Nao Trinidad

"Nao Trinidad" in Port Tarraco

I saw last weekend an odd visitor in the marina and decide to take a look. It turned out to be "Nao Trinidad", an old carrack sailing ship that was the replica of the original that was used for the first successful world circumnavigation by Magellan. Albeit the "Trinidad" did not reach all the way around, the "Victoria", part of the fleet of 5 ships, did manage it back to Spain. Quite a feat in those days with the available technology and tools they had. With this they started the globalization of the world.

Looking up the ship I found following: "Trinidad (Spanish for "Trinity") was the flagship (capitana) of Ferdinand Magellan's 1519–22 voyage of circumnavigation. 

Unlike the Victoria, which successfully returned to Spain after sailing across the Indian Ocean under the command of Juan Sebastián Elcano, Trinidad attempted yet failed to sail east across the Pacific to New Spain (the Americas).

Trinidad was a "nao" (carrack) of 100 or 110 tons with square sails on the fore and main masts and a lateen mizzen. Its original crew was 61." 

Typical carrack (courtesy of umontreal)

Carrack refers to the style of rigging the Spanish used. The main mast always carried a square sail while the mizzenmast carried a lateen sail, later on they also added a topsail which was also square. The square sail was used for speed and the lateen rig allowed for maneuverability. Carracks were large enough to be stable in heavy seas, and capacious enough to carry a large cargo and the provisions needed for very long voyages. The smaller carvels were meant for coastal navigation and fishing. The larger galleons were stronger, more heavily armed, and also cheaper to build for the same displacement (five galleons could cost around the same as three carracks). 

"Nao Trinidad"

I also found their website naotrinidad, it doesn't look like it has been updated in awhile but they document the following: 

"Flagship of the First Sailing Around the World

The "Nao Trinidad" was the flagship of the Magellan - Elcano expedition, leading the first sailing around the world between 1519 - 1522, which was the greatest maritime feat in history. An expedition that circumnavigated the globe for the first time, opening new routes, connecting continents and oceans, and getting to know the peoples and cultures that inhabited the lands they touched along their immense journey: Brazil, Argentina, the Mariana Islands, the Philippine Islands, Indonesia, Brunei and Timor.

She set sail from Seville, Spain on 10th August 1519, at the head of a fleet of five ships which, following her lead, crossed the Atlantic, sailed along the coast of South America, discovered the Strait of Magellan and crossed the Pacific Ocean for the first time in history. They reached the Mariana Islands, the Philippines and the Moluccas, where the destiny of the Flagship "Trinidad" would change.

After more than two years at sea and with the fatigue of sailing thousands of nautical miles, the "Trinidad" sprang a huge leak in its hull. This prevented its return to Spain from the Moluccas with the expedition’s only other surviving ship — her companion, the "Victoria". The latter did make it home, completing the first sail around the world just months later.

Meanwhile, the "Trinidad" was involved in the toughest incident of the voyage. With the damage repaired, she attempted to return to Spain by sailing eastward, with 54 men on board, but was defeated by strong headwinds and currents. She was forced to sail northward until she reached the 42nd parallel north, when a violent storm nearly caused her total loss. Cold, hunger, thirst and scurvy mercilessly struck the ship and her men.

Giving up, the ship returned to the Moluccas after six months of suffering and fighting against the sea, with just 17 survivors. There, the Portuguese were waiting for them; they captured the crew and abandoned the battered ship in those waters, where, exhausted and damaged, she met her end.

A glimpse at the peoples of the world

On the "Nao Trinidad" traveled Antonio Pigafetta, the main chronicler of the expedition, which managed to complete the first sail around the world with the "Nao Victoria". Throughout the entire journey he wrote a beautiful account of the journey and its events, and a magnificent description of the geography, nature, and the indigenous peoples who were met throughout the planet: their cultures, customs, beliefs, vocabularies. A magnificent ethnographic account by the peoples of the world that traveled this first circumnavigation.

