two masted yacht

What Is A Boat With 2 Masts Called?

Two-mast sailboats hold special places in many sailors’ hearts. In addition to being dignified and majestic, a two-mast sailboat offers a perfect balance that can be easily achieved by adjusting the masts in many different ways. Let’s look at the different types of two-mast sailboats.

Whether you’re a sailboat fanatic or an interested observer, there’s something special about two-mast sailboats. In most cases, the first thing you’ll notice about a sailboat is the two masts. Generally, the mainmast is often taller than the aft-mast, which is often referred to as the mizzenmast. The mizzenmast is like a trusted old friend. It not only helps in stabilizing the sailboat under power but can also act as a bow thruster in certain scenarios. There are many reasons why sailors sing a lot of praises as far as two-mast sailboats are concerned. In heavier winds, you can break down the main mast and use the mizzen mast to give you a more balanced and comfortable sail even in the worst of conditions. But what is a boat with 2 masts called?

There are several sailboats with two masts. The most common ones include yawl, ketch, schooner, and brig. In most cases, the designs of the masts do vary but the main idea remains the same. They can have the extra mast either behind or in front of the mainmast. If the additional mast is in front of the mainmast, it’s known as a foremast but if the additional mast is behind (aft of) the mainmast, it’s known as a mizzenmast.

Let’s take a brief look at these two-mast sailboats.

Table of contents

A yawl is one of the most common types of two-mast sailboats. It has two masts: a mizzenmast and the mainmast. The mizzenmast is usually much shorter than the mainmast. This makes it an oblique type of a sailboat in the sense that the mainmast is located in the front of the boat while the mizzenmast is located in the rear past or the boat.

The mizzenmast of a yawl is mainly used to increase the helm balance and is located aft of or behind the rudder.

It’s always easy to confuse a yawl with a ketch so it would only make sense to clear up before going any further. They both have two masts with the mainmast at the front while the mizzenmast is smaller. The difference between a ketch and a yawl comes down to the location of the mast. In a yawl, the mizzenmast is behind the rudder post while in a ketch, the mizzenmast if in front of the rudder post.

Again, the mizzenmast of a ketch is nearly as tall as the mainmast and is used to carry a mainsail. Its main function, however, is to drive the sailboat forward and can sufficiently sail the boat, especially in heavier winds. This is very different from the mizzenmast of a yawl, which is only used to increase the helm balance and cannot drive the boat forward. This means that the mizzenmast of a ketch is bigger than the mizzenmast of a yawl. In short, the mizzenmast on a ketch is technically a driving sail while the mizzenmast on a yawl is more of a balancing sail.

A ketch generally has an advantage over a sloop in downwind or in heavy winds. This is because it has a variety of setups than a typical sloop. The mizzenmast gives you a lot of options to depower in heavy winds and find the most perfect amount of canvas to fly. It can also help in stabilizing the sailboat under the power given that the mizzenmast is naturally in an excellent position.

In essence, a ketch has many practical benefits that can be ideal in most situations in the waters. In addition to sailing peacefully on a beam-reach, a ketch is easily manageable and can give you a lot of options in various weather conditions and situations.

When it comes to a two-mast schooner (a schooner can have two or more masts), the foremast is usually smaller than the aft most mast, which is essentially the mainmast. As such, the main characteristic of a schooner is that the masts are almost of the same height but the foremost mast is slightly smaller.

Even though a schooner is easier to sail than say a sloop (one-mast sailboat), it isn’t very fast. This is why most sailors prefer a sloop to a schooner but it’s a sight to behold, especially when under full sail. While a schooner with a square topsail is the most common, there are others with sprit rigs that run diagonally. Schooners with spritsails are not ideal in big seaways because the sprit rig cannot be lowered since it could become unmanageable. On the other hand, the sprit rig is ideal in coastal waters given that the topsail can catch a high up breeze.

Like the above-mentioned two-mast sailboats, the brig has two masts with the foremost mast squared. The mainmast can be squared, partially squared or triangular. Some brig sailboats have a lateen mainsail on the mainmast. Historically, brigs were used by pirates and were set in motion using oars. Its name is derived from the Italian word “brigantine,” which loosely translates to “pirate.” These types of sailboats were used by pirates the Mediterranean in the 16th century before they became sailboats.

The two most common types of brigs are:

Brigantine – The foremost mast is usually partially squared but the mainmast is triangular.

Hermaphrodite brig – It’s also known as the schooner brig or the half brig. The two masts are partially squared but the mainmast is gaff-rigged and topsail, which technically makes it half schooner.

When it comes to speed and maneuverability, brigs are easy to handle and maneuver and perhaps that’s why they were preferred by pirates. Again, brigs are generally larger than other two-mast sailboats or single-mast sailboats.

There you have it; there are various types of two-mast sailboats, so there’s not a single name that fits all. You can choose any of them as they’ll serve you perfectly, especially in heavy wind conditions.

Bon Voyage!

Daniel Wade

I've personally had thousands of questions about sailing and sailboats over the years. As I learn and experience sailing, and the community, I share the answers that work and make sense to me, here on Life of Sailing.

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7 Popular Sailboats with Two Masts (With Pictures & Prices)

Sailboats can come with one, two, or even more masts. You can also have different-sized masts placed on the front, back, or middle of your vessel.

Below, I have listed popular sailboats that have two masts.

Let’s get started!

Table of Contents

Check also: Average sailboat price examples .

Things to Know About Sailboats With Two Masts

When looking for sailboats with two masts, you should know what you are looking for. A Ketch is one type of sailboat with two masts.

Knowing this term can help you to nail down your search when looking for a boat with two masts.

These boats come in many shapes and sizes as well as many different types of designs. Generally, these types of boats have the taller mast being forward and the smaller mast near the aft.

Yawls are also boats that feature two masts.

These also come in multiple types and designs. The difference between the Ketch and the Yawl is that the Yawl has the larger mast in the aft instead of forward. They also have smaller sails and can be easier to handle.

Another type of sailing ship that features two masts is a Brigantine.

This ship has mixed sailing rigs which commonly features squared sails on the front part of the ship and triangular sails on the back of the ship.

These boats are often larger and require more people to handle them.

7 Great Used Boats with Two Masts

There are many benefits to used boats including a lower cost. You can get a larger boat for a lower cost if you choose to buy used.

When looking at used boats, you need to make sure you look at the boat and its features thoroughly to make sure everything is in great working order.

If you do not feel confident that you can properly look over a used vessel, you can even hire a marine inspector to look it over and let you know of any potential issues or needed repairs. You can use this assessment to decide what is worth it, or if the needed repairs fall into the budget.

It is much more common for a used boat to have more than one mast. This is because the newer sailboat models are creating their new designs with just one mast.

One mast ships are easier to handle and manage so new designs are trying to optimize design and ease of sailing.

Below are great used sailboats with two masts which I have arranged by price .

1. 1976 Westerly Center Cockpit Ketch

This 1976 Westerly Center Cockpit Ketch is a small 36-foot long sailboat with two masts. This is a solidly built cruising vessel that features a center cockpit ketch layout.

This boat has a small 38 horsepower engine perfectly fit to navigate its smaller size.

The interior features 1 single berth and 3 double berths all in 3 cabins. This boat also has 2 full heads onboard.

You also have a full galley with a 4 burner stove, refrigerator and freezer, stainless steel sink, and microwave oven.

This boat makes great use of limited space and offers many amenities in a much smaller frame.

Price: $37,000.00

2. 1978 Jeanneau Gin Fizz

The 1978 Jeanneau Gin Fizz is a trusted and popular two-masted design capable of crossing the Atlantic Ocean .

This boat is also very spacious for a boat that is only 38 feet in length. This model also won an award for “security, comfort, ease of handling, and ability to handle varying conditions.”

This particular used model has been well maintained and upgraded over the years.

This boat is great for family cruising, offshore passages, and even racing.

This boat features a 50 horsepower engine to help navigation.

Inside you can find 2 cabins and 1 head. You will be highly comfortable with air conditioning and other interior luxuries.

Price: $46,000.00

3. 1979 Freedom 40

The Freedom 40 is a classically designed centerboard ketch with two masts. This boat is a great sailor loaded for cruising on the wide-open blue water.

This sailboat is 40 feet in length and features accommodations for six people that include a double-v berth, another double berth, and two single berths.

There is also a full head that can be accessed both from the main salon and aft cabin.

This boat was recently painted and features newer interior fabrics, forced air heating, and much more.

You can find a dinette with separate freezer and refrigeration compartments, a stove with an oven and broiler, a double stainless steel sink, plenty of storage, and other interior features.

This boat also comes with an outboard motor with 50 horsepower and a hard bottom inflatable dinghy.

Price: $54,900.00

4. 1977 Puma 38 Ketch

The Puma 38 Ketch is a two-masted sailboat built for racing like the rest of the Puma sailing line. This brand prides itself on speed and maneuverability.

The 1977 Puma 38 is 34 feet in length with a backup diesel engine that can help you get where you need to go as well as docking into a slip. This motor features more horsepower than the average sailboat with 45 horsepower.

Features on this vessel include autopilot, electrical and manual bilge pumps, a full marine head, running hot water, and refrigerator.

This boat is made of fiberglass with teak finishes and looks well kept. You can find this boat in Spain if you are interested in purchasing it.

Price: $66,099.00

5. 1973 Morgan Out Island 41

Originally designed by Charley Morgan, the Morgan Out Island 41 is a center cockpit shoal-draft cruiser that features two masts.

This larger boat is 41 feet 3 inches in length and features many amenities.

This boat is the tri-cabin version and features interior heating, pressurized hot and cold water, a 2 burner gas oven, and a fridge.

This boat also seats up to 7 in the 3 cabins and the saloon. There are also 2 full heads on this vessel.

This boat is even equipped with an inboard motor . Inboard motors are easier when it comes to navigation including backing up, which is generally hard for sailboats to do.

Price: $68,596.00

6. 1970 Hinckley Bermuda 40

This 1970 Hinckley Bermuda 40 is a gorgeous two-masted boat painted with a mixture of desert sand and oyster white on the exterior and features a beautiful and well-kept deck.

