▁found ▁wealth ▁of ▁the ▁trans - At l antic ▁trade ▁between ▁Europe , ▁Africa ▁and ▁then ▁the ▁Amer icas . ▁In ▁their ▁most ▁advanced ▁forms , ▁they ▁were ▁used ▁by ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁for ▁trade ▁between ▁Europe ▁and ▁Asia ▁starting ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 5 th ▁century , ▁before ▁eventually ▁being ▁su pers eded ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁century ▁by ▁the ▁g alle on , ▁introduced ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 6 th ▁century . ▁▁ ▁In ▁its ▁most ▁developed ▁form , ▁the ▁car rack ▁was ▁a ▁car vel - built ▁ocean - going ▁ship : ▁large ▁enough ▁to ▁be ▁stable ▁in ▁heavy ▁se as , ▁and ▁for ▁a ▁large ▁cargo ▁and ▁the ▁prov isions ▁needed ▁for ▁very ▁long ▁voy ages . ▁ ▁The ▁later ▁car ra cks ▁were ▁square - rig ged ▁on ▁the ▁for em ast ▁and ▁main m ast ▁and ▁late en - rig ged ▁on ▁the ▁m iz zen m ast . ▁They ▁had ▁a ▁high ▁rounded ▁stern ▁with ▁large ▁a ft castle , ▁forec ast le ▁and ▁b ows prit ▁at ▁the ▁stem . ▁ ▁As ▁the ▁prede cess or ▁of ▁the ▁g alle on , ▁the ▁car rack ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁influ ential ▁ship ▁designs ▁in ▁history ; ▁while ▁ships ▁became ▁more ▁special ized ▁in ▁the ▁following ▁centuries , ▁the ▁basic ▁design ▁remained ▁un changed ▁throughout ▁this ▁period . ▁ ▁Name ▁ ▁English ▁car rack ▁was ▁loan ed ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 4 th ▁century , ▁via ▁Old ▁French ▁car aque , ▁from