Types of pirate ships. Pirate ships. Basic criteria for a pirate ship

A person has a god-sized hole in his soul, and everyone fills it as best they can.

Well, what is a sea pirate without a ship? After all, it was both a home and a warehouse for trophies for him. And, of course, a means of transportation. Moreover, the movement was rapid, since often the pirates had to not so much pursue ships of interest for profit as to evade pursuit.

What is a pirate ship?

What basic characteristics should a pirate ship have so that both its captain and crew could count on, if not a successful robbery, then at least escape from justice?

Firstly, any ship that pirates used as the main combat unit had to be extremely fast. This made it possible to suddenly attack an enemy ship, maneuver in order to prevent serious damage from artillery fire, and after the “event” was completed, quickly move to a distance beyond the reach of the enemy.

Secondly, the pirate ship was equipped with serious weapons. Not a single boarding was complete without a preliminary exchange of cannon shots. Therefore, pirate success directly depended on the quality, quantity and rate of fire of artillery. One has only to imagine a small, light and fast ship, bristling with a variety of cannons and muzzles, from which a team of real thugs looked predatorily at their prey. And it immediately becomes clear that few merchant ships had a chance to repel the fierce resistance of sea robbers.

In order for a ship to truly become a pirate, it often had to be rebuilt after being captured. If this was impossible or too costly, the pirates simply sank the robbed ship, let it sink, or sold it, after which they immediately rushed in search of a new victim. It should be noted that in marine terminology, a ship is at least three masts, as well as fully equipped with a set of sailing weapons. But such ships were quite rare among sea robbers.

Converting a captured ship into a pirate ship is a whole science. It was necessary to remove unnecessary inter-deck bulkheads, cut off the forecastle and lower the level of the quarterdeck to create an open combat platform. In addition, it was necessary to equip the sides with additional openings for artillery, and the load-bearing elements of the ship's hull had to be strengthened to compensate for the increased loads.

Small ship: the ideal vessel for a pirate

As a rule, pirates sailed on the same ship throughout their entire “career.” However, there is quite a lot of evidence that after a successful attack, sea robbers easily exchanged their home for a more powerful and fast ship that could be converted to pirate needs. For example, the famous pirate Bartholomew Roberts changed his ship as many as six times, giving the new combat unit the same name - “Royal Fortune”.

Most gentlemen of fortune preferred small and fast ships, in particular sloops, brigantines or schooners. The first ones were almost ideal for the role of a pirate ship. In addition to speed, the sloop had another significant advantage in battle - a shallow draft. This allowed pirates to successfully “operate” in shallow waters, where large warships did not dare to stick their noses. In addition, a small ship is much easier to repair and clean its hull. But some pirate crews were still looking for more spacious and larger ships.

Sloop(sailing warship, class) in the British Royal Navy of the 18th - mid-19th centuries - a ship that has no rank, with a rating of “24-gun” or lower, and therefore does not require a commander with the rank of captain. The definition was not universal. Traditionally, it did not include established types of small ships, such as the tender or schooner.

Brig- two-masted ship; the armament is the same as that of the foresail and mainmast of the frigate.

Schooner- a ship with an oblique rig: there is a three-masted schooner, and on the foremast there are sometimes also straight sails (topsails, topsails and top-topsails) or a two-masted one - where on the foremast it sometimes also has straight sails (topsails and topsails) .

Schooner brig- a 2-masted sailing ship, with a foremast like a brig and a mainmast like a schooner.

Brigantine(Italian brigantino - brig schooner, brigantina - mizzen) - a light and fast ship with the so-called mixed sailing rig - straight sails on the front mast (foremast) and with slanting sails on the rear (mainmast). Initially, brigantines were equipped with oars.

THE MOST FAMOUS PIRATE SHIPS

"QUEEN ANNE'S REVENGE"

Queen Anne's Revenge- the only real sailing ship from the Pirates of the Caribbean film series, the pirate’s flagship Edward Teach(Edward Teach or Edward Thatch) nicknamed Blackbeard(Blackbeard).

The sailing ship was built in 1710 in Great Britain, when the Spanish fleet bought it in 1713, the ship bore the proud name "Concord"(La Concorde) and was a three-masted ship with dimensions
supposedly thirty-six by eight meters, displacing three hundred tons, armed with twenty-six guns. Neither exact information about the appearance and structure of the sailboat, nor illustrations of it were found. The only image of a sailboat is in the monograph by J. Boudriot. After the Spaniards, the ship was bought by the French. And for several years, Concorde was transporting slaves in the Caribbean. In 1717, the sailing ship was captured by pirates led by Blackbeard.

Edward Drummont(Edward Drummond), that was actually Tich's name, was an Englishman, presumably born in the 80s of the seventeenth century. During the war between England and France, the so-called “Queen Anne's War,” he was a privateer and robbed French and Spanish ships in the Caribbean Sea together with Benjamin Hornigold. It was no coincidence that he received his nickname, since he really was the owner of a luxurious black beard, into which he wove black ribbons. He did everything to live up to the image of the most terrible pirate in the Caribbean. There was a song about him "Fifteen Men on Dead Man's Chest"- this was the name of the small island of the Caribbean Sea, where Edward Teach landed 15 people from his team for an organized riot, leaving them only rum and sabers, in the hope that they would get drunk and go crazy and kill each other.

The Concorde crew surrendered to Blackbeard virtually without a fight. Two small sloops captured an almost three-ton ship. So great was Blackbeard's fame among Caribbean sailors. What is noteworthy is that the pirates did not kill the crew of the sailing ship, but simply landed everyone on the nearest island, leaving them with one of their sloops.

Edward Teach renamed "Concord" V "Queen Anne's Revenge" and made it his flagship. The ship was partially rebuilt and its armament increased to forty guns. The number of the ship's pirate crew was up to 150 people.

In two years, Blackbeard had robbed about forty ships, and was now leading an entire flotilla of pirate ships.

The most famous of all Tich's tricks was the blockade of the entrance to the harbor Charleston(South Carolina) in May 1718. And already in June of the same year, Queen Anne's Revenge ran aground and then sank in Topsail Bay off the coast of North Carolina (the area of ​​​​present-day Beaufort Bay). According to some sources, Blackbeard was shipwrecked while trying to hide from his pursuers; according to another version (which is more likely), the ship was sunk on purpose, since the pirate no longer needed this sailing ship, widely known among seafarers. Edward Teach himself was killed on November 22, 1718 by the English lieutenant Robert Maynard, who was hired specifically for this by the Governor of Virginia, Alexander Spotswood.

Since then, legends have been formed about the adventures of Blackbeard and his famous sailing ship; his prototype can be found in the works of Daniel Defoe and Robert Stevenson. But the pirate and the ship became most famous thanks to the film “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.”

It so happened that more than two centuries later, exactly on the day of Teach’s death, on November 22, 1996, divers of the Intersol group in Beaufort Bay (North Carolina) found an anchor claw sticking out of the silt.

After the examination, it became known that the anchor belonged to the legendary sailing ship Queen Anne's Revenge. The search continued, and the collection of the North Carolina Maritime Museum was replenished with many exhibits from the famous sailing ship. These are several cannons, weapons, a ship's bell (dated 1709), a large number of cannonballs, and navigational instruments. In the spring of 2012, work began on raising the wreck of the ship.

"ADVENTURE"

Galley Adventure Galley) - the ship of one of the most famous pirates in the history of navigation - William Kidd.
Captain Kidd can rightfully be called one of the most legendary personalities among pirates of all times.
But few people know that most of what is said about Kidd is fiction. He is often portrayed as a very successful and extremely cruel pirate. William Kidd is credited with torture and abuse of sailors, countless captured and robbed ships, and countless treasures buried in unknown places. By the way, some adventurers are still looking for Captain Kidd’s treasure to this day.

In fact, William Kidd became world famous only due to a combination of circumstances that made him a bargaining chip in the political games of the British authorities.

Scotsman William Kidd was born around 1645 in Greenock. Almost nothing is known about the childhood and youth of the future captain. William's father was a Calvinist pastor who gave his son a good, comprehensive education. Kidd probably began his naval career at a fairly young age.
In 1688, he was one of the survivors of a shipwreck off the coast of Haiti. In 1689, he became captain of the privateer ship Blessed William, captured from the French. In 1690, the crew of the Blessed William, led by Robert Culliford, stole a sailing ship from its own captain and went piracy, and Kidd received a new ship, the Antigua, and settled in New York for several years, where he married and led a completely law-abiding life.