This boat has previously had all her systems replaced and upgraded and features a 40 horsepower engine that was new in 2014.

This boat features a mahogany interior and sleeps up to 6 people in 2 cabins. You can also find a 3 burner propane stove with oven, fridge and compressor, new countertops and plenty of storage.

This boat is a stunning and highly upgraded “must-see” at a very reasonable price.

Price: $129,500.00

7. 1995 Amel Super Maramu

A newer model of sailboat is the 1995 Amel Super Maramu sailboat. This sailboat has two masts and is very long at 53 feet.

This boat features an aft deck, steps molded right into the hull, well-protected cockpit an many other features. This boat has a large 76 horsepower engine which is more than the average sailboat is equipped with.

Inside, this boat features 2 cabins and 2 heads with showers. There is also plenty of storage, air conditioning , and electric heaters. There is also a nice salon and galley with a refrigerator, dishwasher, chest freezer, microwave oven, 3 burner stove, and other appliances.

This boat is great for multiple days out on the water and is new and updated. Because of the year, this was manufactured and the features, this boat has a larger price tag than the previous models.

Price: $299,990.00

Final Thoughts:

Sailboats are a great way to enjoy a day out at sea. Most sailboat models come with sleeping arrangements and even a kitchen. This makes them ideal for trips that will take more than a day.

Having multiple masts allows you to harness the power of the wind better and can increase your speed and directional capabilities.

There are many great choices when it comes to boats with two masts, but newer models are starting to steer away from double mast designs. This does not mean that you cannot get a good boat with two masts.

Used boats can be great choices when it comes to purchasing a boat. This is even more true with large, yacht boats such as the ones listed above.

Just make sure when you buy a used sailboat you check that everything is intact and in good working order and if it is not, you have allotted space in the budget to fix what is needed.

Your new double-masted sailboat should provide you with plenty of long-lasting memories and adventures out on the water while you connect with the wind and the sea.

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What’s a Boat with Two Masts Called: Two masted sailing boat types

Two-masted sailing boats will always have a special place in the hearts of many sailors. Many sailors consider two-masted sailing boats to be the most attractive and graceful of all sailing vessels. They have an obvious elegance, but what do you know about these two masted sailboats? Let’s find out!

Among the most important aspects are the fact that two-masted sailing boats offer greater sail balance, engineless sailing and more heavy weather options.

Even if the two masted sailboats are not so common, the sailing world has a few of them and what is more, they represent a proof of the evolution and improvement of sailing boats over time. There are an almost endless number of ways sailors have arranged their sails on boats over the years.

Two-masted sailing boats are classified according to the size and position of their masts.

There are different two-masted sailing boat types and two of the most popular are schooners and yawls.

The origins of schooner-rigged vessels are unknown, however there is evidence of them in paintings by Dutch maritime painters dating back to the early 17th century.

Schooners were developed by Northern European countries, while yawls are believed to be descended from the fishing boats of England.

Sailboats with two masts include yawls, ketches, schooners and brigs (known as brigantines). Yawls and ketches are both types of sloops, which means they have one mast, but the difference between them is that the yawl has a second mast stepped at the bow.

Ketches and Yawls have a lower mast, unlike schooners that have a taller aft mast, which is also known as mizzen. Ketch sailing boats have something specific: the aft mast is located in front of the rudder post.

The yawl’s mizzenmast serves as a counterbalance for the jib sails, so that it doesn’t have to be hung from the forestay (the rope running from the top of the mast down to the deck). They’re usually smaller than ketches and have less rigging because they don’t carry as many sails as a sloop with two masts.

Yawls are faster sailboats than schooners because they’re lighter, more balanced and easier to sail upwind. They can also go faster because their shorter sails catch more wind. But schooners have larger payloads, which means more people or cargo — an important consideration for long trips without resupply.

Schooners are two-masted sailing boats, but instead of having a jib sail like yawls, ketches and most sloops, schooners have a fore-and-aft spanker sail like a gaff sailboat. These two-masted sailboats have at least two masts, the foremast being slightly shorter than the main mast.

Schooners are larger than yawls, ketches and other sloops and weren’t used very much in modern times because they were more difficult to handle. They’re still used in racing competitions today.

Schooners have a longer bow portion than yawls. The mainsail is aft of the mast, and either one or two foresails are in front of it. In a schooner, these are triangular sails; in a yawl, they’re trapezoidal. Yawls have bowsprits — poles that extend beyond the bow for the jib and stay sail to be attached. Schooners have small bowsprits that can support jibs but not large sails.

The term ketch derives from the word catch, which hints to how it got its name in the 17th century. Ketches were initially intended to meet the specific requirements of offshore net fishing.

Ketch is a type of sailboat that features two masts and two sails, commonly used as a racing and cruising boat. The mainmast of this two-masted sailboat is typically taller than the mizzen mast (aft-mast). Its name derives from catch.

Taller masts allow you to use larger sails, so ketch boats are able to achieve better speeds than similar boats with only one mast. Some ketch designs feature a gaff rig, which is similar to a yawl, while others feature a yawl rig, which looks like a traditional sloop.

Ketch boats may look easy to sail but the slightest mistake can lead to disaster. You must be careful when operating this type of boat because it does not have as much stability as other boats, especially when you’re manoeuvring in tight quarters or windy conditions.

A ketch may also be a small recreational boat with only one head-sail in use. Many modern designs have moved away from sail altogether and are powered by engine, while others use both sails as well as engines depending on circumstance.

The brigantine was once a tiny ship that carried both oars and sails. It was a favorite of Mediterranean pirates.

A brigantine is a square-rigged sailing boat with two masts, with a fully square-rigged foremast and two sails on the mainmast.

The mainmast is stepped forward of the deck, making it possible to sail into the wind using a triangular headsail known as a jib. The brig’s foremast is shorter than the mainmast.

The name of this type of boat with 2 masts is derived from the Italian word “brigantino”, which means brigand.

Also, this two-masted sailing boat type was most commonly used for coastal trade and pirate hunting. The brigantine had an advantage over other ships of the time because it could sail against the wind using both sails, making it easier to travel against strong winds.

Faster and easier to manoeuvre than a sloop or schooner, it was used for piracy and espionage.

FAQ: Two-Masted Sailboats

What do you call a two-masted sailboat.

Two-masted sailboats are of several types: yawls, schooners, ketches or brigantines.

Why do some sailboats have two masts?

The vast majority of sailboats feature a mainsail and a jib. These two-masted sailboats provide several advantages in terms of speed and maneuverability. These two masts may be configured in a variety of ways.

The foresail directs air beyond the back of the mainsail, generating greater power from the wind. In order to help menouvering, the foresail can be backed. So, adding sails makes things simpler for bigger boats, making them easier to handle in heavy winds.

What is the difference between a ketch and a yawl sailboat?

Because they are lighter, more balanced, and easier to sail upwind, yawls are faster sailboats than schooners. They can also go at a faster speed since their shorter sails collect more wind. Schooners, on the other hand, have higher cargoes, which means more people or freight – a crucial consideration for extended journeys without replenishing.

What is a one masted sailboat?

It's a sailing boat having a single mast roughly one-third the length's aft of the bow. A sailboat with a single mast usually has one headsail in front of the mast and one mainsail behind the mast.

What is a two-masted square rigger?

It's a brig with two square-rigged masts. A gaff-rigged fore-and-aft sail also called a "mizzen" is used in addition to jibs and staysails (stays'ls) before the foremast and staysails between the masts.

What Is A Boat With 2 Masts Called?

Sailboats have held and air of mystique and romance ever since the early explores sailed the globe.

However, the early trade ships were somewhat restricted in their ability to sail into, or against, the wind. As a result, the ships that discovered the new world were slaves to the directions the trade winds were blowing.

Today, thanks to advances in hull design, sail orientation and mast placement, there are numerous sailboat designs that use multiple sail configurations that can travel around the world in any direction at any time of year.

Over the years the types of sailboats have been reduced to a few well-performing designs. These designs are divided into the two main classifications of one-masted boats and those with two or more masts with each mast being capable of supporting one or more sails.

The sloop is the most common type of sailboat and has just one mast, placed roughly at midship, with up to three headsails attached to the mast by guy lines. Boats with 2 masts or more are the ketch, yawl, brigantine, brig and the schooner , with the schooners having two, three, or in rare cases, four masts.

Many sailors like the ketch-rigged design for its off-shore performance, comfort and overall balance. This design has a main and mizzen sail, with the mainsail set in approximately the same position as on a sloop, The mizzen is a smaller mast sail set towards the rear of the boat.

The concept behind the two-sail setup on the ketch-rigged sailboat is that it provides two smaller sails that provide more overall sail area than the single sail design.

In theory the smaller sails are easier to work with in heavy off-shore winds, making the boat much easier to sail in storms. Because of the smaller and easier-to-handle sails, the design is a good choice for long distance short-handed sailing.

The mizzen sail also acts as sort of a “rudder” in helping to keep the boat sailing in the proper direction because of the downward force the mizzen applies to the rear of the boat.

Comfort is another strong selling point of this design. Whereas most sailboats are designed with the cockpit at the stern of the boat, this sailboat has a center cockpit design to allow for the placement of the mizzen sail aft.

Having the cockpit in the middle of the boat allows for more headroom below deck at the rear of the boat and a larger aft cabin. Additionally, unlike an aft cockpit that usually has the rear open to the ocean, a center cockpit is fully enclosed. This offers protection from the elements while at sea and makes for a much nicer sitting area.

The ketch-rigged sailboat is a time-proven rig that has made untold circumnavigations of the globe. For sailors who like the two-mast design, this sailboat is a hard choice to beat.

The yawl is also equipped with a main and a mizzen mast. However, a yawl typically has a smaller mizzen with the mast set aft of the rudder post.

There are as many arguments about whether the yawl is a practical off-shore design as there are species of fish in the ocean. While there are some that site the sail plan of the yawl as more aesthetic than functional, there are many long-time professional sailors who swear by the yawl design.

