The carrack was a style of ship developed in the 15th century on the Atlantic Ocean by the Portuguese. In Portuguese this type was called nau, while in Spanish it is called carraca or nao. Oddly enough both of which meant simply ship. In French it was caraque, caravelle or nef. It was the first true ocean going ship and helped both Spain and Portugal rule the high seas.

During the Middle Ages the cog and a two masted version of the cog were the main ships in Europe. The Galley still was in wide use in the Mediterranean. As Portuguese explorers began to travel farther and farther from home they needed a better suited ship for their tasks. Pretty much through trial and error the carrack was developed.

The main advantage the carrack had over just about every other ship at the time was space. There was enough room for the ship to carry large amounts of provisions for the crew, which made it perfect for long distance voyages. The ship also carried more sails which allowed for speed and maneuvering as well as cross wind travel.

Famous carracks in history include, the Mary Rose, the Santa Maria, and the Victoria. The Carrack was an able war ship as well as a good transport ship. They were a stable platform for cannon and their size made them difficult for pirates to attack. Just as their size made them the preferred ship of the time it was also the cause of the carracks Achilles heal. In extremely high wind the ships could actually be blow over due to their high sides.

Just as with other ship designs in history the carrack was refined and modified until it became a totally different class of ship, the Galleon.