Used For Transportation
Up till the time when the steam engines did not come in to existence sailing ships were used for most of the long distance transportation across the water. No matter whatever you wish to carry whether it is cargo, mails supply or passengers you need to take the help of the sailing ships for the transportation. However, now a day the number of this kind of sailing ships is not big yet they are still in operation in certain parts of the world like Indian Ocean for the commercial purposes. Citizens of many developing countries still use small sailing boats for their work. Some sailing ships are used for the purpose of only pure enjoyment.

Military Purpose
Some centuries ago the sailing ships also served the military purpose for many countries. France, United Kingdom, Spain and Netherlands fought several battles with the help of sailing ships. When Spanish people brought the gold and silver back from the America they also used sailing ships to protect it from pirates. Later on in the nineteenth century steam ships replaced these sailing ships. The ships with diesel engine and steam turbine in turn replaced these ships also.

It is possible to categorize the sailing ships in different classes. However, there are certain things that are common. For example, there is not much variation in the basic concept. Hull, rigging and masts are the things that are common to all kinds of sailing ships.

Some Facts To Know
Here are some more important facts about the sailing that you must know before going on a sailing ship. First of all it is essential to understand that the journey by sailing ship may take even months because of the longer distances it travels. This may lead to being becalmed because the wind is not enough. Then, there is always a risk of storm during the journey by sailing ship. If the severity of the storm is intense then it may lead to shipwreck and may result in to even the death of the members on crew. Moreover, you also have to plan your visit carefully because the limited quantity of supplies available on the sailing ships.