In theory, at least, the rear mast works as a rudder similarly to the ketch-rigged sailboat. The arguments typically start over the size and placement of the mizzen mast.

Some claim that placing the mizzen further back aids in helping to steer the boat. The other side of the argument is the reduced sail size makes it less efficient.

There is also the point that some sailors feel the mizzen being placed further back aids in heaving, or changing direction, and helps with steadying the boat at anchor.

Still, most sailors familiar with both the ketch and yawl say that the mizzen on the yawl is not a match for that of the ketch-rigged sailboat.

Brigantine and the Brig

Of similar, but not identical design, the brigantine and brig fall into the category of “clipper” or merchant ships.

Both are two-masted boats with the brigantine having square sails on the foremost mast and gaff sails on the mainmast. Here note that the smaller foremast is set forward of mast for the main sail.

Gaff sails are a four-cornered sail design attached to horizontal pole that hangs from the mast. Because of the smaller design, gaffs sails are more easily handled. In contrast, the brig uses square sails on both masts.

Both ships handle both coastal waters and ocean crossings as the square sails are well suited for sailing the trade wind routes.

A schooner is another boat with 2 masts, but can also have more. Like the brig and brigantine, a two-masted schooner has a foremast and an aft mast, the latter essentially being the mainmast.

The main characteristic of the schooner is the masts are almost the same size, with the foremost mast sometimes being slightly shorter. The schooner is equipped with gaff sails on all masts, making it better equipped to handle strong seas.

This makes the schooner very versatile and well suited to crossing the ocean on the trade-wind routes as well as sailing coastal waters with varying wind directions.

Closing Thoughts

Because of the versatile design, many pleasure sailboats during the 19th century were schooner-rigged.

While a square topsail is the most common schooner sail plan, some have sprit rigged topsails that run diagonally across the mast. However, sprit rigging is inefficient in adverse weather as the sails are not easily lowered.

Conversely, sprit rigging excels in coastal waters where the sails can more readily catch the light winds that tend to blow higher up.

While a schooner is easy to sail, can handle various wind and water conditions and is probably the most magnificent sight on the sea under full sail, the draw back of the schooner is it is definitely not the fastest sailboat design.

Understanding the Two-Masted Sailboat

By Matt Claiborne

Two-Masted Boats with Fore-and-Aft Rigged Sails

A ketch is a two-masted sailboat. The rear mast, called the mizzen mast, is shorter than the forward main mast. The mizzen mast is mounted forward of the rudder post.

A yawl is similar to a ketch, but the rear mizzen mast is moved farther aft, behind the rudder post. This makes the mizzen on a yawl seem like an afterthought, almost like it’s attached to the railing.

If a two mast boat has masts of equal height or the forward mast is the shorter of the two, it is a schooner. They can have as many masts as the design called for.

Benefits of Two Masted Sailboats

Easy to balance steering forces

More sail plan options for heavy winds

Lower sheet loads mean smaller and less expensive

Lighter loads on smaller sails for easier handling

Shorter overall mast height for bridge clearance

Mizzen can be used as a riding sail at anchor

2 Masted Ship Examples with Square Rigged Sails

A brig is a double mast sailboat with both masts square rigged. In addition, it has fore-and-aft staysails and jibs and a mizzen sail on the aft mast–which is usually gaff-rigged.

A brigantine is a ship with two masts, with the foremast square-rigged and the aft mainmast fore-and-aft rigged.

The Two-Masted Sailboat

Boat maintenance.

The Ultimate Guide to Sail Types and Rigs (with Pictures)

What's that sail for? Generally, I don't know. So I've come up with a system. I'll explain you everything there is to know about sails and rigs in this article.

What are the different types of sails? Most sailboats have one mainsail and one headsail. Typically, the mainsail is a fore-and-aft bermuda rig (triangular shaped). A jib or genoa is used for the headsail. Most sailors use additional sails for different conditions: the spinnaker (a common downwind sail), gennaker, code zero (for upwind use), and stormsail.

Each sail has its own use. Want to go downwind fast? Use a spinnaker. But you can't just raise any sail and go for it. It's important to understand when (and how) to use each sail. Your rigging also impacts what sails you can use.

Cruising yacht with mainsail, headsail, and gennaker

Guide to Understanding Sail Rig Types (with Pictures)

First I'll give you a quick and dirty overview of sails in this list below. Then, I'll walk you through the details of each sail type, and the sail plan, which is the godfather of sail type selection so to speak.

Click here if you just want to scroll through a bunch of pictures .

Here's a list of different models of sails: (Don't worry if you don't yet understand some of the words, I'll explain all of them in a bit)

Jib - triangular staysail
Genoa - large jib that overlaps the mainsail
Spinnaker - large balloon-shaped downwind sail for light airs
Gennaker - crossover between a Genoa and Spinnaker
Code Zero or Screecher - upwind spinnaker
Drifter or reacher - a large, powerful, hanked on genoa, but made from lightweight fabric
Windseeker - tall, narrow, high-clewed, and lightweight jib
Trysail - smaller front-and-aft mainsail for heavy weather
Storm jib - small jib for heavy weather

I have a big table below that explains the sail types and uses in detail .

I know, I know ... this list is kind of messy, so to understand each sail, let's place them in a system.

The first important distinction between sail types is the placement . The mainsail is placed aft of the mast, which simply means behind. The headsail is in front of the mast.

Generally, we have three sorts of sails on our boat:

Mainsail: The large sail behind the mast which is attached to the mast and boom
Headsail: The small sail in front of the mast, attached to the mast and forestay (ie. jib or genoa)
Specialty sails: Any special utility sails, like spinnakers - large, balloon-shaped sails for downwind use

The second important distinction we need to make is the functionality . Specialty sails (just a name I came up with) each have different functionalities and are used for very specific conditions. So they're not always up, but most sailors carry one or more of these sails.

They are mostly attached in front of the headsail, or used as a headsail replacement.

The specialty sails can be divided into three different categories:

downwind sails - like a spinnaker
light air or reacher sails - like a code zero
storm sails

The parts of any sail

Whether large or small, each sail consists roughly of the same elements. For clarity's sake I've took an image of a sail from the world wide webs and added the different part names to it:

Diagram explaining sail parts: head, luff, tack, foot, clew, and leech

Head: Top of the sail
Tack: Lower front corner of the sail
Foot: Bottom of the sail
Luff: Forward edge of the sail
Leech: Back edge of the sail
Clew: Bottom back corner of the sail

So now we speak the same language, let's dive into the real nitty gritty.

Basic sail shapes

Roughly speaking, there are actually just two sail shapes, so that's easy enough. You get to choose from:

square rigged sails
fore-and-aft rigged sails

I would definitely recommend fore-and-aft rigged sails. Square shaped sails are pretty outdated. The fore-and-aft rig offers unbeatable maneuverability, so that's what most sailing yachts use nowadays.

Green tall ship with green square rigged sails against urban background

Square sails were used on Viking longships and are good at sailing downwind. They run from side to side. However, they're pretty useless upwind.

A fore-and-aft sail runs from the front of the mast to the stern. Fore-and-aft literally means 'in front and behind'. Boats with fore-and-aft rigged sails are better at sailing upwind and maneuvering in general. This type of sail was first used on Arabic boats.

As a beginner sailor I confuse the type of sail with rigging all the time. But I should cut myself some slack, because the rigging and sails on a boat are very closely related. They are all part of the sail plan .

A sail plan is made up of:

Mast configuration - refers to the number of masts and where they are placed
Sail type - refers to the sail shape and functionality
Rig type - refers to the way these sails are set up on your boat

There are dozens of sails and hundreds of possible configurations (or sail plans).

For example, depending on your mast configuration, you can have extra headsails (which then are called staysails).

The shape of the sails depends on the rigging, so they overlap a bit. To keep it simple I'll first go over the different sail types based on the most common rig. I'll go over the other rig types later in the article.

Bermuda Sloop: the most common rig

Most modern small and mid-sized sailboats have a Bermuda sloop configuration . The sloop is one-masted and has two sails, which are front-and-aft rigged. This type of rig is also called a Marconi Rig. The Bermuda rig uses a triangular sail, with just one side of the sail attached to the mast.

The mainsail is in use most of the time. It can be reefed down, making it smaller depending on the wind conditions. It can be reefed down completely, which is more common in heavy weather. (If you didn't know already: reefing is skipper terms for rolling or folding down a sail.)

In very strong winds (above 30 knots), most sailors only use the headsail or switch to a trysail.

The headsail powers your bow, the mainsail powers your stern (rear). By having two sails, you can steer by using only your sails (in theory - it requires experience). In any case, two sails gives you better handling than one, but is still easy to operate.

Let's get to the actual sails. The mainsail is attached behind the mast and to the boom, running to the stern. There are multiple designs, but they actually don't differ that much. So the following list is a bit boring. Feel free to skip it or quickly glance over it.

Square Top racing mainsail - has a high performance profile thanks to the square top, optional reef points
Racing mainsail - made for speed, optional reef points
Cruising mainsail - low-maintenance, easy to use, made to last. Generally have one or multiple reef points.
Full-Batten Cruising mainsail - cruising mainsail with better shape control. Eliminates flogging. Full-length battens means the sail is reinforced over the entire length. Generally have one or multiple reef points.
High Roach mainsail - crossover between square top racing and cruising mainsail, used mostly on cats and multihulls. Generally have one or multiple reef points.
Mast Furling mainsail - sails specially made to roll up inside the mast - very convenient but less control; of sail shape. Have no reef points
Boom Furling mainsail - sails specially made to roll up inside the boom. Have no reef points.

The headsail is the front sail in a front-and-aft rig. The sail is fixed on a stay (rope, wire or rod) which runs forward to the deck or bowsprit. It's almost always triangular (Dutch fishermen are known to use rectangular headsail). A triangular headsail is also called a jib .

Headsails can be attached in two ways:

using roller furlings - the sail rolls around the headstay
hank on - fixed attachment

Types of jibs:

Typically a sloop carries a regular jib as its headsail. It can also use a genoa.

