Before moving on to types of ships it may help to know some basic terminology first -
Aft - At, near or towards the stern (rear of vessel)
Fore - At, near or towards the bow (forward part of the vessel)
Foremast - the mast in the forepart of a vessel, nearest the bow.
Foresail: - is set on the foremast of a schooner or the lowest square sail on the foremast of square riggers
Mainmast - the tallest mast of the ship; on a schooner, the mast furthest aft.
Mainsail: - The sail set on the mainmast, the lowest square sail on the mainmast.
Mizzenmast - the third mast aft on sailing ships carrying three or more masts 
Mizzen - a fore-and-aft sail set on a mizzenmast.

Square Rigging


Fore & Aft Rigging
Square sail - A square sail hung from a yard on the mast. 
Staysail - A triangular sail similar to the jib, set on a stay forward of the mast and aft of the headstay. 
Jib - A triangular sail attached to the headstay. 
Gaff sail - A four sided sail used instead of a triangular main sail.
Yard - A spar attached to the mast and used to hoist square sails. 
Mast - Any vertical pole on the boat that sails are attached to. 
Boom - A pole securing the bottom of a sail, allowing more control of the position of a sail. 
Bowsprit - Large spar projecting off the front of a boat. 
Stay - Lines running fore and aft from the top of the mast to keep the mast upright. 
Headstay - The most forward forestay. The line from the bow or bowsprit to the top of the mast.
Forestay - A line running from the bow of the boat to the upper part of the mast, designed to pull the mast forward. 
And now the ships -

Fully Rigged Ship - A vessel with three masts or more each having a complete set of square sails.

Some examples of Fully Rigged Ships:
Dar Mlodziezy - Poland
Christian Radich  - Norway

Brig - A two masted vessel, square rigged on both masts with a gaff main sail (spanker) on the aft mast.

Some examples of Brigs:
US Brig Niagara - USA
Astrid - Netherlands
STS Prince William - England


Brigantine - A two masted vessel with the fore mast being square rigged and the aft mast being fore and aft rigged.
Some examples of Brigantines:
Eye of the Wind - UK
Lady Nelson - Australia
Leeuwin - Australia
Young Endeavour - Australia


Schooner - A fore and aft rigged vessel which can have between two and six masts. Schooners rigged with three or more masts have spars and rigging of uniform dimensions.
Some examples of Schooners:
A.J. Meerwald - USA
Bluenose 2 - Canada
American Eagle - USA


Topsail Schooner - A normal rigged schooner which also carries square sails on the top of the fore mast.
Some examples of Topsail Schooners:
Alma Doepel - Australia
Enterprize - Australia
Solway Lass - Australia
Juan Sebastian de Elcano - Spain


Staysail Schooner - A normally rigged schooner with staysailss.
Some examples of Staysail Schooners:
The Penguin - Australia
Raindancer 2 - USA
Dolphin - USA


Barque - A three, four or five masted ship, fore and aft rigged on the aft mast and square rigged on all the others.
Some examples of Barques:
Gorch Fock - Germany
Nippon Maru - Japan
James Craig - Australia
Eagle - USA


Barquentine - A three, four or five masted ship, with each mast fore and aft rigged , except for the fore mast which is square rigged.
Some examples of Barquentines:
Esmeralda - Chile
Spirit of New Zealand - New Zealand


Ketch - Two masted sailing vessel, rigged fore and aft, the aft mast being shorter than the main mast.
Some examples of Ketch's:
Pintita - USA
Falie - Australia


Cutter - One-masted vessel, either gaff or Bermudan rigged, with two or more fore sails.
Some examples of Cutters:


Sloop - One masted vessel with one mainsail and one foresail.
Some examples of Sloops:
Clearwater - USA
©Belinda Jenkins 2004
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