Map of the circumnavigation (courtesy of naotrinidad)

On the jetty I paid 6 EUR and joined the long queue of visitors going onboard, as it was Sunday she was heaving and it took me awhile before I was let onboard, there I joined the long winding string of people going around a set route that started at the forecastle and into the hold from where one emerged to go aft up on upper deck to see the steering gear compartment, then the Captains quarters, poopdeck and back down the same way on the other side to main deck and off the ship.

"Nao Trinidad" at Port Tarraco

In the hold there was an exhibition in the form of informative posters along the sides documenting facts of the ship, how it works and the conditions they had back in the day. I think the aft half of the hold (that was barred off with a bulkhead) was these days cabins for crew and an engine room as I had seen the propeller at the rudder. All modern amenities and technology was very well hidden away and otherwise she looked very much like a copy of the original, truly basic rigging and all made from wood.

Visitors galore on the poop deck

I am also impressed of how much they have information of the vessel from so many years as anything beyond the 1800's is a bit sketchy in most cases. The chronicles of Antonio Pigafetta must've been well kept, copied and circulated I guess. I don't think yards made drawings let alone kept them back in those days.

Visitors crowding upper deck

According to the signs onboard, the crew slept in the forecastle, with 45-61 crew onboard I find it difficult to believe how the managed to cram themselves in there. Maybe they hotbunked as half of the crew was up on duty at sea? Maybe they had hammocks strung out on the deck?

Small cannon

Thinking the hold was full of provisions for all the odd 50 crew or so they had to eat every day. I read on the posters that they mainly only had wine and sponge bread that in the end was so bad that it consisted mostly of maggots. They must have done some fishing too as well as hunting when they stopped to find water and fill drinking water barrels. Lot of crew came down with scurvy and died as a consequence. It was only later that they discovered that vitamin-c would prevent it.

Forecastle

Current principal dimensions that were posted onboard are as follows:

Displacement: 200 tonnes 

Length over all: 28.30 m

Beam: 7.96 m

Draught: 3.49 m

Air draught: 25m from waterline (top of main mast)

Fixed ballast: 75,000 kg iron piglets 

Rig: 4 metal masts and 250 m² of sails on main, mizzen, fore and bowsprit masts. Five sails made of dacron: main, top mizzen, sprit and staysail, square sails except the lateen mizzen sail. 

Crew: 20 persons. They have five triple bunk beds the captains is bridge navigation quarters and the others in the hold.

I think the claim for metal mast is not true, to me they all looked wooden but I could be wrong. It also appears the hull is a mix of fibreglass and wood so the build has not followed the old style 100% in order to comply with modern requirements. They mention that 65 cubic meters of the tropical iroko wood has been used for cladding of the ship, the glassfibre must be the watertight hull then. For the rigging they mention use of polypropylene and polyester ropes for the standing and running rigging reinforced with steel wires for the standing rigging. 35 deadheads and pulleys in the entire setup.

The hold

Further information I got on the tour: "The true scale replica of the "Trinidad" was built by Fundacion Nao Victoria, a Spanish institute that specializes in historic ships. The work was carried out in the coastal town of Punta Umbria (Huelva, Spain) over twelve months starting in January 2017 and ending in March 2018. The design includes the results of the new studies on the shapes of this famous vessel in order to achieve greater maneuverability and better control of the steering. During the process an innovative system was applied in the sector of construction of historical ship replicas which combines construction in fibreglass and posterior covering in wood. This new technique implies enormous progress with regards to the environmental impact, costs, durability and maintenance of the vessel without affecting her historical aspect, seaworthiness or maneuvering. 

21st century ship

She combines historic rigor with the sailing requirements of the 21st century and the current legislation. She has been fitted with engines in an engine room, GPS system, radar, fuel tanks, water tanks, gas cooker, showers, sinks, etc. The lower part of the vessel (hold) has been adapted as an exhibition area to show her history."

Visiting plaques from different ports

For navigation I am told they utilized following: 

"Navigation compass: consisting of a circle and two magnetized iron hands that point into 32 directions.