A jib is a triangular staysail set in front of the mast. It's the same size as the fore-triangle.
A genoa is a large jib that overlaps the mainsail.

What's the purpose of a jib sail? A jib is used to improve handling and to increase sail area on a sailboat. This helps to increase speed. The jib gives control over the bow (front) of the ship, making it easier to maneuver the ship. The mainsail gives control over the stern of the ship. The jib is the headsail (frontsail) on a front-and-aft rig.

The size of the jib is generally indicated by a number - J1, 2, 3, and so on. The number tells us the attachment point. The order of attachment points may differ per sailmaker, so sometimes J1 is the largest jib (on the longest stay) and sometimes it's the smallest (on the shortest stay). Typically the J1 jib is the largest - and the J3 jib the smallest.

Most jibs are roller furling jibs: this means they are attached to a stay and can be reefed down single-handedly. If you have a roller furling you can reef down the jib to all three positions and don't need to carry different sizes.

Originally called the 'overlapping jib', the leech of the genoa extends aft of the mast. This increases speed in light and moderate winds. A genoa is larger than the total size of the fore-triangle. How large exactly is indicated by a percentage.

A number 1 genoa is typically 155% (it used to be 180%)
A number 2 genoa is typically 125-140%

Genoas are typically made from 1.5US/oz polyester spinnaker cloth, or very light laminate.

A small sloop using an overlapping genoa

This is where it gets pretty interesting. You can use all kinds of sails to increase speed, handling, and performance for different weather conditions.

Some rules of thumb:

Large sails are typically good for downwind use, small sails are good for upwind use.
Large sails are good for weak winds (light air), small sails are good for strong winds (storms).

Downwind sails

Thanks to the front-and-aft rig sailboats are easier to maneuver, but they catch less wind as well. Downwind sails are used to offset this by using a large sail surface, pulling a sailboat downwind. They can be hanked on when needed and are typically balloon shaped.

Here are the most common downwind sails:

Big gennaker
Small gennaker

A free-flying sail that fills up with air, giving it a balloon shape. Spinnakers are generally colorful, which is why they look like kites. This downwind sail has the largest sail area, and it's capable of moving a boat with very light wind. They are amazing to use on trade wind routes, where they can help you make quick progress.

Spinnakers require special rigging. You need a special pole and track on your mast. You attach the sail at three points: in the mast head using a halyard, on a pole, and on a sheet.

The spinnaker is symmetrical, meaning the luff is as long as its leech. It's designed for broad reaching.

Large sailing yacht sailing coastal water using a true spinnaker

Gennaker or cruising spinnaker

The Gennaker is a cross between the genoa and the spinnaker. It has less downwind performance than the spinnaker. It is a bit smaller, making it slower, but also easier to handle - while it remains very capable. The cruising spinnaker is designed for broad reaching.

The gennaker is a smaller, asymmetric spinnaker that's doesn't require a pole or track on the mast. Like the spinnaker, and unlike the genoa, the gennaker is set flying. Asymmetric means its luff is longer than its leech.

You can get big and small gennakers (roughly 75% and 50% the size of a true spinnaker).

Also called ...

the cruising spinnaker
cruising chute
pole-less spinnaker
SpinDrifter

... it's all the same sail.

Small sloops using colorful gennakers in grey water

Light air sails

There's a bit of overlap between the downwind sails and light air sails. Downwind sails can be used as light air sails, but not all light air sails can be used downwind.

Here are the most common light air sails:

Spinnaker and gennaker

Drifter reacher

Code zero reacher.

A drifter (also called a reacher) is a lightweight, larger genoa for use in light winds. It's roughly 150-170% the size of a genoa. It's made from very lightweight laminated spinnaker fabric (1.5US/oz).

Thanks to the extra sail area the sail offers better downwind performance than a genoa. It's generally made from lightweight nylon. Thanks to it's genoa characteristics the sail is easier to use than a cruising spinnaker.

The code zero reacher is officially a type of spinnaker, but it looks a lot like a large genoa. And that's exactly what it is: a hybrid cross between the genoa and the asymmetrical spinnaker (gennaker). The code zero however is designed for close reaching, making it much flatter than the spinnaker. It's about twice the size of a non-overlapping jib.

Volvo Ocean race ships using code zero and jib J1

A windseeker is a small, free-flying staysail for super light air. It's tall and thin. It's freestanding, so it's not attached to the headstay. The tack attaches to a deck pad-eye. Use your spinnakers' halyard to raise it and tension the luff.

It's made from nylon or polyester spinnaker cloth (0.75 to 1.5US/oz).

It's designed to guide light air onto the lee side of the main sail, ensuring a more even, smooth flow of air.

Stormsails are stronger than regular sails, and are designed to handle winds of over 45 knots. You carry them to spare the mainsail. Sails

A storm jib is a small triangular staysail for use in heavy weather. If you participate in offshore racing you need a mandatory orange storm jib. It's part of ISAF's requirements.

A trysail is a storm replacement for the mainsail. It's small, triangular, and it uses a permanently attached pennant. This allows it to be set above the gooseneck. It's recommended to have a separate track on your mast for it - you don't want to fiddle around when you actually really need it to be raised ... now.

US naval acadamy sloop in marina with bright orange storm trysail and stormjob

Sail	Type	Shape	Wind speed	Size	Wind angle
Bermuda	mainsail	triangular, high sail	< 30 kts
Jib	headsail	small triangular foresail	< 45 kts	100% of foretriangle
Genoa	headsail	jib that overlaps mainsail	< 30 kts	125-155% of foretriangle
Spinnaker	downwind	free-flying, balloon shape	1-15 kts	200% or more of mainsail	90°–180°
Gennaker	downwind	free-flying, balloon shape	1-20 kts	85% of spinnaker	75°-165°
Code Zero or screecher	light air & upwind	tight luffed, upwind spinnaker	1-16 kts	70-75% of spinnaker
Storm Trysail	mainsail	small triangular mainsail replacement	> 45 kts	17.5% of mainsail
Drifter reacher	light air	large, light-weight genoa	1-15 kts	150-170% of genoa	30°-90°
Windseeker	light air	free-flying staysail	0-6 kts	85-100% of foretriangle
Storm jib	strong wind headsail	low triangular staysail	> 45 kts	< 65% height foretriangle

Why Use Different Sails At All?

You could just get the largest furling genoa and use it on all positions. So why would you actually use different types of sails?

The main answer to that is efficiency . Some situations require other characteristics.

Having a deeply reefed genoa isn't as efficient as having a small J3. The reef creates too much draft in the sail, which increases heeling. A reefed down mainsail in strong winds also increases heeling. So having dedicated (storm) sails is probably a good thing, especially if you're planning more demanding passages or crossings.

But it's not just strong winds, but also light winds that can cause problems. Heavy sails will just flap around like laundry in very light air. So you need more lightweight fabrics to get you moving.

What Are Sails Made Of?

The most used materials for sails nowadays are:

Dacron - woven polyester
woven nylon
laminated fabrics - increasingly popular

Sails used to be made of linen. As you can imagine, this is terrible material on open seas. Sails were rotting due to UV and saltwater. In the 19th century linen was replaced by cotton.

It was only in the 20th century that sails were made from synthetic fibers, which were much stronger and durable. Up until the 1980s most sails were made from Dacron. Nowadays, laminates using yellow aramids, Black Technora, carbon fiber and Spectra yarns are more and more used.

Laminates are as strong as Dacron, but a lot lighter - which matters with sails weighing up to 100 kg (220 pounds).

By the way: we think that Viking sails were made from wool and leather, which is quite impressive if you ask me.

In this section of the article I give you a quick and dirty summary of different sail plans or rig types which will help you to identify boats quickly. But if you want to really understand it clearly, I really recommend you read part 2 of this series, which is all about different rig types.

You can't simply count the number of masts to identify rig type But you can identify any rig type if you know what to look for. We've created an entire system for recognizing rig types. Let us walk you through it. Read all about sail rig types

As I've said earlier, there are two major rig types: square rigged and fore-and-aft. We can divide the fore-and-aft rigs into three groups:

Bermuda rig (we have talked about this one the whole time) - has a three-sided mainsail
Gaff rig - has a four-sided mainsail, the head of the mainsail is guided by a gaff
Lateen rig - has a three-sided mainsail on a long yard

Diagram of lateen-rigged mast with head yard, gaff-rigged mast with head beam, and bermuda-rigged mast with triangular sail

There are roughly four types of boats:

one masted boats - sloop, cutter
two masted boats - ketch, schooner, brig
three masted - barque
fully rigged or ship rigged - tall ship

Everything with four masts is called a (tall) ship. I think it's outside the scope of this article, but I have written a comprehensive guide to rigging. I'll leave the three and four-masted rigs for now. If you want to know more, I encourage you to read part 2 of this series.

One-masted rigs

Boats with one mast can have either one sail, two sails, or three or more sails.

The 3 most common one-masted rigs are:

Cat - one mast, one sail
Sloop - one mast, two sails
Cutter - one mast, three or more sails

1. Gaff Cat

White cat boat with gaff rig on lake and three people in it

2. Gaff Sloop

Two-masted rigs

Two-masted boats can have an extra mast in front or behind the main mast. Behind (aft of) the main mast is called a mizzen mast . In front of the main mast is called a foremast .

The 5 most common two-masted rigs are:

Lugger - two masts (mizzen), with lugsail (cross between gaff rig and lateen rig) on both masts
Yawl - two masts (mizzen), fore-and-aft rigged on both masts. Main mast much taller than mizzen. Mizzen without mainsail.
Ketch - two masts (mizzen), fore-and-aft rigged on both masts. Main mast with only slightly smaller mizzen. Mizzen has mainsail.
Schooner - two masts (foremast), generally gaff rig on both masts. Main mast with only slightly smaller foremast. Sometimes build with three masts, up to seven in the age of sail.
Brig - two masts (foremast), partially square-rigged. Main mast carries small lateen rigged sail.