In 1695, William Kidd made a deal with the Earl of Bellomont (Governor General of New England) and Robert Livingston, a New York entrepreneur, as a result of which Kidd received a letter of marque, allowing him to plunder French ships, as well as attack any pirate ships.
To implement this idea, the ship Adventure Galley was purchased, with a displacement of approximately 300 tons, with 46 oars and 34 cannons. Nothing more is known about this ship - neither what it looked like, nor where and when it was built.

In 1696, Captain Kidd, His Majesty's new privateer, left England. Having recruited a team in New York, Kidd headed to the shores of India via the Cape of Good Hope.

From the very first days, William Kidd was unlucky: French ships did not come across the path of the Adventure Galley. There were only British, Dutch and Indian ships, which the pirate Kidd, no matter how much he wanted, had no right to plunder.

As time passed, the crew of the "Galley Adventure" began to grumble: the sailors wanted booty and they increasingly insisted on open piracy. But Captain Kidd was adamant. As a result, a riot broke out on the Adventure Galley in 1697. One of the dissatisfied was bombardier William Moore, who was killed in a skirmish with the captain. The situation became increasingly tense. And in November 1697, near Madagascar, the Galley Adventure attacked the Dutch ship Ruparel. Kidd justified the attack by saying that French documents and a French flag had been found on the ship.
In January 1698, a rich Indian ship, the Quedah Merchant, was robbed, which also, despite being Indian, had a French passport. In November of the same year, the story of the sailing ship “Galera Adventure” ended - Captain Kidd burned the ship near the island of Sainte-Marie. The captain himself and his crew moved to the captured “Quedakh Merchant”, which he renamed the “Adventure Prize”. The Indian authorities were extremely dissatisfied with the capture of the Quedakh Merchant. The East India Company was threatened with all sorts of troubles from the Indian side. And Captain Kidd was accused of piracy. But instead of hiding, William Kidd went straight into the hands of the British authorities - he was sincerely confident in his innocence, because both captured ships had French passports. Kidd gave all the papers confirming his innocence into the hands of Bellomont, hoping for the lord's support.

In 1700, Kidd's trial took place, where these documents did not appear. And the captain of the "Galley Adventure" was accused of piracy and murder. On May 23, 1701, William Kidd was executed by hanging. The execution was successful only on the second attempt; the first time the rope broke. Kidd's body was caged and hung over the Thames as a warning to all pirates, and the captain himself was declared the greatest villain and robber. His name is surrounded by rumors and legends, including those about treasures that the pirate managed to bury on unknown shores.
The story of William Kidd formed the basis of the works of Edgar Poe (The Gold Bug), Robert Stevenson (Treasure Island), Washington Irving (The Devil and Tom Walker and The Pirate Kidd). In 1945, the feature film “Captain Kidd” was released.

The very first literary work about Kidd - "Captain Kidd's Farewell to the Seas"(English: Captain Kidd’s Farewel to the Seas) - was written on the day of his hanging.

"GOLDEN DOE"

"Golden Hind"- small galleon of the famous English pirate Francis Drake, the second ship in the history of navigation - after the carrack "Victoria" of Ferdinand Magellan - to travel around the world.
The sailing ship left the stocks in the English city of Aldeburgh and was called “Pelican” (“Pelican”, English). As a type of ship, the Pelican was a galleon, which replaced the carracks and caravels in the 16th century. Galleons had a more slender hull than carracks, without a massive stern superstructure. Like all galleons of that time, the Pelican had three masts: the mainsail, the foresail and the mizzen. The main and foremasts carried two tiers of straight sails, the mizzen mast was armed with an oblique “Latin” sail, and under the bowsprit there was a straight sail - a blind.

Drawings for the construction of ships in those days were not yet known, so data on the size of the Pelican varies: the length of the galleon varies in different sources from 20 to 40 meters, width - from 5.8 to 6.7 meters, displacement 100-150 tons. There is also no exact data regarding the armament of the sailing ship; presumably, the Pelican was armed with 18-22 cannons. The ship's hull was decorated with a pattern of yellow and red diamonds and an image of a pelican. After the ship was renamed "Golden Hind", instead of a pelican, an image of a doe appeared on the hull, and a completely golden figure of a doe was installed under the bowsprit.
In December 1577, the most famous voyage of the Golden Hind (then the Pelican) began. The royal privateer, the favorite of Queen Elizabeth I, Captain Francis Drake, nicknamed the Iron Pirate, led a squadron of five British ships from the port of Plymouth. These were the ships "Christopher", "Sea Gold", "Elizabeth", "Swan" and "Pelican". The squadron headed to the shores of South America with the goal of robbing as many Spanish ships as possible.

In August-September 1578, the ships of the Drake squadron passed through the Strait of Magellan (South America), but in the Pacific Ocean the ships were caught in a severe storm, in which they lost sight of each other. The Pelican was alone. It was carried far to the south, thanks to which Francis Drake made an important geographical discovery: Tierra del Fuego turned out to be not the tip of the unknown Southern continent, but just an archipelago. The strait discovered by the captain of the Pelican was later named the Drake Passage.

Loneliness did not stop Drake from robbing Spanish ships and harbors along the West Coast of South America, which he successfully did. The Spaniards had to equip an entire squadron to chase the elusive pirate. The hunt for Drake has begun. But after a long chase, which lasted more than one day, the Pelican managed to escape again. Inspired by luck, the captain decided to rename the ship “Golden Hind” for its excellent navigability. Another reason for renaming the ship could be that the coat of arms of Drake's patron, Lord Hutton, depicted a doe. This was the first time that a ship's name was changed while it was sailing. The Golden Hind left the coast of South America across the Pacific Ocean past the island of Java and the Cape of Good Hope. And in September 1580 she returned to her native England, thus making the second trip around the world in world history. Drake's circumnavigation of the world turned out to be much more successful in the end than the Magellan expedition, most of whose sailors, and the famous captain himself, died during the journey. Francis Drake returned home not only safe and sound, but also brought back 4,700% of the profits from his trip, obtained as a result of three years of robbery and robbery. Most of the profits went to the British treasury, and Francis Drake was knighted personally by Queen Elizabeth I.

After this voyage, the galleon "Golden Hind" became a universal object of admiration among the British. It was placed in permanent mooring on the Thames, where it stood for almost a hundred years until 1662, becoming one of the main attractions of London.
In the 20th century, two replicas of the legendary sailing ship were created: in 1963 and 1973. They are not similar to each other, since there were no drawings of the “Golden Hind”, and the ship was restored according to scattered descriptions. The 1973 replica circumnavigated the world, repeating Drake's voyage, and has stood on the south bank of the Thames as a floating museum since 1996. The second copy of the Golden Hind is in the town of Brixham in Devonshire.

"ROYAL LUCK"

Bartholomew became one of the most successful pirates in history, capturing 456 ships and more than £50 million worth of booty during his short four-year career as a pirate. He was practically elusive; historians are inclined to believe that Roberts was much brighter than such pirates as Blackbeard a or Anne Bonney.

Roberts began his sea voyages as a mate on a slave trading ship. He joined a pirate ship at the age of 37, as 3rd mate aboard the Princess of London, commanded by pirate captain Howel Davis, near Annabamo, which is located on the Gold Coast of West Africa (the coast of modern Ghana). He was forcibly assigned to the crew as a navigator.

After 6 weeks of sailing under the command of Davis, Bartholomew was chosen as captain of the ship "Pirate"(Rover). This happened after Davis was killed in an attack on Prince Island (modern Principia, 200 km west of Equatorial Guinea). This was an unexpected decision, despite the fact that he was with the team for only a month and a half, but no one had mastered the skill of a navigator better than him, and, in addition, Roberts, as historians note, was a sincere and stubborn person.

His first act as captain was to convince the crew to return to Prince Island to avenge the death of Captain Davis. Roberts and his crew attacked the island at night, killing many people and looting much valuables. Thus began the career of the most successful pirate in history. Black Bart then went to sea and captured several merchant ships.

Not content with the spoils off the coast of Africa, Roberts set sail for the Caribbean in early 1720. By the time of his arrival on the Devil's Islands, all merchant ships chose to take refuge under the protection of the cannons of the coastal forts, since Roberts's pirate fame had long reached these places. Deciding to seek his fortune in other waters, Roberts went north, where he profitably sold the goods captured off the coast of Guinea. Off the coast of Canada, he robbed 21 ships loaded with valuable furs.

