Pirate ships provided pirates with transport, weapons and storage. They were a sailing home for the crew, and included space for not only rations, but treasure. They needed to be navigable, fast, and well armed in order to allow the pirates to be successful. During the height of the pirate era, pirate ships sailed the Caribbean, leaving havoc in their path. The island ports offered shelter, entertainment, and an opportunity to recruit new crew members to pirate ships of the time. While we may not always know the name, pirate ships are a critical part of pirate lore.

A Basic Outline of a Pirate Ship

While a ship is technically a vessel with three masts, many pirate ships were not ships at all. Ships, including warships, frigates and merchant ships were rarely used by pirates. While the navy used such vessels, and they were well-armed, they were both slower and less easily navigated than smaller vessels. Sloops and schooners were the most common types of pirate ships. These smaller vessels often had only one mast, and could carry a crew of 75 men and 14 guns. Speed and maneuverability made sloops ideal pirate ships, able to outrun the larger and slower naval vessels. Modern audiences will recognize these real life pirate ships in the images we see of pirates in the media today.

Where Did Pirate Ships Come From?

Pirate ships were often not specifically designed for as pirate vessels Many times, pirates moved onto a newly captured vessel when it was superior to theirs. Some pirate ships moved from legitimate use to piracy when the crew mutinied. Other pirate ships were retired privateer ships. Privateers were, functionally, state approved pirates, so these fast and well designed pirate ships were often recruited as pirate vessels when the privateering contract expired.

A Few Famous Pirate Ships

While we do not know many a name, pirate ships added to the reputation and skill of a pirate. The most famous pirate ship of all was the Queen Anne’s Revenge. While many pirate ships were smallish vessels, Blackbeard’s Queen Anne’s Revenge was anything but small. This frigate held a substantial crew and 40 guns. For more information about the Blackbeard’s ship, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Anne%27s_Revenge. Another remembered name, pirate captain Jack Rackham’s The William brings memories of more than one pirate woman forward in history. For more information on a variety of famous pirate ships, take a look at http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/famous-pirate-ships.htm.