Lugger sails behind berth with rocks and small sloops in the foreground

4. Schooner

White schooner with white sails and light wooden masts

5. Brigantine

Replica of brigatine on lake with lots of rigging and brown, green, red, and gold paint

This article is part 1 of a series about sails and rig types If you want to read on and learn to identify any sail plans and rig type, we've found a series of questions that will help you do that quickly. Read all about recognizing rig types

Shawn Buckles

HI CVB, that’s a cool plan. Thanks, I really love to hear that. I’m happy that it was helpful to you and I hope you are of to a great start for your new adventure!

Hi GOWTHAM, thanks for the tip, I sometimes forget I haven’t specified the new term. I’ve added it to the article.

Nice article and video; however, you’re mixing up the spinnaker and the gennaker.

A started out with a question. What distinguishes a brig from a schooner? Which in turn led to follow-up questions: I know there are Bermuda rigs and Latin rig, are there more? Which in turn led to further questions, and further, and further… This site answers them all. Wonderful work. Thank you.

Great post and video! One thing was I was surprised how little you mentioned the Ketch here and not at all in the video or chart, and your sample image is a large ship with many sails. Some may think Ketch’s are uncommon, old fashioned or only for large boats. Actually Ketch’s are quite common for cruisers and live-aboards, especially since they often result in a center cockpit layout which makes for a very nice aft stateroom inside. These are almost exclusively the boats we are looking at, so I was surprised you glossed over them.

Love the article and am finding it quite informative.

While I know it may seem obvious to 99% of your readers, I wish you had defined the terms “upwind” and “downwind.” I’m in the 1% that isn’t sure which one means “with the wind” (or in the direction the wind is blowing) and which one means “against the wind” (or opposite to the way the wind is blowing.)

paul adriaan kleimeer

like in all fields of syntax and terminology the terms are colouual meaning local and then spead as the technology spread so an history lesson gives a floral bouque its colour and in the case of notical terms span culture and history adds an detail that bring reverence to the study simply more memorable.

Hi, I have a small yacht sail which was left in my lock-up over 30 years ago I basically know nothing about sails and wondered if you could spread any light as to the make and use of said sail. Someone said it was probably originally from a Wayfayer wooden yacht but wasn’t sure. Any info would be must appreciated and indeed if would be of any use to your followers? I can provide pics but don’t see how to include them at present

kind regards

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Demystifying ship masts: A comprehensive guide

Ahoy, fellow enthusiasts of the high seas! In this nautical journey, we embark on an exploration of ship masts, those towering structures that have played a pivotal role in the history of seafaring. Let's unfurl the sails and set sail into the fascinating world of masts and maritime lore.

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Masts on a ship: Where power meets elegance

Ship masts are not a one-size-fits-all affair. They come in various sizes and shapes, each tailored to the specific needs of the vessel. From the towering main mast to the more understated mizzen mast, each has a distinct role to play in the intricate dance of sailing.

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Single masted sailing vessel: A solo act of seamanship

Imagine sailing solo, with just you, the wind, and a single mast. Single masted sailing vessels are the epitome of simplicity and self-reliance. They harken back to a time when brave souls ventured into uncharted waters armed with little more than their skills and determination.

Three mast schooner under sails on the Baltic sea.

Two masted sailing vessel: Double the sails, double the adventure

Two masted sailing vessels are a sight to behold. With their additional sails and masts, they offer more power and control to sailors. They are the choice of those who crave adventure and challenge on the open water.

Yawls: The elegant compromise

Yawls are graceful sailing boats known for their distinctive mizzenmast positioned aft of the mainmast. This configuration offers several advantages, including better balance and versatility. Yawls are often favored for their ease of handling, making them suitable for both solo and crewed sailing.

Ketches: Versatility afloat

Ketches, with their two masts—the mainmast and a smaller mizzenmast—embody versatility on the water. The mizzenmast adds extra sail area, enhancing maneuverability and control. Ketches excel in long-distance cruising, as they can handle a wide range of wind and sea conditions.

Schooners: The tall ships of yore

Schooners are renowned for their multiple masts, typically two or more, with fore-and-aft rigging on each. This configuration allows for a significant sail area, enabling schooners to achieve impressive speeds. Historically, schooners were common among pirates and privateers due to their agility and speed.

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The 15 Different Types Of Sailing Ships

The 15 types of sailing ships are listed below.

The Schooner
The Carrack
The Brigantine
The Barquentine
The Clipper
The Windjammer
The Fully Rigged Ship

Throughout centuries, there have been many different types of sailing ships seen from harbors and coastlines around the world.

This article will show the various types of sailing vessels that have made their mark in maritime history and we showcase their purposes and why they are still remarkable feats of marine engineering.

The different sizes, shapes, and masts of the ships required different numbers of sailors to handle them and each type of ship was crafted with a different purpose in mind.

All ships are unique with no two types of ships being the same with each coming with its own experiences, features and requirements.

1. The Schooner

The Schooner sailing vessel, with an average size of 46m (152 feet) in length, was developed in the early 17th century and first used by the Dutch.

The ship came with fore and aft sails and they were created to operate in the toughest of wind and ocean conditions.

The Schooner was a multi-purpose sailing vessel used for transporting slaves to transporting cargo and it was used for fishing and racing too.

There are 5 different schooner types that are characterized by their rig configurations listed below.

Tern schooner : This was a 3-masted schooner most popular between 1880 and 1920 capable of carrying up to 400 tons in cargo and it required a crew of 6-8 people
4-6 masts schooner : These schooners spread the sail area over smaller sails
Grand Bank Fishing schooner : Similar to the famous Bluenose, it carries the main gaff topsail and a fisherman's staysail set between the masts.
Square Topsail schooner : This was a combination of fore and aft sails and small square sails, most popularly used for coastal cargo transportation in the 1800s
Coastal schooner : This was a coastal schooner sailing ship used for carrying goods and general cargo to nearby islands along the coast ( 1 )

The 19th Century schooner came with two or three masts, the one at the fore being shorter than the others.

Modern schooners, with Bermuda rigged sails, remain powerful, economical coastal liners traversing the Pacific.

Famous schooner sailing ships are listed below.

America : The Schooner named " America " was designed for racing and it became the first winner of the America's Cup international sailing trophy ( 2 )
Thomas W Lawson : The schooner “ Thomas W Lawson ” had a unique seven masts, with interchangeable sails and gear
Wawona : The schooner " Wawona " was one of the largest lumber carriers and fishing vessels between 1897 and 1947

2. The Carrack

The Carrack, developed in the 14th and 15th centuries with the first built in Portugal, is a nautically-rigged wooden ship with three or four masts each having square sails or triangular sails and it was heavily used between the 14th to 15th Centuries and remained popular until the 18th Century. It is the sailing ship Christopher Columbus used to sail the world.

It was the largest ship in Europe with the Spanish Carrack being more than 1,000 tons in weight and 150 feet (45 meters) in length. More modern versions of the Carrack were developed by the Portuguese and they could hold up to 2,000 tons. ( 3 ).

The Carrack had 4 decks with the lower 2 used for cargo, the 3rd was for accommodation and the 4th was for cargo owned by the crew ( 4 ) and this bulky ship was the standard trading ship along the Baltic, Mediterranean, Asian, and Atlantic coasts in the mid-16th century useful for carrying cargo across seas.

The Carrack had a strange shape which made it cumbersome to sail close to the wind and after a lot of engineering experiments, parts of the ship were stripped off giving the ship a high stern and a low bow.

The modern Carrack features a square-rigged mainmast, foremast, and a latten-rigged Mizzen mast, along with a rounded stern, sizable bowsprit, forecastle, and aft castle.

This is a large ship, built to carry heavy freight for long-distance hauls since it was very steady even in the worst weather with the British Army calling it the “Great Ship” because of its highly-functional ship design.

Famous carrack shipping vessels are listed below.

Santa Maria : This was the famous ship that Christopher Columbus used to sail and discover America in 1492
Victoria : The first ship to circumnavigate the globe
Grace Dieu : This was commissioned by King Henry V and it was one of the largest carrack ships in the world in 1418
Cinco Chagas : This was presumed to be the richest ship at that time. it was sunk in battle in 1594 ( 5 )

3. The Brigantine

A Brigantine is a two-masted sailing ship with the main mast both a fore-and-aft main sail, a triangular type of sail and a square main topsail that came in various sizes ranging from 30 tons to 150 tons and it could carry a crew of up to 125 people but the shipping vessel could still be handled by a smaller crew if needed.

These ships were similar to the sailing vessel called the Brig as they both had top-gallant sails and were used by the Royal Navy to scout and monitor enemies on the high seas while also being popular amongst pirates as they were faster and easily maneuverable sailing vessels.

It is unclear when the ship was originally built with loose definitions date the ship back to the 13th century when it was originally referred to as the "sail and oar-driven war vessel" ( 6 ) and early academic definitions where the vessel was referred to as the "Brigantine" was first seen in books in the early to mid-16th century ( 7 ).

They would sail across the trade routes of the Baltics and Northern Europe, all the way from Germany to Scandinavia.

The mid-size ships had two sails on the-mainmast with a stripped-down fully-squared rig.

4. The Barquentine

The Barquentine, first built in the 17th century and also referred to as a " schooner barque ", " barkentine " or " schooner bark ", is a sailing ship similar to a barque but with only the foremast square-rigged and the remaining masts rigged fore and aft ( 9 ). They weighed 250 to 500 tons.

The Barquentine has three or more masts and square sails on the fore and aft masts with the main mast had topmast and gaff sails and these had been stripped down to facilitate operation by a slimmer crew and basic rig.

The Barquentine sailed the waters of Northern Europe which were dominated by variable wind speeds and they were popularly used to carry lumber from Scandinavia and Germany to England and the Baltic Areas.

5. The Xebec

The Xebec, also known as " Zebec ", a name derived from the Arabic word for "Small Ship", was a sailing ship built in the 16th to mid-19th century that was used mainly for moving cargo.

The Xebec sailing vessel held between 90 and 400 crew and was 103ft 9 inches in length with a tonnage of between 200 - 300 tons ( 10 ) and they were very agile and popular with European navies.

The features of the Xebec are listed below.

