tance for the discovery of America, was that Spain acquired the Canary
Islands. Also important for Columbus’s voyage, the war hastened the growth
of shipbuilding technology: so much of the fighting was at sea, both states
had to strengthen the hulls of their Mediterranean ships to cope with the
Atlantic. Since the galleys used in the Mediterranean were powered partly by
oarsmen, they were lightly constructed; and because they often had to tack
across or against the wind, their sails were triangular, or lateen. To venture
out into the Atlantic, where food and potable water had to be rationed, oars-
men were an expensive luxury. But if oars were given up, a different sail was
needed. While well adapted to the Mediterranean, the triangular sail proved
to be inefficient where a ship might sail for days or even weeks on a single
reach. The square sail was used on the newly designed, longer, heavier car-
rack, which was possibly inspired by Turkish or North African ships. The
Portuguese led the way with this ship, which they called a não,half a century
before Columbus sailed. Recognizing the efficiency of its sails, he stopped in
the Canaries on his way across the Atlantic and rerigged the little Niña,
The Fearsome Atlantic 25