The summer of 1720 was also very successful - Roberts captured many ships, including 22 ships in Treffisi Bay. This capture was peaceful, since, as soon as they saw a ship with a raised pirate flag, the crews of merchant ships fled to the shore in horror. Roberts had only 60 men at this point. A magnificent French brig was waiting for Roberts Bay, which the captain made his flagship, renaming it "Royal Pirate". Inspired by the easy victory, Roberts made an unsuccessful attempt to cross the Atlantic, but not reaching the coast of Africa due to the lack of a tailwind, he returned to the Caribbean Sea.

In September 1720, Roberts attacked a port on the island of St. Kitts in the West Indies, captured and plundered one of the ships at anchor, and set fire to two others. And in October 1720, Roberts captured and plundered 16 French, English and Dutch ships. In January 1721, he boarded a 32-gun Dutch ship carrying slaves and deceived the population of Martinique. The conflict with Martinique had "personal roots" for Black Bart. The governor of Martinique, deciding to join the fight against piracy (and, perhaps, in search of profit), went out with the ship in search of Bart Roberts. Bart considered this a personal insult, accepted the battle and captured the frigate and hanged the governor. Flying the Dutch flag, he sailed past the ports and gave signals to the French to visit the island of St. Lucia, where smugglers were selling slaves. As a result, the pirates captured and set fire to 14 French ships that went to sea.

In the West Indies, he captured almost a hundred ships, and also made a number of successful raids on coastal cities. To instill even greater fear in the enemy, Bartholomew personally hanged the governor of one of the captured cities from a yardarm.

In the spring of 1721, Black Bart reached the shores of Africa. Off the coast of Sierra Leone, the pirate spent several months engaging in the slave trade and capturing merchant ships. In August, he managed to capture the Liberian city of Onslow, where the headquarters of the Royal African Company was located. Roberts headed southeast, towards Nigeria and Gabon, and then returned to the Ivory Coast, capturing at least six ships along the way. On January 11, 1722, Roberts reached Ouidah (Ouidah in modern Benin) and boarded 11 ships carrying slaves.

He carried out attacks on the coasts of Brazil, Africa and Newfoundland during his pirate career. His production was always so great that the team never doubted his leadership abilities.

"REVENGE"

Stede Bonnet (1688-1718)- English pirate, sometimes called "Pirate Gentleman", mainly because of its origin. His first fairly complete biography is contained in the book “A General History of Piracy” by Daniel Defoe (published under the pseudonym “Charles Johnson”).

By origin Bonnet- a nobleman, received a good education. Before he took up robbery, he served as a major in the colonial militia on the island of Barbados.

The reasons that forced him to take up piracy are not entirely clear. Quite popular in the 18th century were rumors about mild insanity as a result of an unsuccessful marriage to Mary Ellamby, which allegedly prompted the former officer to join the pirates. Another version was the scandalous nature of his wife, which he could not stand and decided to take up piracy.
Having equipped, with his own savings, a sloop with ten guns and seventy crew on board, which he named "Revenge" (revenge, revenge), the major sailed from the island of Barbados.

Bonnet and his crew managed to capture and plunder several ships near Virginia, New York and North Carolina.

An important turn in Bonnet’s fate was his meeting with the famous Edward Teach, nicknamed “Blackbeard.” The major's detachment joined Teach's pirates, and he himself, according to Defoe, transferred command of his ship to one of Blackbeard's assistants and served on his ship for some time.

When Blackbeard's ship was wrecked near Topsail Island, the major decided to submit to the terms of the royal pardon; he again took command of his sloop and arrived at Buttown in North Carolina, where he announced his readiness to carry out the will of the king, for which he was pardoned.

When war broke out between the Confederates of the Triple Alliance and Spain, Bonnet set out to obtain the commander-in-chief's permission to attack the Spanish. To this end, he left North Carolina and headed for the island of St. Thomas. When he again found himself on Topsail Island, he discovered that Teach and his squad had already sailed away from here on a small ship and took with them all the money, weapons and other things, and also landed seventeen guilty people from their crew here. Bonnet took the poor fellows on board.

From the crew of a sloop he met along the way, the major learned that Captain Teach with eighteen or twenty people was on Ocracoke Island. Wanting to take revenge on Teach for a number of insults inflicted on him, Bonnet decided to first sail to the captain’s place of refuge, but missed him; After unsuccessfully cruising for four days in the Ocracoke area, he set course for Virginia.

Under the new name of Thomas (he took the pseudonym because he received a pardon under his real name), the major again took up piracy, capturing and robbing oncoming ships.

Due to repeated news of the seizure of ships by a certain pirate, the South Carolina Council sent Colonel William Rhett with two sloops to the pirate's location in order to attack his ships. After a bloody battle, Colonel Rhett arrived in Charleston on October 3, 1718, with prisoners on board. Bonnet was taken into custody.

After some time, Bonnet and one of his accomplices escaped from prison. The governor sent several armed barges to search for the fugitives, and also published a proclamation promising a reward of 700 pounds sterling to anyone who could catch him. Bonnet was found on Swillivants Island, surrendered, and was conveyed the next day to Charleston, where, by order of the governor, he was placed in custody pending his trial.

On October 28, 1718, the trial opened. Stede Bonnet and thirty other pirates were put on trial; almost all of them were declared guilty and sentenced to death. The judge's speech is given in full in Daniel Defoe's A General History of Piracy.

Sometimes you look at the names of miserable buckets of branded bolts called “yachts” crowded in the marina and think “what do these people even know about the names of ships?!” Well, you can go and see for yourself, at the same time you can easily distinguish those that go on the sea a lot and often from those that are rotting away so that the owner can enjoy membership in the yacht club and pick up women.

I'll give you a hint: Most yacht names symbolize the qualities of their captains, and their size is usually (but not always) inversely proportional to the number of miles spooled on the log. Exceptions are usually noticed immediately by the features of the equipment and - usually - the work being carried out on board. On the pontoon yachts, barbecue work and sunbathing of busty beauties are carried out.

Ship names

But let's talk about names. The name of the ship is usually given on the slipway, and under this name it appears in the statements. And by and large you can forget about it, because it rarely turns out to be successful. The ship acquires its real name during operation, and is usually assigned for life. For example, one schooner got its name "this bitch", and it fully corresponded to her extremely bastard character. Her favorite pastimes were mud baths and diving - apparently she had submarines in her family, hence the mania for lying down on the ground right next to the pier.

Many good ships that have sailed the oceans since time immemorial did not pay attention to what was written on their sides and stern. The crew and captain knew that it was better not to interfere with their voyage - these ships pulled their crew out of terrible storms and managed to stay afloat regardless of the number of cannonballs that made holes in their sides. Many troughs, on the other hand, had proud and arrogant names, but at the same time floated with the same grace as a refrigerator. And a sailor who wanted to be hired on a ship, unless of course he was a fool or was not so desperate as to go anywhere, usually tried to hear how the sailors were talking about the ship.

It should be emphasized that no matter how bad the sailor feels, he will never, I emphasize, never scold his ship. He would rather blaspheme, and few people can put a sailor to shame when it comes to swearing. So, the intonation with which the sailors talk about the ship says a lot about it, and if you’re lucky, you can hear its real name. Here, by the way, there is another point that is lost in the Russian language, but which is important to know: the ship/vessel is feminine, and they are referred to as “she”. A good ship for the captain - wife, daughter, girlfriend, goddess - choose any one.

And finally, the name of the ship that floats and does not pretend to be an iPhone is almost always short. The reason is that in those turbulent times of boarding battles, there were peculiar traditions - both the king, meaning all states, said “we,” and so did the captain, when asked “who is coming?” - he called the name of his ship, and during the battle he could yell “come to me!”, calling on everyone who could still fight to break through to it and with joint efforts throw the enemy into the sea. Now imagine that your ship is called “Admiral Ivan Ivanovich Molotoboytsev.” Yes, they will kill you before you say it, not to mention the fact that this may create confusion in the presentation.

There are ships that have gained fame for their names, and then, when a new ship is laid down, they are given the name of the one that has already retired. If you don’t remember the “Argo” paradox, this is one of the hopes of attracting good luck with the help of a name, or giving a ship the name of a glorious person. Few people know, but the Aurora was once a glorious ship of the Russian Imperial Navy, whose batteries destroyed the British in the Far East (of course, the tea-shoppers don’t like to remember this, because in that battle their marines lost their flag, and the admiral shot himself from such a shame) . And when the laying of new armored cruisers took place, one of them was named after the glorious sailing ship and - it crowned itself with even greater glory, becoming one of the symbols of the Revolution.

And while the winds will blow, beautiful ships will plow the seas, carrying glorious names like banners through the centuries.