Long-prow bulkheads
Narrow elongated hulls
Huge lateen yards
One aft-set mizzen mast
3 lateen-pillared masts, both raked forward and having a single triangular sail

Their shallow draft and lateen rig allowed for a closer pinch to the wind allowing them to flee quickly or turn around and fire a broadside volley quickly.

After a lot of engineering experiments, the Xebec gave rise to the Polacre-Xebec, which replaced the mizzen mast. The mainmast of the new derivative also had a square rig and these new vessels were light and could not carry a heavy load with the shallow draft and low free-board making them unsuitable for open-seas sailing.

6. The Barque

The barque, also referred to as " barc " or " bark ", is a sailing ship first introduced in the 15th century ( 11 ) with 3 or more masts with square sails on all masts, except the aft or mizzen mast. It could carry approximately 500 tons and could hold a crew of 100 people.

Although they are quite similar, the barque should not be confused with the Schooner Bark which is a different vessel.

The Barque ship was commonly used by traders to carry extremely high volumes of cargo from Australia to Europe with cargo mainly consisting of Nitrates and Guano destined for the Western South American coast and they were popular in the period prior to the start of World War II.

7. The Clipper

A clipper was a sailing vessel introduced in the mid-19th century that was mainly used as a merchant ship for transporting goods and it was designed for speed.

Clipper ships ranged in size from a few hundred tons to over 4000 tons ( 12 ) and they all had a narrow build, a protruding stern, 3 to 5 masts for speed, and a square rig.

They were most commonly used by British and American traders to ship goods from China to their countries and they were also used to ferry Gold and Tea back to Great Britain and the Americas.

Famous clipper ships are listed below.

Cisne Branco : This is a steel-hulled built like the original clipper. It is used as a training vessel by the Brazilian navy to this day
Race Horse : This clipper ship set the record of getting from New York to San Francisco in 109 days in 1850 which was a record at that time
Marco Polo : This clipper vessel was the first boat of the time to make around trip between England & Australia in under 6 months in 1852

8. The Windjammer

The Windjammer is a commercial sailing ship built in the 19th century with a capacity between 2,000 to 8,000 tons and the speed ranged from 14 to 21 knots ( 13 ).

It came with three to five square-rigged masts and it had a cost-effective extended hull that allowed for larger storage space.

It was a general-class merchant ship and was mainly used to transport bulky cargo and it ferried lumber, coal, and many other goods from one continent to another before evolving from carrying cargo to carrying passengers on cruises in later generations.

9. The Fluyt

The Fluyt, also known as " fleut " or " fluit " is a sailing ship that originated in the 16th century in the Dutch Republic with a weight between 200 and 300 tons, approximately 80 feet (24 meters) in length, and a crew capacity of 12 - 15 people ( 14 ).

The Fluyt has three squared-rigged masts and was primarily used as a merchant ship to transport cargo.

It was lightly fortified, had a small stern and extended box-style structure, and was crafted using specialized tools to reduce the costs of production and make them affordable to merchants.

10. The Fully-Rigged Ship

A fully rigged ship, also referred to as a "full-rigged ship", is a sailing ship with three or more masts, with all of the masts being square-rigged and the rig, hull, mast, and yards made of iron, wood, or steel.

A full-rigged ship weighed an average 325 tons and could carry a crew of up to 36 people and these ships required a larger crew because of their fully rigged construction ( 15 ).

During the 18th century, a full-rigged ship was also referred to as a " frigate " and they were mainly used for patrolling and for attacking.

A full-rigged ship weighed an average 325 tons and could carry a crew of up to 36 people ( 16 ).

However, towards the end of the 19th century, these ships were stripped down so they could be handled by a smaller crew which helped in easier handling of the sails during the monsoon period when winds would change speed and direction without any warning.

This helped in easier handling of the sails during the monsoon period when winds would change speed and direction without any warning.

A fully rigged ship masts from stern to bow consists of: ( 17 )

Mainmast : This is the tallest mast on the ship
Foremast : This is the second tallest mast on the ship
Mizzenmast : This is the third tallest mast on the sailing vessel
Jiggermast : If there is a 4th mast, it will be the jiggermast and will be the smallest mast on the ship

11. The Cutter

The cutter is a smaller sailing ship built in the early 18th century with a single mast rigged fore and aft and it varied in size from 20ft to 34 ft in length on average with a crew capacity of between 21 to 66 people ( 19 ).

A cutter sailing vessel features: ( 18 )

Narrow hull
2 or more headsails
Decked sailcraft
Raking transom
Vertical stem
A gaff-rigged long bowsprit

This sailing ship was used for patrolling territorial waters and other enforcement activities during the 18th century and it was used to ferry soldiers and government officials because it was very fast and could outrun any enemy.

Modern-day cutters have a rugged appearance, are small and aptly fit into their intended purpose – speed and agility and the British Sailing Club still has open-oared cutters in their fleet of sailing ships.

12. The Yawl

A Yawl is a sailing ship that was originally that was originally a dutch ship nicknamed " Dandy " or " Jol " in Dutch built in the 19th century with a speed range from 10-14 knots, an average crew size of 25 people and a ship size ranging from 30ft to 75ft in length with beam sizes ranging from 10ft to 12ft.

They bore two fully-equipped masts and a fore-and-aft sail, a smaller jigger-mast and a mizzen mast that leans towards the rudder post of the ship with the mizzen sail in this case purposely designed to aid in balancing and trimming the ship on rough waters.

One famous yawl sailing ship is the Islander which was a 34ft yawl that Harry Pidgeon sailed around the world on. He was the second person in 1918 to sail around the world at that time.

13. The Brig

The brig is a two-masted sailing ship that was originally built in the 18th century with square rigging on both masts and sometimes had a spanker on the aft mast.

The length of a brig varied from 75ft to 165ft with tonnages up to 480 ith tonnages up to 480 and it needed a crew of 22 people ( 20 ).

The brig was used as a war vessel and a cargo ship for transporting goods and they were later used to ferry large cargo on the open seas since they could easily follow the direction of the prevailing winds.

It came with a berthing deck that had sleeping quarters for cabin crew and marine officials, storage areas, a sail bin, a wood-paneled stove room, guns, and carronades.

They would be brought into the harbor without using tugs and could maneuver well in small areas.

Famous brig ships are listed below.

USS Argus : This was a United States Navy brig that fought in the First Barbary War, taking part in the blockage of Tripoli and the war of 1812
USS Reprisal : This was the first ship of the United States Navy
USS Somers : This was a brig in the United States Navy that became infamous for being the only US Navy ship to undergo a mutiny

14. The Ketch

A ketch is a two-masted sailboat that originated in the 17th century with most ketch ships ranging from 40ft to over 120ft in size and weighing between 100 and 250 tons. A ketch ship needed a smaller crew of only 4 people to operate ( 21 ).

The ketch looked just like the Yawl and as stated had two masts each having a fore-and-aft rig with the difference between the two being that the ketch had a mizzen mast placed on the taller mainmast but at a position in front of the rudder post. The mizzen in this case aided in maneuvering the vessel.

A ketch ship was used for:

Cargo Transportation

15. The Hulk

A hulk is an 18th-century ship that is a derivative of the Carrack with a weight of 400 tons that is afloat but incapable of going to sea. In maritime terms, the name "Hulk" was given to ships that were outdated, stripped down or unprofitable to run.

The bulk of the hulk fleet was comprised of abandoned ships, stripped down and therefore could not continue to ply across the Mediterranean Sea as cargo or transport ships.

They are stationary and kept for their buoyancy and were used as a prison, a place for gambling.

Maritime Museum Of The Atlantic. " Sailing Ship Rigs ".
The New York Times. " America's Cup Held Here Since 1851 ", PDF.
World History Encyclopedia. " Carrack Definition ," Paragraph 3.
Same As Reference 3
Military History. " Carracks, Famous Carracks ," Paragraph 9.
" Aken, tjalken en kraken " by Hans Haalmeijer & Dirk Adrianus Vuik, Page 12.
Google Books Ngram Viewer. " Brigantine ".
Gaspee Info. " Brigentines Described ," Paragraph 3.
Wikipedia. " Barquentine ," Paragraph 1.
" Ship: 5000 Years Of Maritime Adventure " by Brian Lavery, Page 137.
Oxford English Dictionary (Online Edition). " Barque ".
University of Houston. " No. 338 Clipper Ship ". Paragraph 2
Marine Insights. " Windjammer Sailing Ships: From Past to Present ". Paragraph 8
History Today. " Dutch Shipbuilding in the Golden Age ". Volume 34, No. 1
" The Story Of The Sea, Volume 1 " by Arthur Quiller-Couch, Page 20.
Whaling Museum. " Rigs Of Vessel, Ship ," Paragraph 1.
" A Dictionary of Sea Terms " by Anstead, A, Page 96.
Britannia. " Cutter, Sailing Craft ". Paragraph 1.
" The Boats Of Men Of War " by William May & Simon Stephens
Texas Navy Association. " Glossary Of Nautical Terms ". Page 1
National Museum Of American History. " Ship Model, Ketch ". Paragraph 1

Types of Sailboats by Type of Rig

16 December 2015

To have a better idea of which types of sailboats would best suit your needs, your Allied Yachting broker can advise you on the various options available on the market for new or second-hand vessels as well as new construction. In the meantime, here is a summarized guide to the different categories of sailing yachts by type of rig , whether they are monohull (single hull) or multihull , as they’re called in the Mediterranean.

Sailboats by rig type: hulls, masts

Single masted sailboat with monohull

The most common monohull modern sailing yacht is the sloop, which features one mast and two sails, thus sloops are single-masted sailboats. If they have just two sails — a foresail and a headsail — then they’re a Bermudan sloop, the purest type of sailboat. This simple configuration is very efficient for sailing into the wind.

Sailing sloops with moderate rigs are probably the most popular of all cruising sailboats. Just a single-masted sailboat with two sails (a foresail or headsail, and a mainsail) and the minimum of rigging and sail control lines they are relatively simple to operate and less expensive than rigs with multiple masts.

Sloops are adapted for cruising as well as racing, depending on the height and size of their rig.