Compass rose with 32 points (courtesy of Macsweblog)

Log: Used to measure speed of the ship, consisting of a plate and knotted rope, the time and distance would be measured with how many "knots", hence the same term remains in use still today,

Time: an hour glass would be used to measure time.

Leading lines: lead weight tied to a line would be used to measure depth of the seabed in order to prevent running aground.

Quadrant: this one was used to measure the height of the sun over the horizon to determine latitude. Basically a quadrant is an instrument used to measure angles up to 90°. Different versions of this instrument could be used to calculate various readings, such as longitude, latitude, and time of day. Its earliest recorded usage was in ancient India in Rigvedic times by Rishi Atri to observe a solar eclipse.

Astrolabe: were used for timekeeping, astronomy, and navigation. More specifically, an astrolabe could be used to determine one's latitude, which was helpful on long voyages at sea, particularly those that took sailors close to the equator where the north star wasn't visible."

Then also is mentioned that the sailors needed "imagination" to apply their talents, experience and skill. It probably was many times necessary to be able to quickly think on their feet in foreign lands they had never seen before when they encountered various situations beyond their comfort zone. Today the compass, time, log and leadline is still used, although they're nowadays electronic gadgets, the quadrant and astrolabe was eventually replaced by the sextant and these days by Global Positioning System (GPS).

Steering tiller on quarter deck

Sailing, the science that transformed the world: The great challenge of the oceanic crossings on the ships was to calculate the position of the ships in the sea, to follow the course traced out and to avoid dangers when approaching an unknown coast. For this they had rudimentary navigation instruments that although they did help to determine the latitude through the height of the sun, they made it impossible to calculate the longitude. The mariner's compass quadrant, astrolabe, sand timer, lead line and log were the navigation instruments used on the Spanish ships. With these, they could measure the height of the sun, the position of the ship, inspect the seabed and determine the speed of the ship in order to draw the route on their navigation charts and determine the course to be followed.

The general arrangement as displayed

"Construction materials (for the original):

Oak wood used for structural pieces.

Pine wood for planking, masts and braces.

Olive and holm oak wood for pulleys and deadheads.

Iron, for nails and anchors.

Hemp canvas for sails.

Hemp impregnated with tar for ropes and standing rigging.

Esparto (a coarse grass with tough narrow leaves, native to Spain and North Africa used to make ropes), was used for anchor ropes.

General arrangement of masts and decks

Dark ships: to protect the wood and ropes of plant fibers, pitch, bitumen, resin and oil was used. Between the boards in the hull, the caulkers placed burlap ropes to make them waterproof and impregnated the wood below the waterline with hot oil to protect them from the feared shipworm (teredo navalis), a parasite that mercilessly attacked the wood on the ships." 

Hence, the ships had a dark or black appearance.

General arrangement of sail plan

This was before it was discovered that copper plating prevented worms. Before then the ships were careened on a regular basis for inspection and fixing of the caulking and other repairs, planks may have changed on the bottom depending on their condition.

Captains admin table with view forward of the sails and deck

Captains cabin on quarterdeck, window to aft

Steering gear on upper deck

As explained above, I doubt they had any charts as they were there the first ones exploring new frontiers so they probably used the quadrant to measure out land as observed. Then based on these they drew the first maps and also traced their course as "dead reckoning" on them. The longitude was the problem, it was not until 1759 with the advent of Harrisons chronometer that mariners could determine longitude accurately.

Steering on upper deck

"Play, talk and read: The difficult sailing conditions didn't leave much time for entertainment. Despite the express prohibitions of games onboard, cards and dice ran along the decks without being hidden and the men gambled their breeches, money and weapons."

I can imagine that the deeply catholic society forbade any kind of gambling etc but it can't have been difficult or not have time for entertainment if they had time to gamble. I think they were bored to the bone when crossing the doldrums and other moments of lull without winds for days or anchored somewhere looking for provisions and waiting for the shore party to return. There is only so much you can read the good book.