If one day you take command of a ship, treat it like a woman. Find out about his history, watch how he walks on the waves, his weaknesses, his character, his secret name - and if you match the characters, you will understand why the Santa Clara was affectionately called "Nina", why the captains shared the fate of their ships , although they could have been saved... Well, if you don’t get along, then it’s better to change the ship, otherwise by the end of the journey only one of you will remain afloat.

All pirate ships, regardless of size and origin, met certain requirements to one degree or another. First of all, the pirate ship had to be sufficiently seaworthy, since it often had to endure storms on the open ocean. The so-called "golden age of piracy" (1690-1730) was marked by particular piracy activity in the Caribbean Sea, on the Atlantic coast of North America, the west coast of Africa and in the Indian Ocean. The first two of these areas are famous for frequent hurricanes, the season of which lasts from June to November, reaching its peak in August-September. At the beginning of the 17th century, sailors were already well aware of the existence of a hurricane season on the Atlantic and that these hurricanes originated off the West African coast. Sailors have learned to predict the approaching hurricane. Knowing that a storm was approaching, the ship's captain could try to get away from it or find shelter. Winds blowing at speeds of more than 150 km/h have caused catastrophic destruction on the coast and sunk ships for centuries. For pirates, for whom access to most ports was closed, storms posed a particular threat. Their ships had to be particularly stable and withstand any storm. Mandatory attributes of a pirate ship were a set of storm sails, a durable hull, reliable pumps for pumping water out of the hold and an experienced crew. For pirates, hurricanes also had a positive side, as they damaged other ships, leaving them defenseless. Pirate Henry Jennings began his career by plundering Spanish galleons washed ashore in the 1715 hurricane. In the Indian Ocean, tropical cyclones, which in the western Pacific are known as typhoons, were no less dangerous. In the northern Indian Ocean, tropical cyclones occur from May to November, while further south the cyclone season occurs from December to March. Meteorologists report an average of 85 hurricanes, typhoons and tropical cyclones per year. Apparently, during the "golden age of piracy" this number was approximately the same. Hurricanes and typhoons are dangerous even for modern ships. How dangerous they were for sailing ships, deprived of the opportunity to receive a storm warning by radio! Add to this the constant risk of Atlantic storms and rough seas in the Cape of Good Hope area... It is interesting that in those days transatlantic crossings (and circumnavigations!) were often carried out by sloops and even smaller vessels, which today are used only for coastal fishing (meaning vessels of the same size). For example, Bartholomew Roberts crossed the Atlantic several times, and also walked along the coast of the New World from Brazil to Newfoundland. The load on the wooden hull of a ship during a long voyage is compatible with short-term load during a storm. The problem is further aggravated by the constant fouling of the bottom with algae and shells, which seriously impair the performance of the vessel. A heavily overgrown sailing ship cannot reach a speed of more than three or four knots. Therefore, it is very important to periodically clean the bottom of the ship. But if the military and merchants had shipyards in port cities at their disposal, the pirates had to clean the bottom of their ships secretly, hiding in secluded bays and river mouths. Cleaning the bottom (heeling, pitching) of a small ship (sloop or brig) usually took a week. Larger ships required proportionately more time for this operation. While careening, the ship was vulnerable to attack and cases of attacks on pirate ships in a similar position are known.

The ship is also threatened by woodworms. The waters of the Caribbean Sea are the most infested with woodworms, so wooden ships sailing in this region deteriorate faster than others. The Spaniards adhered to the rule that a ship making regular voyages to the Caribbean could not last longer than ten years, even if measures were taken to protect the hull. It should be noted that the problem of the ship's durability never arose before the pirates, because even the most successful of them, like Bartholomew Roberts, rarely operated for more than two years. Larger ships were better suited to sailing across the Atlantic, but required more time to heel. It is much easier to clean the bottom of a small ship. Small ships have a shallow draft, which allows them to sail more confidently in coastal waters, as well as swim into river mouths, sandbanks and inland waters. In 1715, New York Governor Hunter wrote the following lines to London: “The coast is infested with privateers, who, taking advantage of the opportunity of rowing in the shallow waters, are moving away from His Majesty’s ships.” The governor demanded at his disposal a flotilla of sloops capable of fighting pirates in the shallow waters of Long Island and the mouth of the Hudson.

Another mandatory requirement for a pirate ship was high speed. There is a mathematical formula that determines the relationship between the size of the ship, the shape of the hull and the number of sails the ship can carry. Theoretically, a large ship can carry more sails, but its hull also has a greater displacement. A large sail area has a positive effect on speed, while a large displacement, on the contrary, limits it. Small ships such as a brigantine have a small sail area, but the ratio of sail area to displacement is greater than that of square-rigged ships, giving them a speed advantage. Small narrow and shallow-draft vessels, such as sloops and schooners, have improved hydrodynamics, which also increases their speed. Although speed is determined by a complex third-degree equation, the main reasons that determine it are well known. Pirate ships were generally faster than square-rigged merchant ships. Pirates valued certain types of ships precisely for their speed. Thus, single-masted sloops built in Jamaica or Bermuda were especially popular among pirates.

The speed of a ship is also influenced by factors that are difficult to express mathematically. We have already talked about fouling of the bottom. Pirates needed to keel their ships regularly, since every additional knot of speed was important to them. Certain types of ships sailed better in certain winds. For example, ships with gaff sails could stay steeper to the wind than ships with straight sails; a lateen sail is especially good in a crosswind, but helps little in a tailwind. But most important was the experience of the captain and the qualifications of the team. Experienced sailors can squeeze out an extra knot of speed by knowing the characteristics of their vessel. All other things being equal, an experienced crew will definitely outplay the enemy. When in 1718 the ships of the Royal Navy set off towards the Bahamas to intercept Charles Vane, the pirate, thanks to his skill and the quality of the ship, was able to break away from his pursuers. According to the testimony of one of the English officers, Vane made two feet when the royal ships made one. Finally, adequate weaponry was important for a pirate ship. The more guns a ship carries, the greater its displacement, the lower its speed. For a successful pirate, getting guns was not a problem. They could be found on any boarded ship. The pirates avoided solving a naval battle with an artillery duel, as they did not want to damage the hull of the trophy. However, it is surprising to learn that pirates tried to arm their ships as much as possible, sometimes turning them into real floating batteries. All this was done solely in case of a meeting with warships. Larger ships can carry more guns and provide a more useful fighting platform. We will talk in more detail about the armament of pirate ships below. For now, let’s just note that pirates found a balance between weapons, speed and seaworthiness of their ships in different ways. While some preferred small, fast sloops with a minimum of weapons, others tried to acquire large ships capable of carrying impressive artillery and sailing weapons.

The most famous pirates.

Bartholomew Roberts(1682-1722). This pirate was one of the most successful and fortunate in history. It is believed that Roberts was able to capture more than four hundred ships. At the same time, the cost of the pirate's production amounted to more than 50 million pounds sterling. And the pirate achieved such results in just two and a half years. Bartholomew was an unusual pirate - he was enlightened and loved to dress fashionably. Roberts was often seen in a burgundy vest and breeches, he wore a hat with a red feather, and on his chest hung a gold chain with a diamond cross. The pirate did not abuse alcohol at all, as was customary in this environment. Moreover, he even punished his sailors for drunkenness. We can say that it was Bartholomew, who was nicknamed “Black Bart”, who was the most successful pirate in history. Moreover, unlike Henry Morgan, he never cooperated with the authorities. And the famous pirate was born in South Wales. His maritime career began as a third mate on a slave trading ship. Roberts' responsibilities included supervising the “cargo” and its safety. However, after being captured by pirates, the sailor himself was in the role of a slave. Nevertheless, the young European was able to please the captain Howell Davis who captured him, and he accepted him into his crew. And in June 1719, after the death of the leader of the gang during the storming of the fort, it was Roberts who led the team. He immediately captured the ill-fated city of Principe on the coast of Guinea and razed it to the ground. After going to sea, the pirate quickly captured several merchant ships. However, production off the African coast was scarce, which is why Roberts headed to the Caribbean in early 1720. The glory of a successful pirate overtook him, and merchant ships were already shying away at the sight of Black Bart's ship. In the north, Roberts sold African goods profitably. Throughout the summer of 1720, he was lucky - the pirate captured many ships, 22 of them right in the bays. However, even while engaged in robbery, Black Bart remained a devout man. He even managed to pray a lot in between murders and robberies. But it was this pirate who came up with the idea of ​​a cruel execution using a board thrown over the side of the ship. The team loved their captain so much that they were ready to follow him to the ends of the earth. And the explanation was simple - Roberts was desperately lucky. At different times he managed from 7 to 20 pirate ships. The teams included escaped criminals and slaves of many different nationalities, calling themselves the "House of Lords". And the name of Black Bart inspired terror throughout the Atlantic.