The cutter sailing yacht is also a monohull similar to a sloop with a single mast and mainsail but generally carries the mast further aft to allow for a jib and staysail to be attached to the head stay and inner forestay, respectively. Once a common racing configuration, today it gives versatility to cruising boats, especially in allowing a small staysail to be flown from the inner stay in high winds.

Thus, a cutter-rig sailboat has an additional sail (the staysail) set on its own stay between the foresail and the headsail.

Cutters are mostly adapted for cruising, but capable of good performance while racing as well.

A ketch is a two-masted sailboat, the main-mast forward and a shorter mizzen mast aft.

But not all two-masted sailboats are ketches — they might be yawls.

A ketch may also carry a staysail, with or without a bowsprit, in which case it would be known as a cutter-rigged ketch.

Ketches are also monohulls, but there is a second shorter mast astern of the mainmast, but forward of the rudder post. The second sailboat mast is called the mizzen mast and its sail is called the mizzen sail.

Yawls have their origins as old-time sail fishing boats, where the small mizzen sail was trimmed to keep the vessel steady when hauling the nets.

Similar to a ketch, the difference being that the yawl has the mizzen mast positioned aft of the rudder post whereas the ketch has its mizzen mast ahead of the rudder post.

Thus, a yawl is also a monohull, similar to a ketch, with a shorter mizzen mast carried astern the rudderpost more for balancing the helm than propulsion.

Schooners are generally the largest monohull sailing yachts.

Monohull two masts sailing boat

A schooner has a mainmast taller than its foremast, distinguishing it from a ketch or a yawl. A schooner can have more than two masts, with the foremast always lower than the foremost main. Traditional topsail schooners have topmasts allowing triangular topsails sails to be flown above their gaff sails; many modern schooners are Bermuda rigged.

A schooner is a two-(or more) masted sailboat, in which the aft-most mast – the mainmast – is the same height or taller than the foremast. Many sailors agree that of all the different types of sailboats, a schooner under full sail is one of the most beautiful sights afloat.

Gaffed-rigged sailboats, or “gaffers”, have their mainsail supported by a spar – the “gaff” – which is hauled up the mast by a separate halyard. Often these types of sailboats are rigged with a topsail. The gaff rig is no longer seen on modern production yachts.

A catamaran (‘cat’ for short) is a multihull yacht consisting of two parallel hulls of equal size.

A catamaran is geometry-stabilized, that is, it derives its stability from its wide beam, rather than having a ballasted keel like a monohull. Being ballast-free and lighter than a monohull, a catamaran can have a very shallow draught. The two hulls will be much finer than a monohull’s, allowing reduced drag and faster speeds in some conditions, although the high wetted surface area is detrimental in lower wind speeds, but allows much more accommodations, living and entertaining space in stability and comfort.

Two parallel hulls sailing catamaran

The speed and stability of these catamarans have made them a popular pleasure craft in Europe, most high-quality catamarans are built in France, but careful since their wide beams aren’t easy (or cheap) to berth in the French Riviera.

Racing catamarans technology has made them today’s leading racing sailboats of the world, like in the latest editions of America’s cup or other renowned transoceanic races.

Please surf through our website listings of sailing catamarans .

OTHER MULTIHULLS

Even harder to berth in the Mediterranean, and most commonly designed for around-the-globe racing rather than cruising, the trimarans have also been gaining some popularity in the western hemisphere, especially by naval designers with futuristic projects.

A trimaran is a multihull boat that comprises a main hull and two smaller outrigger hulls (or ‘floats’) which are attached to the main hull with lateral beams.

MOTORSAILER

A motorsailer or “motorsailor”, is a type of sailing vessel, typically a pleasure yacht, that derives propulsion from its sails and engine(s) in equal measure.

While the sailing yacht appeals primarily to the purist sailing enthusiast, the motorsailer is more suited for long-distance cruising, as a home for ‘live-aboard’ yachtsmen. The special features of the motorsailer (large engine, smaller sails, etc.) mean that, while it may not be the fastest boat under sail, the vessel is easily handled by a small crew. As such, it can be ideal for retired people who might not be entirely physically able to handle large sail areas. In heavy weather, the motorsailer’s large engine allows it to punch into a headwind when necessary to make landfall, without endless tacking to windward.

The Turkish word gulet is a loanword from the French goélette, meaning ‘schooner’.

A gulet is a traditional design of a two-masted (more common) or even three-masted wooden sailing vessel from the southwestern coast of Turkey, particularly built in the coastal towns of Bodrum and Marmaris; although similar vessels can be found all around the eastern Mediterranean. For considerations of crew economy, Diesel power is commonly used on these vessels, similar to a motorsailer. Today, this type of vessel, varying in size from 14 to 45 meters, is very popular and affordable for tourist charters in Turkey, the Aegean, Greece and up to Croatia in the Adriatic.

Please surf through our website listings of cruising sailing yachts by type of rig.

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Former known as: Athos of London

At 62 metres in length, Athos (formerly Athos of London ) is world’s largest and most luxurious privately-owned two-masted schooner. One top of that, she is one of the most innovative sailing yachts built since her launch in 2010. Her proud owner has spared no expense to build his dream, providing her with her opulent luxury and technological delights.

The dining table at the starboard side of the deckhouse accommodates twelve guests. On portside of the deckhouse is a cozy seating area with a coffee table as the main centerpiece. The bar is equipped with a dishwasher, refrigerator and ice maker.

Athos’ interior is at least as impressive as her exterior. Below deck she has all possible comforts, such as climate control, a Kaleidescape on-demand audio and video server in all guest cabins and the main saloon, a WiFi network with VSAT broadband and Satellite TV/DVD/CD/Radio/MP3 in all cabins.

The classic, timeless styling, beautiful details and grand furniture create an elegant and comfortable atmosphere on board Athos . Her layout consists of the saloon, galley, the main deck cabin with navigation area, four guest cabins and a master cabin. The engine compartment can be reached directly from the control room. Athos accommodates up to twelve guests and ten crew members to help the guests achieve a relaxed and luxurious sailing experience. To contribute to that experience, she has a wellness area with massage table on board, as well as a cinema with projector and Dolby surround system. The crew members have access to a walk-in fridge and laundry area.

All guest cabins have finishing in a different type of wood, which creates a unique ambiance in every cabin. The matching upholstery has been carefully picked. The two aft cabins (which can be transformed from twin to double beds) have aniegré and maple wood finishing. The two front guest rooms are finished in cherry and pear wood and are both equipped with a double bed and a Pullman. These cabins are also equipped with a couch and a pull-out desk. All guest cabins have adjoining en suite bathrooms.

The master cabin is finished with mahogany and has a kingsize bed, desk, daybed and a couch. The bathroom has a bath, shower/steamroom and his & hers sinks. Adjacent to the master cabin is the private aft deckhouse which is furnished with a secluded sitting area and daybed, as well as a private office. Next to the aft deckhouse is an owners’ cockpit with adjustable table.

The galley and pantry are fully equipped with Miele appliances, including a gimbal oven and hob, steam oven, combi microwave grill/oven, plate and cup warming drawers, an espresso machine, two dishwashers and various other mobile appliances. Everything to ensure the highest culinary standards.

Opposite the galley, is the imposing main salon, including a sitting area by the fireplace and a large ottoman with extendable footrests in the middle.

Designer Andre Hoek from Hoek Design Naval Architects, Holland Jachtbouw and a very dedicated owner worked together on this unique project. This collaboration led to the launch of a number of technical innovations, including a unique hydraulic system that spans more than 30 kilometres of wiring and delivers around 450 kW of power.

This superyacht features an impressive 61.4m mainmast, Reckmann furling systems and Doyle sails. The twin Volvo Penta diesel engines deliver a cruising speed of 12 knots with a maximum of 14 knots and a range of 5,000 nautical miles at 11 knots. Furthermore, Athos has dual redundancy for virtually any system, to eliminate single points of failure. She also has a dynamic positioning system, a fully integrated stern anchor, a 5383 aluminium hull and a hydraulically operated centreboard.

Athos is the most technologically advanced classic sailing yacht built to date. She is Bureau Veritas classified and MCA compliant.

Athos is the most technologically advanced classic sailing yacht built to date.

Specifications

Length Overall	62 m (203 ft)
Length Waterline	40.20 m (132 ft)
Beam	10.88 m (36 ft)
Draft (min – max)	3.64 m – 10.88 m (12 ft – 36 ft)
Displacement	370 tons
Year of Launching	2010
Design	Hoek Design Naval Architects
Interior design	Hoek Design Naval Architects
Guests	6 – 8
Crew	6 – 8
Engine(s)	2 x Volvo D16C-A MH EVC (479 kW / 651 hp)
Cruising speed	10 – 12 knots
Top speed	14 knots

America is a full-scale replica of the famed schooner that crossed the Atlantic, challenged the British, beat all comers, and spawned the longest winning streak in modern sports history.  Designed by John Scarano , this vessel is a modern classic. Now owned by Next Level Sailing in San Diego, she is approximately 2 feet wider, 5 feet longer, and 30% lighter than the original, and although there are no accurate records of the old Americaʼs boat speed, this design by John Scarano is almost certainly faster. Check out the history of America at Next Level Sailing .

LOA : 139 feet (43 meters) Type : 19th-century two-masted schooner Construction: Laminated cedar hull Year Launched: 1995 Certification : USCG certified for up to 85 passengers Current Location : San Diego, CA Trivia : Schooner America carried the Olympic torch to the 1996 Olympic sailing venue in Savannah, GA.

Contemplating a new build? A restoration? Tell us a bit about your project in the provided form or give us a call. We are anxious to hear about it.

