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Pirate Ships

There were three qualities required in a pirate ship: she had to be fast , seaworthy, and well armed. A fast ship enabled the pirates to catch their prey and to make a quick getaway, "a light pair of heels being of great use either to take or to escape being taken".  Pirates in the West Indies used the single-masted sloops built in Bermuda and Jamaica which had a well-deserved reputation for speed. The pirates kept them in good order, careening them regularly to keep the hulls smooth and clear of seaweed, and they could usually out sail any craft sent after them.