The Niña, the Pinta and the Santa María were the ships used by Christopher Columbus on his maiden voyage. The Santa María was the largest, but with the larger size its maximum speed was compromised more than the smaller ships. The three ships set sail on August 3, 1492, searching for a western sea route to Asia. The other two ships were much smaller, and faster. Columbus piloted the Santa María while the Pinzón brothers piloted the Niña and the Pinta. The smaller boats were able to forge ahead of the Santa María, and as history has it, a crew member of the Pinta was the first to spot land, however, Columbus would later attest he was the first to spot land and thus receive the silver and gold reward. Unfortunately, the land they found was not Asia, but was the islands of the Caribbean. Columbus and crew explored their newfound islands and as they set sail once again.

The voyage was long and arduous, and the captain and first mates took advantage of the calm seas to get some sleep. A young deck hand was left at the controls and sailed the Santa Maria onto a sandbar near Cap-Haïtien, Haiti on Christmas eve 1492. The natives of that area of Haiti told Columbus of much gold in the area, so Columbus and crew took time to explore the area. With the intended extended stay, Columbus ordered the deck hands to use the ship's materials to build a fortress on the island, calling it La Navidad, and establishing Spain's first settlement in the new found land.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org