Henry Morgan(1635-1688) became the most famous pirate in the world, enjoying a unique fame. This man became famous not so much for his corsair exploits as for his activities as a commander and politician. Morgan's main achievement was helping England seize control of the entire Caribbean Sea. Since childhood, Henry was restless, which affected his adult life. In a short time, he managed to be a slave, gather his own gang of thugs and get his first ship. Along the way, many people were robbed. While in the queen's service, Morgan directed his energy to the ruin of the Spanish colonies, which he did very well. As a result, everyone learned the name of the active sailor. But then the pirate unexpectedly decided to settle down - he got married, bought a house... However, his violent temper took its toll, and in his spare time, Henry realized that it was much more profitable to capture coastal cities than simply rob sea ships. One day Morgan used a cunning move. On the way to one of the cities, he took a large ship and filled it to the top with gunpowder, sending it to the Spanish port at dusk. The huge explosion led to such turmoil that there was simply no one to defend the city. So the city was taken, and the local fleet was destroyed, thanks to Morgan's cunning. While storming Panama, the commander decided to attack the city from land, sending his army bypassing the city. As a result, the maneuver was a success and the fortress fell. Morgan spent the last years of his life as Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica. His whole life passed at a frantic pirate pace, with all the delights appropriate to the occupation in the form of alcohol. Only rum defeated the brave sailor - he died of cirrhosis of the liver and was buried as a nobleman. True, the sea took his ashes - the cemetery sank into the sea after the earthquake.
Francis Drake(1540-1596) was born in England, in the family of a priest. The young man began his maritime career as a cabin boy on a small merchant ship. It was there that the smart and observant Francis learned the art of navigation. Already at the age of 18, he received command of his own ship, which he inherited from the old captain. In those days, the queen blessed pirate raids, as long as they were directed against the enemies of England. During one of these voyages, Drake fell into a trap, but, despite the death of 5 other English ships, he managed to save his ship. The pirate quickly became famous for his cruelty, and fortune also loved him. Trying to take revenge on the Spaniards, Drake begins to wage his own war against them - he plunders their ships and cities. In 1572, he managed to capture the "Silver Caravan", carrying more than 30 tons of silver, which immediately made the pirate rich. An interesting feature of Drake was the fact that he not only sought to loot more, but also to visit previously unknown places. As a result, many sailors were grateful to Drake for his work in clarifying and correcting the world map. With the permission of the queen, the pirate went on a secret expedition to South America, with the official version of the exploration of Australia. The expedition was a great success. Drake maneuvered so cunningly, avoiding the traps of his enemies, that he was able to travel around the world on his way home. Along the way, he attacked Spanish settlements in South America, circumnavigated Africa and brought home potato tubers. The total profit from the campaign was unprecedented - more than half a million pounds sterling. At that time it was twice the budget of the entire country. As a result, right on board the ship, Drake was knighted - an unprecedented event that has no analogues in history. The apogee of the pirate's greatness came at the end of the 16th century, when he took part as an admiral in the defeat of the Invincible Armada. Later, the pirate’s luck turned away; during one of his subsequent voyages to the American shores, he fell ill with tropical fever and died.

Edward Teach(1680-1718) is better known by his nickname Blackbeard. It was because of this external attribute that Teach was considered a terrible monster. The first mention of the activities of this corsair dates back only to 1717; what the Englishman did before that remains unknown. Based on indirect evidence, one can guess that he was a soldier, but deserted and became a filibuster. Then he was already a pirate, terrifying people with his beard, which covered almost his entire face. Teach was very brave and courageous, which earned him respect from other pirates. He wove wicks into his beard, which, when smoking, terrified his opponents. In 1716, Edward was given command of his sloop to conduct privateering operations against the French. Soon Teach captured a larger ship and made it his flagship, renaming it Queen Anne's Revenge. At this time, the pirate operates in the Jamaica area, robbing everyone and recruiting new henchmen. By the beginning of 1718, Tich already had 300 people under his command. Within a year, he managed to capture more than 40 ships. All the pirates knew that the bearded man was hiding treasure on some uninhabited island, but no one knew where exactly. The pirate's outrages against the British and his plunder of the colonies forced the authorities to announce a hunt for Blackbeard. A massive reward was announced and Lieutenant Maynard was hired to hunt down Teach. In November 1718, the pirate was overtaken by the authorities and killed during the battle. Teach's head was cut off and his body was suspended from a yardarm.

William Kidd(1645-1701). Born in Scotland near the docks, the future pirate decided to connect his destiny with the sea from childhood. In 1688, Kidd, a simple sailor, survived a shipwreck near Haiti and was forced to become a pirate. In 1689, betraying his comrades, William took possession of the frigate, calling it the Blessed William. With the help of a privateering patent, Kidd took part in the war against the French. In the winter of 1690, part of the team left him, and Kidd decided to settle down. He married a rich widow, taking possession of lands and property. But the pirate’s heart demanded adventure, and now, 5 years later, he is already a captain again. The powerful frigate "Brave" was designed to rob, but only the French. After all, the expedition was sponsored by the state, which did not need unnecessary political scandals. However, the sailors, seeing the meager profits, periodically rebelled. The capture of a rich ship with French goods did not save the situation. Fleeing from his former subordinates, Kidd surrendered into the hands of the English authorities. The pirate was taken to London, where he quickly became a bargaining chip in the struggle of political parties. On charges of piracy and the murder of a ship's officer (who was the instigator of the mutiny), Kidd was sentenced to death. In 1701, the pirate was hanged, and his body hung in an iron cage over the Thames for 23 years, as a warning to the corsairs of imminent punishment.

Mary Read(1685-1721). From childhood, girls were dressed in boy's clothes. So the mother tried to hide the death of her early deceased son. At age 15, Mary joined the army. In the battles in Flanders, under the name Mark, she showed miracles of courage, but she never received any advancement. Then the woman decided to join the cavalry, where she fell in love with her colleague. After the end of hostilities, the couple got married. However, the happiness did not last long, her husband died unexpectedly, Mary, dressed in men's clothing, became a sailor. The ship fell into the hands of pirates, and the woman was forced to join them, cohabiting with the captain. In battle, Mary wore a man's uniform, participating in skirmishes along with everyone else. Over time, the woman fell in love with the artisan who helped the pirate. They even got married and were going to put an end to the past. But even here the happiness did not last long. Pregnant Reed was caught by authorities. When she was caught along with other pirates, she said that she committed the robberies against her will. However, other pirates showed that there was no one more determined than Mary Read in the matter of plundering and boarding ships. The court did not dare to hang the pregnant woman; she patiently awaited her fate in a Jamaican prison, not fearing a shameful death. But a strong fever finished her off early.
Bonnie, Anne(1690 -?) - one of the most famous female pirates. She was born in Ireland into the family of a wealthy lawyer, William Cormack. She spent her childhood in South Carolina, where the family moved when Ann’s father bought a plantation. Quite early she married a simple sailor James Bonney, with whom she ran away in search of adventure. Then Anne Bonny got involved with a famous pirateJack Rackham. She began sailing on his ship and participating in pirate raids. During one of these raids, Anne metMary Reid. , after which they continued to engage in maritime robbery together. It is not known exactly how many lives the spoiled daughter of an ex-lawyer ruined, but in 1720 a pirate ship was ambushed, after which all the robbers faced the gallows. However, by that time Anne was already pregnant, and the intervention of her rich daddy arrived very opportunely, so that in the end the pirate managed to avoid the well-deserved gallows and even went free. Then her traces are lost. In general, the example of Anne Bonny is interesting as a rare case in those days when a woman took on a purely male craft.

Olivier (Francois) le Vasseurbecame the most famous French pirate. He was nicknamed "La Blues", or "the buzzard". A Norman nobleman of noble origin was able to turn the island of Tortuga (now Haiti) into an impregnable fortress of filibusters. Initially, Le Vasseur was sent to the island to protect the French settlers, but he quickly expelled the British (according to other sources, the Spaniards) from there and began to pursue his own policy. Being a talented engineer, the Frenchman designed a well-fortified fortress. Le Vasseur issued a filibuster with very dubious documents for the right to hunt the Spaniards, taking the lion's share of the spoils for himself. In fact, he became the leader of the pirates, without taking direct part in the hostilities. When the Spaniards failed to take the island in 1643, and were surprised to find fortifications, Le Vasseur's authority grew noticeably. He finally refused to obey the French and pay royalties to the crown. However, the deteriorating character, tyranny and tyranny of the Frenchman led to the fact that in 1652 he was killed by his own friends. According to legend, Le Vasseur collected and hid the largest treasure of all time, worth £235 million in today's money. Information about the location of the treasure was kept in the form of a cryptogram on the governor's neck, but the gold remained unfound.

