Spanish Chalupa

A replica of a Spanish chalupa was launched today.  It was built as a special project commemorating the 450th anniversary of the founding of St. Augustine.  The chalupa is a shallow draft boat that could be sailed, rowed or poled.  Chalupas were used as a tenders to move goods from ships to shore and navigate shallow ocean inlets and rivers.  The waters around Florida are particularly shallow and the chalupa's minimal draft made this boat particularly useful in supporting Spanish exploration and colonization.

Spanish Chalupa