Model of Nau Saint Gabriel

The Nau “São Gabriel”, the flagship of Vasco da Gama’s fleet, had more or less 120 tuns in its first voyage linking Europe to Asia (1497-1499). The tun, a vat of 1,5 m high and 1 m in diameter, was also the measuring unit for ships from stowage to deck.

In the 16th century, the so-called “Naus da India” increased in size from 300 to 400 tuns, reaching 500 to 1000 tuns in the second half of the century. The Nau was a long distance cargo ship, with three or four decks, reaching 14 m above sea level. In general, it had two forecastles, on the stern and the stem, and three masts, the topmast, the foremast with round sail and the mizzen-mast with lateen sail (triangular). The Nau was also a combat ship, supplied with 20 to 40 cannons, sometimes even more, of both heavy (pedreiros and esperas) and light artillery (falcons and the berços).

The Nau, the Caravel and the Galleon were examples of an advanced military and naval technology, which supported the competitive presence of the Portuguese in the Asian sea trade.