Thefull-rigged pinnace was the larger of two types of vessel called a pinnace in use from thesixteenth century.
The wordpinnace, and similar words in many languages (as far afield as Indonesia, where the boat "pinisi" took its name from the Dutchpinas[1]), came ultimately from the Spanishpinaza c. 1240, frompino (pine tree), from the wood of which the ships were constructed. The word came into English from theMiddle Frenchpinasse.[2]
The pinnace is perhaps the most confusing of all the early seventeenth-century types of vessels. Pinnace was more of a use than a type name, for almost any vessel could have been a pinnace or tender to a larger one. Generally speaking, pinnaces were lightly built, single-decked, square-sterned vessels suitable for exploring, trading, and light naval duties. On equal lengths, pinnaces tended to be narrower than other types. Although primarily sailing vessels, many pinnaces carriedsweeps for moving in calms or around harbors.[3]
The rigs of pinnaces included the single-mastedfore-and-aft rig withstaysail and sprit mainsail to the mainmast, and a squaresprit-sail under thebowsprit; however pinnaces were also built with a two-masted rig or with athree-masted "ship" rig. Open square-sterned pulling boats were also called pinnaces at least as early as 1626. The larger pinnace 'type' was often much larger than the smaller tender type, and frequently carried enough cannon to be considered an (armed) merchantman, or fast and maneuverable small warship.
The English pinnaceSunne was the first vessel reported built at theChatham Dockyard, in 1586.[4] English pinnaces of the time were typically of around 100 tons, and carried 5 to 16 guns.[5]
The Dutch built pinnaces during the early 17th century.[citation needed] Dutch pinnaces had a hull form resembling a smallrace-built galleon and usuallyrigged as a ship (square rigged on threemasts), or carrying a similar rig on two masts (in a fashion akin to the later "brig"). Pinnaces were used asfast merchant vessels,pirate vessels and smallwarships. Not all were small vessels, some being nearer to larger ships intonnage.[citation needed]
This type saw widespread use in northern waters, as they had a shallowdraught. In 2009 the wreck of anElizabethan English pinnace with a set of twelve matchedcannon was discovered, the first of its type for the time. Vessels at that time typically carried a mixture of unmatched cannon using disparate ammunition. The matched armament is considered revolutionary, and a contributing factor to the deadly reputation of the Englishnaval artillery.[6]
The first English ship built in North America,Virginia of Sagadahoc, was a pinnace.