Zheng Shi(1785-1844) is considered one of the most successful pirates. The scale of her actions will be indicated by the facts that she commanded a fleet of 2,000 ships, on which more than 70 thousand sailors served. The 16-year-old prostitute "Madame Jing" married the famous pirate Zheng Yi. After his death in 1807, the widow inherited a pirate fleet of 400 ships. Corsairs not only attacked merchant ships off the coast of China, but also sailed deep into river mouths, ravaging coastal settlements. The emperor was so surprised by the actions of the pirates that he sent his fleet against them, but this did not have significant consequences. The key to Zheng Shi's success was the strict discipline she established on the courts. It put an end to traditional pirate freedoms - robbery of allies and rape of prisoners was punishable by death. However, as a result of the betrayal of one of her captains, the female pirate in 1810 was forced to conclude a truce with the authorities. Her further career took place as the owner of a brothel and a gambling den. The story of a female pirate is reflected in literature and cinema; there are many legends about her.

William Dampier(1651-1715) is often called not just a pirate, but also a scientist. After all, he completed three voyages around the world, discovering many islands in the Pacific Ocean. Having been orphaned early, William chose the sea path. At first he took part in trade voyages, and then he managed to fight. In 1674, the Englishman came to Jamaica as a trading agent, but his career in this capacity did not work out, and Dampier was forced to again become a sailor on a merchant ship. After exploring the Caribbean, William settled on the Gulf Coast, on the Yucatan coast. Here he found friends in the form of runaway slaves and filibusters. Dampier's further life revolved around the idea of ​​traveling around Central America, plundering Spanish settlements on land and sea. He sailed in the waters of Chile, Panama, and New Spain. Dhampir almost immediately began keeping notes about his adventures. As a result, his book “A New Voyage Around the World” was published in 1697, which made him famous. Dampier became a member of the most prestigious houses in London, entered the royal service and continued his research, writing a new book. However, in 1703, on an English ship, Dampier continued a series of robberies of Spanish ships and settlements in the Panama region. In 1708-1710, he took part as a navigator of a corsair expedition around the world. The works of the pirate scientist turned out to be so valuable for science that he is considered to be one of the fathers of modern oceanography.

Edward Lau(1690-1724) also known as Ned Lau. For most of his life, this man lived in petty theft. In 1719, his wife died in childbirth, and Edward realized that from now on nothing would tie him to home. After 2 years, he became a pirate operating near the Azores, New England and the Caribbean. This time is considered the end of the age of piracy, but Lau became famous for the fact that in a short time he managed to capture more than a hundred ships, while showing rare bloodthirstiness.

Arouge Barbarossa(1473-1518) became a pirate at age 16 after the Turks captured his home island of Lesbos. Already at the age of 20, Barbarossa became a merciless and brave corsair. Having escaped from captivity, he soon captured a ship for himself, becoming the leader. Arouj entered into an agreement with the Tunisian authorities, who allowed him to set up a base on one of the islands in exchange for a share of the spoils. As a result, Urouge's pirate fleet terrorized all Mediterranean ports. Getting involved in politics, Arouj eventually became the ruler of Algeria under the name of Barbarossa. However, the fight against the Spaniards did not bring success to the Sultan - he was killed. His work was continued by his younger brother, known as Barbaross the Second.

Jack Rackham (1682-1720). And this famous pirate had the nickname Calico Jack. The fact is that he loved to wear Calico pants, which were brought from India. And although this pirate was not the most cruel or the luckiest, he managed to become famous. The fact is that Rackham’s team included two women dressed in men’s clothing - Mary Read and Anne Boni. Both of them were the pirate's mistresses. Thanks to this fact, as well as the courage and bravery of his ladies, Rackham's team became famous. But his luck changed when in 1720 his ship met the ship of the governor of Jamaica. At that time, the entire crew of pirates was dead drunk. To escape pursuit, Rackham ordered the anchor to be cut. However, the military were able to catch up with him and take him after a short fight. The pirate captain and his entire crew were hanged in Port Royal, Jamaica. Just before his death, Rackham asked to see Anne Bonney. But she herself refused him this, saying that if the pirate had fought like a man, he would not have died like a dog. It is said that John Rackham is the author of the famous pirate symbol - the skull and crossbones, the Jolly Roger. Jean Lafitte (?-1826). This famous corsair was also a smuggler. With the tacit consent of the government of the young American state, he calmly robbed the ships of England and Spain in the Gulf of Mexico. The heyday of pirate activity occurred in the 1810s. It is unknown where and when exactly Jean Lafitte was born. It is possible that he was a native of Haiti and was a secret Spanish agent. It was said that Lafitte knew the Gulf coast better than many cartographers. It was known for sure that he sold the stolen goods through his brother, a merchant who lived in New Orleans. The Lafittes illegally supplied slaves to the southern states, but thanks to their guns and men, the Americans were able to defeat the British in 1815 at the Battle of New Orleans. In 1817, under pressure from the authorities, the pirate settled on the Texas island of Galveston, where he even founded his own state, Campeche. Lafitte continued to supply slaves, using intermediaries. But in 1821, one of his captains personally attacked a plantation in Louisiana. And although Lafitte was ordered to be insolent, the authorities ordered him to sink his ships and leave the island. The pirate has only two ships left from what was once a whole fleet. Then Lafitte and a group of his followers settled on the island of Isla Mujeres off the coast of Mexico. But even then he did not attack American ships. And after 1826 there is no information about the valiant pirate. In Louisiana itself, there are still legends about Captain Lafitte. And in the city of Lake Charles, “smugglers’ days” are even held in memory of him. A nature reserve near the coast of Barataria is even named after the pirate. And in 1958, Hollywood even released a film about Lafitte, he was played by Yul Brynner.

Thomas Cavendish(1560-1592). Pirates not only robbed ships, but were also brave travelers, discovering new lands. In particular, Cavendish was the third sailor who decided to travel around the world. His youth was spent in the English fleet. Thomas led such a hectic life that he quickly lost all his inheritance. And in 1585, he left the service and went to rich America for his share of the spoils. He returned to his homeland rich. Easy money and the help of fortune forced Cavendish to choose the path of a pirate to gain fame and fortune. On July 22, 1586, Thomas headed his own flotilla from Plymouth to Sierra Leone. The expedition aimed to find new islands and study winds and currents. However, this did not stop them from engaging in parallel and outright robbery. At the first stop in Sierra Leone, Cavendish, along with his 70 sailors, plundered local settlements. A successful start allowed the captain to dream of future exploits. On January 7, 1587, Cavendish passed through the Strait of Magellan and then headed north along the coast of Chile. Before him, only one European passed this way - Francis Drake. The Spanish controlled this part of the Pacific Ocean, generally calling it Spanish Lake. The rumor of English pirates forced the garrisons to gather. But the Englishman's flotilla was worn out - Thomas found a quiet bay for repairs. The Spaniards did not wait, having found the pirates during the raid. However, the British not only repelled the attack of superior forces, but also put them to flight and immediately plundered several neighboring settlements. Two ships went further. On June 12, they reached the equator and until November the pirates waited for a “treasury” ship with all the proceeds of the Mexican colonies. Persistence was rewarded, and the British captured a lot of gold and jewelry. However, when dividing the spoils, the pirates quarreled, and Cavendish was left with only one ship. With him he went to the west, where he obtained a cargo of spices by robbery. On September 9, 1588, Cavendish's ship returned to Plymouth. The pirate not only became one of the first to circumnavigate the world, but also did it very quickly - in 2 years and 50 days. In addition, 50 of his crew returned with the captain. This record was so significant that it lasted for more than two centuries.
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Names of pirate ships from the thematic section (site) “Jolly Roger” (spirited from the pirate site):

"Brig" Black Ghost” . Once belonged to a famous pirate. The traders were afraid of this ship like fire. He is famous for appearing literally out of nowhere and carrying out his attacks.

