Rodondo wrote:Whilst I'm dubious of their immense size, unless they constantly needed repair and never actually went on the big seagoing voyages (As the bulk of these vessels would have produce a huge amount of drag against a rather small sail area), its a nice drawing though (being unfamiliar with Junk rigging), would it be possible to show the sails hard to port?
Due to limited English proficiency, I just read your message half. . . . .However, you probably meant to say I understand.
First, the Chinese boat used is "hard sail", "hard sail" is mainly used plant leaves woven, hard and heavy, but by high winds efficiency; may rotate around the mast, to windward. Because there supporting bone, so for quality, "sail" requirement is very low, even breaking a lot of holes does not matter.
Although more time-consuming sail up, but when the wind suddenly encounter, because the relationship between weight and drop cable solution sail quickly to ensure the safety of the vessel.
Squall, you can freely change the sail area, about to sail mast rose to the middle, to ensure the safety of navigation. Woven with plant leaves hard sail, the wind to good effect, to take full advantage of crosswinds. Blown sideways by the wind to sail hard, according to aerodynamic principles, not only to obtain a larger lift and resistance, the ability to give full play to the hard wind sails.
But "hard sail" is a big drawback quality, so China is very small sail boat, which also limits the Chinese boat's speed.Meanwhile, the need to operate more sailors sailing.
Sailing Europe using the "soft sail", since the quality of light can theoretically speaking sail area made large mast can be higher.
However, a large number of European soft-rigged sails and shrouds limit the angle of rotation rigged because inefficient and limited role, but greatly increased the workload parade sails, plus it gets people to climb the mast to parade sails, but then many sailors killed, while China "hard sail" through the pulley to rise from the sails, without climbing the mast, security and more, despite the need for more sailors.
Besides sailing under the Chinese species.
Chinese sailing into four categories:福船（Fu ship)、沙船（Sha ship)、广船（Guang ship）and鸟船（Birds shio）.
Treasure Ship is a 福船（Fu ship),福船（Fu ship) sailing mean production in Fujian Province,This ship originated in Fujian Province, China.
“Fuchuan” very suitable for sailing in the ocean, so most of the fleet of boats are all “Fuchuan”.
However, in the Ming Dynasty, Bingbushangshu (Ming Dynasty official, the equivalent of today's defense minister) Liu daxia, the design blueprint for the integration of the ocean's official files and burn all the treasure ship, resulting records are now few and far between on the Treasure Ship .
But now historian for the study is biased treasure ship, they study ancient Chinese shipbuilding technology, it tends to apply today while European shipbuilding technology and shipbuilding technology as a reference, the conclusion is such a huge majority Treasure Ship does not exist.
However, the ancient Chinese shipbuilding technology and shipbuilding technology is completely different from the West, Western shipbuilding technology with a simple explanation of the ancient Chinese shipbuilding technology will not work, but because of the lack of relevant historical records, now sailing for the study of 15th century China needs further archaeological discovery.
In China, a lot of controversy for the treasure ship history buffs come to their own conclusions, a large treasure ships exist (after all, is the pride of ancient China), but only as a royal fortress mobile use of the emperor ceremony and parade use, usually in the surrounding coastal sailing, not far from the sea.
Zheng He Treasure Ship using a large ocean-going sailing a 2000“料”（Chinese ancient timber units calculated）, more suitable for ocean voyages.
15th century is the most powerful Chinese ancient times, but also the pinnacle of ancient Chinese shipbuilding technology, Zheng He sailed the ocean is the most direct manifestation, but because of the Ming maritime industry policy Boycott strictly prohibited. Let China has just boarded the pinnacle of world maritime industry soon pounding down. Opium for the future foreshadowed.
The above text is through continuous use of a dictionary and translation software written, certainly there are a lot of grammar mistakes, I hope you Nengkanmingbai, thank you!
My, she's a BIG Beastie 