Different Sailing Ship Types

Sailing ships are normally associated with the wooden sailing ships of old, the ones they used to sail the world, do trade, wage war and do much more with many centuries ago. Today you can still find sailing ships on the seas. However, they are very different from the ones you found centuries ago. Today’s sailing ships are high-tech. Yes, they use wind power to get from one location to another but they carry with them all the technological advances our modern society can afford them.

These ships are the epitome of luxury, style and class and they are for the exclusive use in cruises today. Only the super rich can afford a sailing ship cruise these days. However, that does not mean that enthusiasts around the world cannot be passionate about sailing ships old and modern. Part of the passion for sailing ships often includes being partial to particular sailing ship types.

Although many people think that a sailing ship is a sailing ship is a sailing ship, there are fundamentally different sailing ship types. The difference comes in with the ships’ sails, masts and construction. Different sailing ship types are constructed differently from each other.

The Difference Makers

Different sailing ship types were found all over the world, however, of particular interest are the following sailing ship rigs, which were commonly found off the East coast of Northern America. These sailing ship types were common during the 1800’s right through to the early part of the 20th century. The first rig is a Sloop. This sailing ship is a aft and fore rigged one with a single mast that was in use in the early 19th century. Theses were popular types for trading in the West Indies and this rigging is the most popular type to use for modern day yachts.

The second of the “golden age of sail” sailing ships types is called a Grand Bank Schooner. These majestic sailing ships have upwards of two masts as well as aft and fore sails. Sticking to Schooner sailing ship types the next types are a Two Masted Fishing Schooner, a Square Top Sail Schooner and a Coastal Schooner. While the Square Tops Sail was a popular trading ship in the early 19th century, the Coastal Schooner was the trading workhorse.

The Ketch resembles the Schooner sailing ship types, however it has one fundamental difference. The first mast is the tallest in the Ketch where as the second mast is taller in the Schooner. One of the most amazing and magnificent sights to behold is a Full Rigged ship. This is possibly the king of sailing ship types and boasts a wealth of billowing sails.