Pinnace

Pinnace

A pinnace is one of two marine craft, the first a small vessel used as a tender to larger vessels amongst other things, and the second a ship rigged vessel popular in northern waters through the 17th-19th centuries.

The smaller pinnace is a light boat, propelled by sails or oars, formerly used as a "tender" for guiding merchant and war vessels. In modern parlance, pinnace has come to mean a boat associated with some kind of larger vessel, that doesn't fit under the launch or lifeboat definitions. In general, the pinnace had sails, and would be used to ferry messages between ships of the line, visit harbors ahead of the fleet with messages of state, pick up mail, etc. The pinnace was also widely used during the pirate infested 1600s, mostly in the Caribbean area. The Spanish favored them as lightweight smuggling vessels while the Dutch used them as raiders. Pirates frequently used them as scouts and for night attacks since they were small, reliable, and extremely quick, even against the wind.

The second, larger type was developed by the Dutch during the early 17th century. She had a hull form resembling a small "race built" galleon, and was usually rigged as a ship (square rigged on three masts), or carried a similar rig on two masts (in a fashion akin to the later "Brig"). Pinnaces saw use as merchant vessels, pirate vessels and small warships. Not all were small vessels, some being nearer to larger ships in tonnage. This type saw widespread use in northern waters, mainly by the Dutch, as they had a shallow draught.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Pinnace — Pin nace, n. [F. pinasse; cf. It. pinassa, pinazza, Sp. pinaza; all from L. pinus a pine tree, anything made of pine, e.g., a ship. Cf. {Pine} a tree.] 1. (Naut.) (a) A small vessel propelled by sails or oars, formerly employed as a tender, or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • pinnace — (n.) small, light vessel, 1540s, earlier spinace (15c.), from O.Fr. espinace, also attested as Anglo L. spinachium (mid 14c.); of unknown origin …   Etymology dictionary

  • pinnace — ► NOUN chiefly historical ▪ a small boat forming part of the equipment of a larger vessel. ORIGIN French pinace, probably from Latin pinus pine tree …   English terms dictionary

  • pinnace — [pin′is] n. [Fr pinasse < Sp pinaza < VL * pinacea < L pinus,PINE1] 1. Archaic a small sailing ship, often one used as a tender to a larger ship 2. a ship s boat …   English World dictionary

  • pinnace — [[t]pɪ̱nɪs[/t]] pinnaces N COUNT A pinnace is a small boat carried on a large ship. Pinnaces are used to carry goods and people from the ship to the shore …   English dictionary

  • pinnace — n. Naut. a warship s or other ship s small boat, usu. motor driven, orig. schooner rigged or eight oared. Etymology: F pinnace, pinasse ult. f. L pinus PINE(1) …   Useful english dictionary

  • pinnace — noun Etymology: Middle French pinace, probably from Old Spanish pinaza, from pino pine, from Latin pinus Date: 1538 1. a light sailing ship; especially one used as a tender 2. any of various ship s boats …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • pinnace — /pin is/, n. 1. a light sailing ship, esp. one formerly used in attendance on a larger ship. 2. any of various kinds of ship s boats. 3. a small 17th century ship having two or three masts and a flat stern, used in northern Europe as a warship… …   Universalium

  • pinnace — noun A light boat, traditionally propelled by sails, but may also be a rowboat. Pinnaces are usually messenger boats, carrying messages among the larger ships of a fleet …   Wiktionary

  • pinnace — see PINE …   The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”