About the cannon

In the 18th and 19th century, the cannon was the most powerful weapon on board a pirate ship. A heavy cannonball from a large ship's cannon could fly for several kilometers. However, in practice, it was often fired from much shorter distances so that the ball could pierce the hull of an enemy ship with maximum force. Firing a cannon was a precise and heavy task that required several crew members to load, aim, and roll back the cannon after the massive recoil. One well-aimed shot could be decisive in a naval battle.