Galleon

Galleon, sailing vessel with 3 or 4 masts and 2 to 4 decks. Most ships of this type were clumsily built, with projecting forecastles and square sterns. Used in the 16th and 17th centuries as warships and for carrying cargo, galleons were capable of relatively fast speeds. But they had to be handled with care, as their heavy superstructure made them subject to capsizing. Galleons varied greatly in size, the largest having displacements of about 1,200 tons (1,100 metric tons).