Full-rigged pinnace

For other ships, seePinnace (disambiguation).

Areplicaof theKalmar Nyckel,an example of a full-rigged type of pinnace

Thefull-rigged pinnacewas the larger of two types of vessel called a pinnace in use from thesixteenth century.

Etymology

The wordpinnace,and similar words in many languages (as far afield as Indonesia, where the boat "pinisi"took its name from the Dutchpinas), came ultimately from the Spanishpinazac. 1240, frompino(pine tree), from the wood of which the ships were constructed. The word came into English from theMiddle Frenchpinasse.

Design

See also:pinnace (ship's boat)

The pinnace is perhaps the most confusing of all the early seventeenth-century types of vessels. Pinnace was more of a use than a type name, for almost any vessel could have been a pinnace or tender to a larger one. Generally speaking, pinnaces were lightly built, single-decked, square-sterned vessels suitable for exploring, trading, and light naval duties. On equal lengths, pinnaces tended to be narrower than other types. Although primarily sailing vessels, many pinnaces carriedsweepsfor moving in calms or around harbors.

The rigs of pinnaces included the single-mastedfore-and-aft rigwithstaysailand sprit mainsail to themizzenmast,and a squaresprit-sailunder thebowsprit.Open square-sterned pulling boats were also called pinnaces at least as early as 1626. The larger pinnace 'type' was often much larger than the smaller tender type, and frequently carried enough cannon to be considered an (armed) merchantman, or fast and maneuverable small warship.

Pinnaces

The English pinnaceSunnewas the first vessel reported built at theChatham Dockyard,in 1586.English pinnaces of the time were typically of around 100 tons, and carried 5 to 16 guns.

The Dutch built pinnaces during the early 17th century.Dutch pinnaces had a hull form resembling a smallrace-built galleonand usuallyrigged as a ship(square riggedon threemasts), or carrying a similar rig on two masts (in a fashion akin to the later "brig"). Pinnaces were used asfast merchant vessels,pirate vesselsand smallwarships.Not all were small vessels, some being nearer to larger ships intonnage.

This type saw widespread use in northern waters, as they had a shallowdraught.In 2009 the wreck of anElizabethanEnglish pinnace with a set of twelve matchedcannonwas discovered, the first of its type for the time. Vessels at that time typically carried a mixture of unmatched cannon using disparate ammunition. The matched armament is considered revolutionary, and a contributing factor to the deadly reputation of the Englishnaval artillery.

The first English ship built in North America,Virginia of Sagadahoc,was a pinnace.