Pirate frigate "Le periton"(Periton)

The mighty flying deer Peryton could perhaps be compared with the Greek Pegasus. As ancient legends testify, the beast had one distinctive feature.
It cast a human shadow, thanks to which scientists believed that the peryton was the spirit of travelers who died far from home. Winged deer were often seen in ancient times on the islands of the Mediterranean Sea and near the Strait of Gibraltar. It was believed that perytons fed on people. They attacked the confused sailors in a herd and devoured them. Not a single weapon could stop the powerful and terrible beast.

"El corsario descuidado" Translated from Spanish - "The Careless Corsair". The young owner of this beautiful brig with red sails never knew defeat. He won battle after battle, climbing higher and higher on the financial ladder. There was a hunt for him - each of the powers wanted to get the head of the corsair.
One day, a young pirate, after another successful robbery, filled the hold of his ship to capacity. The ship was moving slowly and was constantly sagging. And a leak in the stern of the brig was not welcome...
The Careless Corsair stopped abruptly and staggered. "What's happened?" - thought the young pirate. Looking overboard, he realized that the end of his exploits had come. The bottom of his ship was torn to pieces by the reefs. The team has already managed to dismantle the spare boats.
The young pirate stood at the bow of his ship, not believing what was happening. Tears welled up in his eyes and his head hung down. "From what?!" - The pirate raised his hands to the sky. - "For what?"
“For carelessness,” answered the boatswain standing nearby, who did not want to leave his captain.
The ship was going down.

Frigate "Omnipresent Death" - This is the storm of the Caribbean. The unknown pirate who sails on it plundered all the colonies of the new world. When meeting this ship at sea, the traders simply pray to stay alive, which does not happen. Since there is no money in the colonies, he is now heading for the waters of Madagascar to a paradise for pirates
the most romantic name
Corvette "Violet" - named after the captain's daughter. This name was given to her by her father in honor of the most magnificent flower.
the most majestic name
The battleship "Peter I" is a thunderstorm from the Russian State for Britain. This is the flagship of the squadron containing 6 other ships.

Corvette "Victoria the Bloody Baroness"- the ship is named after a pirate girl who is known for her hot temper and incredible cruelty. She sailed on this ship herself. Sleek, fast as the wind, corvette, with white sails and incredibly beautiful. But, as always expected, justice prevailed - the pirate was executed, and the ship itself was given to the Spanish governor.

Frigate "Black Revenge" the horror of all sailors, its captain is a real devil, his ship develops unprecedented speed, and the hull is impenetrable to cannonballs, according to rumors the boatswain on the ship can break a small ship with 1 blow...

Corvette "Luck Prize" it was ridden by an unknown pirate who
luck was with us. His Corvette was quite powerful and fast. To catch up and break.

Frigate "Bad Girl"
This is the popular name of the ship, since no one knows its exact name.
In the waters of the Caribbean archipelago, a certain captain appeared who robbed ships, leaving only two witnesses: one without eyes, the other without a tongue... Apparently in order to terrify people... I must say that the “couples” succeeded in doing this with interest ... From the words of the “lucky ones” a picture of the attacks was compiled.
Everything happened in cloudy weather, early in the morning before sunrise, when there was still fog over the water... The dead silence was broken by a girl’s laughter piercing to the bones. It was heard from everywhere, now on one side, now on the other... From this sound, people’s eardrums burst, blood flowed, some of them, unable to bear it any longer, were thrown overboard, while others, out of panic, could not move from their place. The frigate approached silently, without a single shot. The “girl’s” team took the cargo and the surviving people, and also quietly set sail, leaving two witnesses... No one else saw or heard anything about the captured people...
Apparently the pirate captain made a deal with Lucifer himself, who would get the souls of people...

the most majestic name
battleship "Sentence"
The captain of this pirate ship was a man of honor, so he always gave his victims a choice - to surrender, and then they would be given life, or to give battle and then let the Devil judge them... By their actions, people themselves signed a Verdict.

The most profound title
Bomber ship "Bell"
The motto of this ship is: "Its call is not for him"
The ship was created specifically to combat coastal fortifications and is equipped with the most powerful and long-range guns.
When a “ringing” was heard from one of the sides of this ship, it could only mean one thing - the echo of the fatal salvo would ring in the ears of the survivors for a long time.
The name of the ship was given by Peter I during the construction of the Azov Fleet

Frigate "Cerberus".
For a long time, the pirate island of Bermuda was a refuge for corsairs. But this skeleton did not have strong protection in the form of a fort or other fortifications. Its only protection was numerous rocks and reefs. But over time, maps of this island were drawn up and in calm weather these natural obstacles were no longer dangerous. A large number of pirate ships were sunk off the coast of Bermuda by English and Spanish squadrons. The corsairs were in deep despair and even wanted to leave this island forever. And in these most difficult times for them, the black frigate under the banner of the Jolly Roger single-handedly began to resist all the ships trying to attack the Pirate Settlement. Like a ghost, he appeared from the fog and crushed his enemies. This ship always stood guard over the island of Bermuda, like a watchdog, it did not allow any enemy to approach the island. The crew of this ship was numerous, characterized by incredible rage and thirst for blood. The team was led by their captain and two lieutenants loyal to him. For this, the corsairs christened the black frigate with the name “Cerberus” in honor of a three-headed dog with a snake tail, and snake heads on the back. Just like the mythical dog guarding the exit from the kingdom of the dead Hades, so this frigate stood guard over the pirate island.

Battleship "Shakespeare".
This battleship is the flagship of the British squadron of the island of Jamaica. In the entire Caribbean Sea, and indeed beyond its borders, there is not a single ship that could compare with it in firepower or speed. It was named "Shakespeare" after the English playwright William Shakespeare. Each of the battleship's battles was a work of art, and "Shakespeare" was the author of these works. When you watch his fight, you immediately remember one of William’s dramatic plays. Just as sad, but still great.

Schooner "Black Widow".
After the death of a famous pirate in an unequal battle with Spanish battleships, his wife, being the daughter of a captain and familiar with maritime affairs firsthand, is a desperate and brave woman, having sold her house and all her property, buys a schooner, and, having hired a team of brave men, goes to sea to take revenge. to her husband's killers

Schooner "Alkonavtika".
This name was given to the ship because of the wild passion of its captain and crew for rum, wine, ale, and, indeed, for all liquid substances that contain alcohol. It was impossible to see the staff of this ship without drinking. Not a single corsair can remember when at least one member of the Alkonautika ship’s crew was sober, or at least hungover. Even the ships of England or Spain do not attack them when they meet them on the open sea. Because of the friendly attitude of these pirates towards others, they became welcome guests on all the islands to which pirates were allowed to sail.

Brig "Horizon".
Being a philosopher, the captain of this ship often liked to think on board his ship, looking at the sea stretching across the entire horizon. He said that at the most inopportune moment a ship belonging to any nation could appear on the horizon. The captain did not know whether he would be friendly or hostile. And this circumstance did not depend on anyone except God alone. For the mystery and unpredictability that the horizon combined, it was decided to call this brig “Horizon” by that name.

Frigate "Zodiac"

No one knows where it came from or where it was built, since its mizzen carried oblique sails, which made it even faster. Attacking exclusively at night and even in a storm, he did not leave anyone a single chance of salvation. They say that after his appearance, Morgan himself began to feel uncomfortable in the archipelago.

Corvette "Angels tears"
Got its name after the tragic story that happened to one corsair
For a long time, one fearless, daring and noble corsair on his corvette "Sword of the Apocalypse" terrorized the entire Spanish coast of the New World. From Belize to Cumana, in all cities, squares and taverns there were notices with a promised reward for his head. But they couldn’t catch this “El Diablo”. And yet, one day he fell into a trap laid for him. Having withstood a terrible battle with superior forces and miraculously remained afloat, the "Sword of the Apocalypse", almost completely broken, with the remnants of the crew headed to their lagoon to lick their wounds, but along the way a fierce storm broke out. With the last of their strength, fighting the elements, the already wounded crew did everything possible to save their beloved ship. Realizing that all efforts were in vain, the captain commanded: “Everyone in the boats!” Abandon ship! - The crew rushed to carry out the order, and soon the boat with the surviving sailors began to move away from the sinking corvette. And only after moving some distance away, the sailors suddenly noticed that the captain was not with them. And the captain, standing on the bridge, looked out to sea and sank into the water together with the ship. Soon the sea completely swallowed the ship.
“A real captain never leaves his ship,” said the boatswain. - But we must survive.
They managed to get to land and for a long time in taverns the surviving sailors retold this story and swore that when the last little creature disappeared across the water, they saw an angel in the sky.