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Two Masted Sailing Yacht Anchored in Bay, Greece Editorial Photography
Two masted sailing yacht Stock Photo
Twomasted Yacht In The Mediterranean Sea During A Bright Majestic
Two masted sailing boat hi-res stock photography and images
Two-masted yacht, C-4194, off Marblehead
Two masted yacht no sails, under power off the coast of Turkey in a

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gloucester schooner race 2006
Exciting Athos Superyacht And British Columbia Travel Rowing Adventure Awaits
Amandira
Operation Sail & Fleet Week New York 2012 Parade of Sail (2)
The largest single masted yacht ever built #bigships
Two Masted Top Sail Schooner Ami トップスルスクーナー帆船AMI

COMMENTS

What Is A Boat With 2 Masts Called?
Yawl. A yawl is one of the most common types of two-mast sailboats. It has two masts: a mizzenmast and the mainmast. The mizzenmast is usually much shorter than the mainmast. This makes it an oblique type of a sailboat in the sense that the mainmast is located in the front of the boat while the mizzenmast is located in the rear past or the boat.
What Is A Boat With 2 Masts Called? (5 Options)
A brig is a two-masted sailboat with square sails on both masts. The square sails are used to generate driving force when sailing downwind and are typically made of heavy canvas or durable materials. The sails are attached to the masts and yards using a series of ropes and lines known as the rigging.
7 Popular Sailboats with Two Masts (With Pictures & Prices)
4. 1977 Puma 38 Ketch. The Puma 38 Ketch is a two-masted sailboat built for racing like the rest of the Puma sailing line. This brand prides itself on speed and maneuverability. The 1977 Puma 38 is 34 feet in length with a backup diesel engine that can help you get where you need to go as well as docking into a slip.
What's a Boat with Two Masts Called: Two masted sailing boat types
Ketch is a type of sailboat that features two masts and two sails, commonly used as a racing and cruising boat. The mainmast of this two-masted sailboat is typically taller than the mizzen mast (aft-mast). Its name derives from catch. Taller masts allow you to use larger sails, so ketch boats are able to achieve better speeds than similar boats ...
Want A Sailboat With Two Masts? Here's What You Need To Know
Schooners are a two (or three) masted boat where the aft-most mast is the same height or taller than the fore-most mast. This is a rare arrangement in cruising yachts, and is now typically reserved for bigger, crewed, yachts. We won't discuss schooner rigs in detail here, as it's unlikely that anyone but an expert sailor would choose one.
Schooner boats for sale
Schooner yachts are large, two-or-more masted, traditional sailing vessels frequently used for time-honored yachting boating pursuits. These sailing vessels have a rich legacy as vessels that are sought-after due to their extremely deep draft and wide beam, features that make them exceptionally appropriate for a variety of commercial and ...
Ketch boats for sale
Ketch yachts are large, two-masted (main and mizzen) sailing vessels generally used for time-honored on-the-water activities. These sailing vessels have a rich legacy as vessels that are sought-after due to their stable deep draft and exceedingly wide beam, qualities that make them exceptionally appropriate for overnight cruising and day ...
The Enchanting World of Two-Masted Sailing Ships: A ...
Understanding the design of a two-masted sailboat is key to appreciating its capabilities. The complex arrangement of hull, masts, sails, rigging, and keel is essential for the boat's performance at sea. These components work in harmony to harness the power of the wind, enabling the vessel to navigate with precision and grace.
What Is A Boat With 2 Masts Called?
Schooner. A schooner is another boat with 2 masts, but can also have more. Like the brig and brigantine, a two-masted schooner has a foremast and an aft mast, the latter essentially being the mainmast. The main characteristic of the schooner is the masts are almost the same size, with the foremost mast sometimes being slightly shorter.
Understanding the Two-Masted Sailboat
A ketch is a two-masted sailboat. The rear mast, called the mizzen mast, is shorter than the forward main mast. The mizzen mast is mounted forward of the rudder post. Read more. Yawl. 02. A yawl is similar to a ketch, but the rear mizzen mast is moved farther aft, behind the rudder post. This makes the mizzen on a yawl seem like an afterthought ...
Ketch
A ketch is a two-masted sailboat whose mainmast is taller than the mizzen mast ... In the 19th and 20th centuries, ketch rigs were often employed on larger yachts and working watercraft, but ketches are also used as smaller working watercraft as short as 15 feet, or as small cruising boats, such as Bill Hanna's Tahiti ketches or L. Francis ...
Yawl
As a rig, a yawl is a two masted, fore and aft rigged sailing vessel with the mizzen mast positioned abaft (behind) the rudder stock, or in some instances, very close to the rudder stock. ... Dixon Kemp, an authority on yacht racing, became interested in this local type in 1875. Yachts were rigged as yawls as early as 1814.
What Is A Boat With 2 Masts Called? Everything You Need to Know
2. Yawl. A yawl is one of the typical two-masted sailing boats. It has two masts: a mizzen mast and the main mast. The mizzen mast is usually much shorter than the main mast. So, it is a leaning sailboat where the main mast is in the front part of the boat while the mizzen mast is in the back part.
Guide to Understanding Sail Rig Types (with Pictures)
The two-masted rigs are: Lugger - two masts (mizzen), with lugsail (a cross between gaff rig and lateen rig) on both masts. Yawl - two masts (mizzen), fore-and-aft rigged on both masts. Main mast is much taller than mizzen. Mizzen without a mainsail. Ketch - two masts (mizzen), fore-and-aft rigged on both masts.
Brigantine
A brigantine is a two-masted sailing vessel with a fully square-rigged foremast and at least two sails on the main mast: a square topsail and a gaff sail mainsail (behind the mast). [1] The main mast is the second and taller of the two masts. Older usages are looser; in addition to the rigorous definition above (attested from 1695 [citation needed]), the Oxford English Dictionary includes two ...
The Ultimate Guide to Sail Types and Rigs (with Pictures)
The 5 most common two-masted rigs are: Lugger - two masts (mizzen), with lugsail (cross between gaff rig and lateen rig) on both masts ... exponentially with size. Small boats carry smaller sails (100 sq. ft.) made from thinner cloth (3.5 oz). Large racing yachts can carry sails of up to 400 sq. ft., made from heavy fabric (14 oz), totaling at ...
Unveiling ship mast secrets: All about masts in sailing
Two masted sailing vessel: Double the sails, double the adventure. Two masted sailing vessels are a sight to behold. With their additional sails and masts, they offer more power and control to sailors. They are the choice of those who crave adventure and challenge on the open water. Yawls: The elegant compromise.
The 15 Different Types Of Sailing Ships
Tern schooner: This was a 3-masted schooner most popular between 1880 and 1920 capable of carrying up to 400 tons in cargo and it required a crew of 6-8 people; ... A Brigantine is a two-masted sailing ship with the main mast both a fore-and-aft main sail, a triangular type of sail and a square main topsail that came in various sizes ranging ...
Ketch boats for sale
Ketch yachts are large, two-masted (main and mizzen) sailing vessels usually used for time-honoured endeavours such as overnight cruising and day sailing. These sailing boats are known for their exceedingly deep draft and exceedingly wide beam. Across our current listings, the average capacity for ketch sailing vessels is for 10 people ...
Types of Sailboats by Type of Rig
A ketch is a two-masted sailboat, the main-mast forward and a shorter mizzen mast aft. But not all two-masted sailboats are ketches — they might be yawls. A ketch may also carry a staysail, with or without a bowsprit, in which case it would be known as a cutter-rigged ketch. Ketches are also monohulls, but there is a second shorter mast ...
two masted yacht Crossword Clue
The Crossword Solver found 30 answers to "two masted yacht", 5 letters crossword clue. The Crossword Solver finds answers to classic crosswords and cryptic crossword puzzles. Enter the length or pattern for better results. Click the answer to find similar crossword clues . Enter a Crossword Clue. A clue is required.
Athos
At 62 metres in length, Athos (formerly Athos of London) is world's largest and most luxurious privately-owned two-masted schooner.One top of that, she is one of the most innovative sailing yachts built since her launch in 2010. Her proud owner has spared no expense to build his dream, providing her with her opulent luxury and technological delights.
America
LOA: 139 feet (43 meters) Type: 19th-century two-masted schooner. Construction: Laminated cedar hull. Year Launched: 1995. Certification: USCG certified for up to 85 passengers. Current Location: San Diego, CA. Trivia: Schooner America carried the Olympic torch to the 1996 Olympic sailing venue in Savannah, GA.

The two most common types of brigs are:

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7 Great Used Boats with Two Masts

1. 1976 Westerly Center Cockpit Ketch

2. 1978 Jeanneau Gin Fizz

3. 1979 Freedom 40

4. 1977 Puma 38 Ketch

5. 1973 Morgan Out Island 41

6. 1970 Hinckley Bermuda 40

7. 1995 Amel Super Maramu

Final Thoughts:

What’s a Boat with Two Masts Called: Two masted sailing boat types

FAQ: Two-Masted Sailboats

Why do some sailboats have two masts?

What is the difference between a ketch and a yawl sailboat?

What is a one masted sailboat?

What is a two-masted square rigger?

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What Is A Boat With 2 Masts Called?

Brigantine and the Brig

Closing Thoughts

Understanding the Two-Masted Sailboat

Two-Masted Boats with Fore-and-Aft Rigged Sails

Benefits of Two Masted Sailboats

2 Masted Ship Examples with Square Rigged Sails

The Two-Masted Sailboat

The Ultimate Guide to Sail Types and Rigs (with Pictures)

On this page:

Guide to Understanding Sail Rig Types (with Pictures)

The parts of any sail

Basic sail shapes

Bermuda Sloop: the most common rig

Downwind sails

Gennaker or cruising spinnaker

Light air sails

Drifter reacher

Why Use Different Sails At All?

What Are Sails Made Of?

One-masted rigs

1. Gaff Cat

2. Gaff Sloop

Two-masted rigs

4. Schooner

5. Brigantine

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Shawn Buckles

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How Much Sailboats Cost On Average (380+ Prices Compared)

Unveiling the mast in ship

Masts on a ship: Where power meets elegance

The mast of a ship: A masterpiece of engineering

Single masted sailing vessel: A solo act of seamanship

Two masted sailing vessel: Double the sails, double the adventure

The 15 Different Types Of Sailing Ships

1. The Schooner

2. The Carrack

3. The Brigantine

4. The Barquentine

5. The Xebec

6. The Barque

7. The Clipper

8. The Windjammer

9. The Fluyt

10. The Fully-Rigged Ship