Nau

Nau

A large vessel used mainly on long-haul routes, namely the India and Brazil sec. XV. The most primitive NAU had a mast and a lintel with round cloth and poop like other vessels, but with larger dimensions. In the time of D. Fernando, Naus are developed in nautical terms and multiplied markedly in Portugal. Due to the piracy that plagued the Portuguese coast and the national effort to create an armada to fight it, the Nau started to be used also in the navy. The ship's carrying capacity also increased, reaching 200 tons by the 15th century, and in the following century, its tonnage would reach 500 tons.