Odds and sods they used as tools

I am further educated, "Food: bread and wine. The daily rations for the crew mainly consisted of wine and sponge cake (hardtack), twice baked bread with meal, which sometimes would be eaten rotten, wet or full with worms."

Kind of find it hard to believe the fare would be so poor so Christopher Columbus website advises that "the menu for Spanish seamen consisted of water, vinegar, wine, olive oil, molasses, cheese, honey, raisins, rice, garlic, almonds, sea biscuits (hardtack), dry legumes such as chickpeas, lentils, beans, salted and barreled sardines, anchovies, dry salt cod and pickled or salted meats (beef and pork), salted flour. I'm sure they also tried fishing to survive as well. I can believe that when provisions started running low it was miserable going and the scurvy and all matter of issues set in." 

The only navigation lantern

More info is given, "The tough and uncertain day-to-day: life on board was carried out on the ships decks. Daily work was divided into six shifts and only the meals broke the routine. During the night, only the captain had quarters or a cabin to sleep in. The officials rolled out their thin wool mattresses under the awning deck and the rest looked for a place to rest among the scarce free spaces of the forecastle or the main deck on basic mats.

The lack of hygiene, illnesses, the sensation of danger and permanent concern about their destinations were constant among the crews on these ships, where there was practically no time for leisure. Harsh living conditions that dozens of men experienced on board these ships on the longest ocean crossings recorded in the history of sailing."

I can imagine it being like going out for a daycruise but only extended to 2 years with those kind of sleeping conditions. I don't think it was uncertain as they say but a certainty of regulated watches day in and out. Six watches so I assume they did the traditional 12-4, 4-8 and 8-12 shifts split equally between the crew. In storms I doubt there was much sleep to be gained, maybe when they got lower in provisions the hold could have been used, not sure of the atmosphere in there, especially in tropical waters it must have been stifling hot inside. In addition to watches there was the constant maintenance of rigging and sails as well as monitoring the condition of the hull. The officers being busy with taking observations and maintaining time and order seeing everything was ship-shape.

View to the quarterdeck and upper deck from the poop deck

The crew, I am informed, consisted of following:

"Captain, overall in charge.

Mate, responsible for maintaining the ship in perfect sailing condition.

Pilot, responsible for tracing the course, determining the route and taking the position of the ship.

Boatswain (bosun), responsible for directing the the crew in the maneuvers and watches.

Sailors (deckhands), 10-15 persons, carried out maneuvers and watches.

Apprentices, 10 persons, aspiring and training to become deckhands and occasionally used for serving authorities.

Cabin boys, 4-5 persons, aspiring sailors responsible for sweeping the deck and monitoring the clock."

View from poop deck

Another morsel of information: "A ship of 100 tons had an average crew of 45 members. The men at sea consisted of sailors, apprentices cabin boys, carpenters, caulkers, chaplains, steward's mates and surgeons, who obeyed the high commands of the authorities: owners pilots, captains and boatswains. There were also royal officers such as sheriff, scribe, treasurer or accountant, who were responsible for ensuring the interests of the Crown. More than 40 men that lived in boats that were just 25 meters in length, with main decks of just 90m² of free space to live and work. The responsibilities of each role and trade were clearly established and organized. There was strict discipline on board, so that the operation of the ship was perfect."

Wikipedia mentions a crew of 61 persons, above the crewlist only specifies about 35 persons, so further on top of that the others may have been other tradesmen, soldiers and representatives of the Crown I surmise. Other placards says 54 crew. I am thinking on average 50 men/ carrack, they did have crew die at times at an alarming rate. 

Rudder, note the propeller under water too

Doubloon memento

Having completed the full tour I took my leave and exited the way I had come onboard. At the ticket booth I picked up a replica of a doubloon from the era as a memento for 7EUR, talk about making money. Very interesting piece of history I had never looked into much detail but this one I enjoyed with all questions coming up of how they really managed back in the day. Also a good means of teaching children history in a more fun way than studying a dusty book.

Anchor in stowed position