The sixteenth-century Portuguese ship was a round ship, with a high-board, a ratio of 3:1 between the length and maximum width, three or four decks, stern castles and a bow, with three floors and two pavements, respectively, whose architecture was perfectly integrated into the hull, containing three masts, a large one and tumbler with a round sail, and the middle one with a Latin cloth. The ship, so designed, met a greater need for cargo capacity than hitherto known in Portuguese navigations. The trips to India were so long, which forced the ships to transport large amounts of solid foods and liquids to maintain the crew, especially since the route of navigation required long periods without being near the coast or any points of support. Moreover the trade factor: the trade of spices involved the transport of a valuable bulky cargo that required suitable spaces for its housing. The ship responded to everything, with its bulging hull and large capacity to accommodate.
In order to show the complexity of the organization of trips, the ship presented pilot cabins and cartographer cabins, cartographic material, navigation tools and techniques, kitchen and pantry, seeking to elucidate the complexity and vicissitudes of life on board.
Location: Vila do Conde
