sea - up to 8000 tons, river - up to 1900 tons. Armament: 2-3 large-caliber guns (up to 381 mm). Received its type name from the name of the first ship of this class, “Monitor,” built in the USA in 1861-62.

N

Nave- an ancient sailing ship, which, as it developed in the 16th century, became a large ship with straight sails and strong artillery weapons; prototype of sailing ships.

ABOUT

P

Steam frigate- a warship of the transition period from the sailing to the steam fleet, which had sails and a steam engine as an engine.

Packetbot- a two-masted sailing ship for transporting mail and carrying out messenger service. Displacement 200-400 tons, armament from 12 to 16 guns.

Pinasse- three-masted ship of the 17th-18th centuries.

Pink- a sailing commercial ship in Northern Europe with a capacity of about 200 tons. In the 18th century, kicks were used as warships on the Baltic Sea.

Pontoon- flat-bottomed barque with high sides; used for intermediate supports of floating bridges. Diving bridges are convenient because they can be moved to the sides at any time to free up part or the entire width of the river.

Pontoon(from lat. ponto- bridge on boats) - a floating structure for supporting various devices on the water using its own reserve of buoyancy.

Pram- flat-bottomed artillery sailing ship of the 18th century. Armament from 18 to 38 guns was used for operations in shallow water, off the coast and in rivers against fortresses and coastal fortifications

Proa- a double-hulled vessel consisting of a larger central hull and a smaller additional one, also called an “outrigger”.

R

Reefer ship- a specially built cargo ship equipped with refrigeration units for the transportation of perishable goods.