Sails set when leaving port

[acaron41120]

Quick question (hopefully). When a ship of the 1500s  etc. left the port, which sails were set? I don't imagine all sails were set. I would like to set the sails on my Mayflower the same way. Thanks in advance or the help.

[Bob Cleek]

Well, just imagine it.

 

Which sails would be set would depend upon whether or not the wind was blowing and, if so, how hard and in what direction. simple as that. There could be no hard and fast rules. In the 1500's, for sure, it could take weeks or months to await a favorable tide and a fair wind to escape a harbor.

 

Given the limitations of many harbors and the risks imposed in trying to sail large ships in tight quarters, I would expect that the majority of ships were towed out of the harbor far enough that they had a wide berth to work far enough off shore to set sail to their best advantage. In the 1500's, towing was accomplished by oarsmen in small craft rowing so as to tow the boat toward the open sea. Sometimes these small boats were the ship's own boats which were taken aboard once  the ship was under way. Other times, the small boats were supplied by shoreside companies that provided such services for a fee. In fact, most of the U.S. tug boat companies like Crowley and Foss got their starts in this fashion.

Edited March 23, 2023 by Bob Cleek

[acaron41120]

Thanks for the help. I think I'll set the lanteen sail on the mizzen mast and the top sails on the main and fore masts and have the rest of the sails furlled.

Edited March 24, 2023 by acaron41120