Pirates & galleons
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Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.
How to defend a pirate attack 2025. History, Pirates & galleons. Retrieved 1 November 2026, from
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History, Pirates & galleons, s.v. "How to defend a pirate attack," accessed November 1, 2026.
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How to defend a pirate attack
When faced with attack by pirates, a ship's commander had three options: he could flee (but a fast pirate ship would almost certainly catch up); he could surrender, and hope the enemy would spare the ship and their lives; or he could fight. Against a determined attack, surrender was often considered the best policy. But if the commander chose to fight, there were several measures that could be used to prepare his ship for boarding and launching a counter-attack (closed quarters). In the early phases of the attack, he could also position his ship side-on to the pirates’ bow and fire cannon straight down her length. This was called raking. If the target was hit, its hull could be shattered from bow to stern.
Convoys
The Spanish Treasure Fleet was a tempting target for every pirate sailing in the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean. For protection against these predators, the treasure ships always sailed in convoy, accompanied by an escort of men-of-war—powerfully-armed warships. In a large convoy the admiral usually sailed at its head, the vice-admiral at the rear and other men-of-war to windward.
Keeping to windward
With the wind blowing in the direction of these arrows on the illustration opposite, the larger warship was lying to windward of the smaller pirate ship. The warship could bear down on the pirate ship quickly and easily with the wind behind her, whereas the pirate ship, in her leeward position, had to tack from side to side to approach the enemy.
Keeping to windward gave the warships an advantage—what was known as the “weather gauge”. They could quickly approach pirates approaching from leeward, opening fire on them or chasing them off. But sometimes the winds changed direction or calmed unexpectedly. This was a time of maximum opportunity for pirates to strike.
Defending the Spanish Main
To seek out and attack pirates off the Spanish Main, the Spanish authorized the setting up of armadillas, squadrons of armed vessels. Smaller types of ships, including sloops and barque longues, together with oared boats such as the canoe-like piraguas, formed the defence of ports along the Spanish Main. But these craft often had difficulty finding their targets, or came under attack in the battles that followed. Some of their crews had even been known to turn to piracy themselves.
Closed quarters
Closed quarters was a defensive tactic that protected a ship’s company from enemy fire and from being boarded by pirates. If pirates were set on gaining their prize, the galleon crew would be ready for them. Anti-boarding nets were fixed to the rails. If the attackers attempted to board, they would get tangled in the nets, giving the defenders a chance to overpower them. Barrels of gunpowder, primed to explode if the ship was invaded, were placed on deck or fixed to the sides. All cover on deck, including boats, was removed.
Every opening on board the ship, including hatches, grates, windows and gunports, was locked and lashed down from the inside. The bulkheads (upright walls) on the upper decks were sealed up and loopholes, to enable defenders to fire at boarders both on deck and in the rigging while protected from return fire, were cut into them.
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