Innovation in Ship Design in the Age of Sail: A Digital Approach

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The Age of Sail saw significant innovations in ship design, which greatly increased European nations’ ability to explore, compete, and trade globally. However, historians lack evidence to assess the performance of these vessels. This project aims to develop a new methodology to rigorously study technological innovation in ship design across time, taking as comparison Dutch and British ships of the eighteenth century. By combining historical analysis with 3D scanning techniques and engineering simulations, the study pioneers a new methodology for the study of the historical past and provides insights into one of the most innovative periods in navigation history.

The project is undertaken under the Department of Art History at Utrecht University, in partnership with the University of Oxford, and the University of Bologna and collaboration with museums in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. It is generously supported by an NWO XS Grant (2024 – 2025).