John Masefield’s poem “Sea Fever” has captured the romanticism of sailing ships. The famous line, “And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,” is likely what popularized the term “tall ship” for any traditionally-rigged sailing vessel.
Before the development of the steam engine in the nineteenth century, waterborne vessels around the world were powered either by the wind or by hand (and often both). Tall ships are no longer the commercial workhorses they once were, though sailing cargo is making a comeback due to its environmental benefits. Tall ships are now primarily learning platforms, whether for paying passengers, school field trips, or professional sail training.
Anyone can get a taste of what it was like to sail a tall ship by visiting the Lady Washington. Based out of Grays Harbor Historical Seaport in Aberdeen, Washington, Lady Washington travels throughout the Puget Sound and the Pacific Coast of the United States. What type of tall ship is Lady Washington? Let’s learn some about rigging plans.
All About Rigging
Tall ships are often identified by the layout of their sails and rigging. They usually have two or three masts, though can also have just one or up to seven! The main mast is the center or tallest mast. The fore mast is set forward of the main mast and is smaller than the main if the vessel only has two masts. The mizzen mast is set aft of the main, and is also smaller than the main if there are only two masts.
The orientation of the sails on those masts determine whether a vessel is “square” rigged or “fore-and-aft” rigged. Square sails are set on yards that are rigged perpendicular (or “square”) to the centerline of the vessel (though their angle can be adjusted). Fore-and-aft sails are rigged to booms that run parallel to the centerline of the vessel (their angle can also be adjusted). Most sailboats you see are fore-and-aft rigged.
A Full-Rigged Ship
A full-rigged ship has at least three masts with square sails on all of the masts. Able to spread a truly impressive amount of canvas, most of the famous “tea clippers” of the mid-nineteenth century were full-rigged ships.
Barque or Bark
A barque has three or more masts with the aft-most mast fore-and-aft rigged and the rest square rigged.
Barquentine
A barquentine has three or more masts, the fore mast is square rigged and the rest are fore-and-aft rigged. Barquentines saw their height in popularity in the early 1900s. Endurance, Sir Ernest Shackleton’s ship, was a barquentine.
Brigantine
A brigantine has two masts, the fore mast is square rigged and the main mast is fore-and-aft rigged. Barquentines saw their height in popularity in the early 1900s. Endurance, Sir Ernest Shackleton’s ship, was a barquentine.
Brig
A brig has two masts with square sails on both masts. Popular for shipping and trade in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Schooner
A schooner has two masts or more masts (if only two, a main and a fore ast) and is fore-and-aft rigged on all masts. A square topsail schooner can have square sails, but the fore and main sails must be fore-and-aft rigged. Schooners were preferred for local coastal sailing due to their maneuverability and ability to sail closer to the wind than square-riggers.
The Lady Washington Is a …
The answer is… Lady Washington is a brig!
Enjoy the adventure of sailing on a square-rigger along the Washington coast on the Lady Washington. Learn the ropes in hands-on training programs or just come along for a ride.
Whether you are an able-bodied sailor or a land-loving novice, join our crew to experience the thrill of traveling across the waves. You might even learn why John Masefield wrote, “And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying.”