“Comparing Ship Technology: The Ships Columbus Used Versus Ships of Today”
Dylan Rodgers
599 Bow Mountain Road, Boulder CO 80304
303-907-9059, dylanprodgers22@gmail.com
Boulder High School, 12th grade
Arapahoe DAR
803 words
I’ve always been in love with the sea. Even though I grew up in the landlocked state of Colorado,
the ocean has always called my name. One summer I went on a sailing trip in Florida for a week.
As we set sail to venture into the Atlantic, I thought of Columbus commencing his journey more
than 500 years ago. I was setting sail for a week, I couldn’t imagine not knowing when I’d see
land again, or if I would see land again. Luckily, Columbus was brave and took a risk to explore
where no one had ever before.
I look back and consider my sailing experience as it would compare to Columbus’; I was amazed
to learn that the 46-foot cruising sailboat I had sailed on was actually pretty close to the size of
the 50 foot Nina and 55 foot Pinta caravels and 59 foot Santa Maria nao used by Columbus.
Although similar in length, one significant advantage of the boat I was on was the weight. My
boat weighed about 8 tons fully loaded, whereas the caravels Columbus used weighted around 70
tons! That’s a lot of weight to move across the ocean. The caravels required more men to operate
them, and also more bulk from food and water to sustain the men throughout the voyage of
unknown length. And indeed, it took Columbus more than two months to cross. A boat like mine
typically takes much less than a month to complete the same journey. This increased efficiency
comes with new technologies such as fiberglass hulls, onboard motors, and GPS which all make
modern sailboats faster and better suited for transoceanic travel. As with many new technologies,
there is an environmental aspect to consider. Trees are not being cut down, but the energy and
raw materials used to make the sailboats today have many detrimental effects on the Earth. I
guess that is the price we have to pay. The wooden construction of Columbus’ ships was useful
when the Santa Maria ran aground and the men were forced to make buildings to live in while
Columbus returned to Spain.
Before setting sail, the preparation of these ships varies. Starting with food, the ships of
Columbus’ day were mainly stocked with sea biscuits and salt pork and cooking was done on
deck in large copper kettles over a fire in a sandbox. This basic diet and lack of preserving
abilities of fruits and vegetables led to sicknesses such as scurvy caused by a severe lack of
Vitamin C. Luckily, today we have cans and refrigeration on boats that can preserve fruits and
vegetable and meats for months so that eating on board is much healthier. On my trip, I spent a
good portion of time on deck next to the propane-fueled grill frying up meats and vegetable stirfries, a much safer alternative to starting a fire on deck. Water is an important consideration on
any journey out to sea, and how it is stored has changed greatly. Columbus would have used
large casks to carry all the water (and some beer and wine too) necessary for the voyage. Casks
are bulky and further explain the large cargo space necessary to commence on a large expedition
such as this one. Nowadays, plastic or metal bladders or tanks are common and make carrying
large amounts of water convenient. Desalination is also easier with reverse-osmosis and solarsills. Keeping water fresh is always difficult. 500 years ago sailors would use silver to kill
diseases in their water, which is similar in effectiveness to the purification methods used today.
Rigging and navigation have also vastly changed. The captain of the boat I was on could singlehandedly sail our whole ship due to modern cords, winches, and sails. The sails and ropes
Columbus used were heavy and hard to maneuver. The square-rigged nature of Columbus’
caravels was inefficient in many directions of the wind. Sailboats today have main sheets that
can pivot and adjust with the wind to maximize speed. One sail that has remained fairly
unchanged is the lateen sail at the front of the caravels and modern boats. It is a triangular sail
designed for tacking, or sailing “against” the wind in a zigzag motion. This sail made, and
continues to make, oceanic travel easier.
Despite many improvements in the technology of modern sailboats, in many ways, my sailing
trip would be similar to the beginning of Columbus’ voyage. Advances in food and water storage
as well as in some sail technology make sailing today faster, but with the large cargo space in
Columbus’ ships, a journey to the New World was just as possible. Many modern boats also use
fuel and natural resources that are harmful to the environment. Overall, Columbus’ ships
achieved what a modern sailboat could, but slower, riskier, and less comfortably.
Works Cited
“Christopher Columbus Ships -Niña, Pinta, and Santa Maria.” Columbus Use of Dead
Reckoning (DR) Navigation and Celestial Navigation, www.christopher-columbus.eu/columbusships.htm.
Davies, Ernest Albert John, and John B. Woodward. “Ship.” Encyclopædia Britannica,
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 22 June 2018, www.britannica.com/technology/ship/History-ofships
Flint, Valerie I.J. “Christopher Columbus.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica,
Inc., 9 Oct. 2018, www.britannica.com/biography/Christopher-Columbus/The-first-voyage.