Pirates & galleons
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Building a galleon. (2025). In Q-files Encyclopedia, History, Pirates & galleons. Retrieved from
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"Building a galleon." History, Pirates & galleons, Q-files Encyclopedia, 28 Jul. 2025.
https://www.q-files.com/history/pirates-galleons/building-a-galleon.
Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.
Building a galleon 2025. History, Pirates & galleons. Retrieved 13 September 2026, from
https://www.q-files.com/history/pirates-galleons/building-a-galleon
History, Pirates & galleons, s.v. "Building a galleon," accessed September 13, 2026.
https://www.q-files.com/history/pirates-galleons/building-a-galleon
Building a galleon
Between the 16th and 18th centuries, Spanish galleons were usually built at a shipyard in northern Spain, close to the port of Bilbao. Nearby grew forests of Bilbao oak, from which the ship’s timbers were made. The surrounding region was also the centre of artillery production, and the port had links with sources of tall pine (for masts) and other vital materials such as canvas, rope and pitch from other parts of Europe. The masts fitted into holes in the deck, and were secured with ropes running down to the ship’s sides. From start to finish, the whole construction process took about two years to complete.
Building the hull
First of all, timbers were delivered to the yard. The keel (the astillero) was laid out on the ground, then curved pieces forming the bow and stern were fixed to it. Next, a series of ribs was attached to the keel, forming the basic frame. They made a U-shape in the central part of the galleon (amidships) and a Y-shape at the stern. The design had to follow strict government regulations.
The internal decks were then laid out, and supports for the masts added. A rudder was slung into position and the bulkheads (deck partitions) erected. Trenail mooters fixed planks of wood to the frames with wooden pins (trenails) to form the decks and the outside of the hull. Caulkers hammered rope fibres into the gaps between the planks. The fibres were coated with hot tar, or pitch, to waterproof them.
pics
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