Longboat "The Bold and the Beautiful". The captain of this ship considers himself the most daring pirate of the Caribbean, and his longboat – the most beautiful ship of all time. I thought... Until one day I collided with the Spanish Golden Fleet on the high seas. The pirate was daring. The longboat was beautiful.

Manowar "Leviathan". This masterpiece was built by the British at the Portsmouth shipyard. The best shipbuilders of the country participated in its creation. A huge amount of money was invested. The construction of the ship was very difficult and slow. And the result... completely justified itself. And Leviathan was born. A vessel of unprecedented power and beauty. Manowar was sent to the Caribbean to strengthen English naval forces. And soon became the strongest ship in these waters. It's not even a ship, it's a force of nature that humiliates a person. Sea monster. Leviathan.

Corvette "Shaving the Water". This ship belongs to one of the most dangerous pirates in the Caribbean. A man nicknamed Raven. No one knows the true history of this ship, except for the captain himself. The Water Shaver is known to be the fastest ship in the Caribbean. Not a single ship can compare with it in speed. When people see how a corvette plows the sea, it seems that the ship is shaving water. Like a sharp razor it cuts through the waves.

Frigate "Beloved". The captain of this ship, Nicholas, was a privateer in the service of France. He honestly and devotedly served his country, carrying out the most difficult assignments of the governor of island N. At one of the audiences with the governor, he met his daughter, the charming Jacqueline. Soon the girl was kidnapped. But Nakolas found and rescued Jacqueline from the clutches of the scoundrels. Nicholas and Jacqueline fell in love and wanted to get married. But Jacqueline's strict father forbade the wedding until Nicholas became rich and famous. Nicholas accepted these terms. And thanks to his determination and courage, he soon received the title of baron and the rank of admiral of the French fleet. And the governor had no choice but to marry off his only daughter to a privateer. And there was a wedding. Not a single person in the Caribbean had ever seen or heard such a wedding. Even the famous Versailles has faded. And in honor of this event, the governor presented his son-in-law with a magnificent frigate. Without thinking twice, Nicholas named him “Beloved” in honor of his beloved wife.

Caravel "Circle of Life". Lions are predators. They eat antelope. Antelopes are herbivores; they eat grass. The lions die, and grass grows in this place. The antelope eats this grass. And this means that all life is closed in a circle. Circle of life. Back in the 17th century, this was noticed by one scientist and researcher who was studying the nature of South Africa. And on the same day, he named his caravel “Circle of Life”.

"Pandora" Possessing the divine flame stolen by Prometheus, people stopped obeying the celestials, learned various sciences, and emerged from their pitiful state. A little more - and they would have won complete happiness for themselves...
Then Zeus decided to send punishment on them. The blacksmith god Hephaestus sculpted the beautiful woman Pandora from earth and water. The rest of the gods gave her: some - cunning, some - courage, some - extraordinary beauty. Then, handing her a mysterious box, Zeus sent her to earth, forbidding her to remove the lid from the box. Curious Pandora, as soon as she came into the world, opened the lid. Immediately all human disasters flew out of there and scattered throughout the Universe.

So the appearance of my “Pandora” on the horizon promised only grief and disaster to unwary merchants

Corvette "Black Scorpio" (Black Scorpio)
Powerful and swift, he appears from nowhere and disappears into nowhere; like a scorpion, he stalks his victims and attacks like a ghost, leaving them no chance. When they realize what is happening, it is already too late - their fate is sealed...
This ship and its captain appeared in the Caribbean Sea to take revenge... To take revenge for the beautiful girl whose life so quickly ended, cut short in the dungeons of the Holy Inquisition. An unquenchable thirst for revenge so strongly enveloped the soul of the young captain and enslaved his mind that he stopped seeing the world in any other colors other than black and killed... He killed without looking back and indiscriminately, he killed for the sake of killing. His ship, a magnificent corvette - swift as a panther, powerful as a lion and dangerous as a scorpion... Black Scorpio...

Schooner" Weightlessness"
At that time, weightlessness was not known, ships did not fly into space, but there were magnificent sailing ships, an endless ocean and endless love, the fire of which was fanned even more by the fresh sea breeze. Two people, two halves of one heart, were now in the same captain’s cabin, and their ship, as if on wings, as if weightless, was rushing into the distance of the sea, towards infinity...

Frigate" Dead water"
A terrible pirate ship, which seems to have gathered on board the most notorious thugs from all over the Caribbean archipelago. The captain of the ship is devoid of any compassion, and his heart must have long ago turned into a hard, cold stone like marble. When they saw this ship on the horizon, the sailors preferred to jump into the sea before meeting it face to face.
These pirates do not leave a single living soul behind, but throw all their bodies into the sea... The water in these places will remain dead for a long time...

Manowar "Judas"
It was a huge manovar that was part of the Spanish punitive expedition in the New World. He brought a lot of trouble to the enemies of the Spanish crown. This powerful ship became a terrible weapon in the hands of the Holy Inquisition.
But one day, having sailed to carry out his next assignment to the Bermuda Islands, “Judas” never returned... No one knows what happened to him to this day...

Frigate" Transcendentis" ("Going beyond") lat.

The ship lived up to its name, instilling confidence in its crew and terror in the enemy crew.

Corvette" Grin" - on the bow of the ship there was a huge wolf's head with a terrible grin.
Only her appearance terrified cowardly traders and made even experienced warriors shake.
Combined with excellent performance and a dedicated team led by a captain, it spread terror throughout the archipelago for a long time.

Frigate " Black revenge", the horror of all the sailors, huge guns and a bunch of skeleton pirates who have outlived their lives. Both the lugger and the battleship are afraid of him. He reaches a speed of 19 knots in seconds, 2 hundred 48-caliber guns, how can you not be afraid of him?..”

Sloops
At the beginning of the 18th century, sloop meant various ships built in the Caribbean islands. Sloops were usually small single-masted ships carrying a disproportionately powerful sail. This made them fast and maneuverable, which, combined with their shallow draft, made them the ideal pirate ship. Typically, sloops were equipped with a slanting main sail and a jib at the bow. Two- and three-masted ships with similar sailing rigs could also be called sloops.

Bartholomew Roberts on the West African coast. Behind him is a fleet of slave trading ships he captured. The “Royal Fortune” and “Great Reinder” - Roberts’ ships - are also located there. Images of two flags are clearly visible.

Schooners
Throughout the 18th century, schooners became an increasingly common type of ship. Typically, schooners are defined as two-masted ships with forward sails on both masts. The narrow hull and large sail area made them fast; the typical schooner speed with a tailwind exceeded 11 knots. The schooner's draft was also shallow, which allowed them to sail freely among the shallows and close to the shore. With a displacement of up to 100 tons, the pirate schooner carried 8 cannons and a crew of about 75 people. The disadvantage of the schooner was its insufficient cruising range. It was necessary to frequently call at ports to replenish water and food supplies. However, with sufficient knowledge and skill, the pirates took everything they needed into the sea.

Brigandines
Another type of ship often found along the American coast was the brigandine. Brigandine is a two-masted ship, with straight sails on the foremast, and an oblique lower sail and straight topsails on the mainmast. Such sailing rig allows the brigandine to effectively sail both jibe and close-hauled. The length of the brigandine is about 24 m, displacement is about 150 tons, crew of 100 people, armament of 12 guns.

A variant of the brigandine was the brig, but this type of ship was quite rare in American waters. The brig carried straight sails on both masts, although slanting sails were sometimes installed between the masts. Sometimes a slanting gaff sail was placed on the mainmast. In this form the ship was called shnyava. The Royal Navy used shniavs as patrol ships in Caribbean waters.

Three-masted ships (straight sail)
Three-masted ships with direct sails could be considered ships in the full sense of the word. Although three-masted ships were slower than pirate schooners and sloops, they still had a number of undeniable advantages. First of all, they were distinguished by better seaworthiness, carried heavier weapons and could accommodate a large crew. Many pirates, including Bartholomew Robert and Charles Vane, preferred three-masted ships.

Three-masted merchant ships were actively used during that period. Edward Teach's Queen's Envenge was a converted slave trading ship, equipped to carry 40 cannons. Typically, a merchant ship with a displacement of 300 tons carried more than 16 guns. Three-masted warships were divided into several ranks. A ship of the 6th rank carried from 12 to 24 guns. The 5th rank ship already carried up to 40 guns. These weapons were usually more than enough to defeat any pirate in an artillery battle. The only exceptions were Roberts' Royal Fortune and Teach's Queen N Revenge, as well as several other pirate ships that carried comparable weapons.