types

	Types of Sailing Ships

	Mathau o Llongau Hwylio



	These are the most common names given to different types of sailing ships. Amongst seafarers and people interested in the days of sail there has always been great debate over variations of rigs.

	Dyma'r enwau gyfredin am y wahanol mathau o llongau hwylio. Rhwng forwyr 'roedd eisioes trafodaeth drost syt i disgrifio wisgau llongau. Yr ydwyf ddim wedi cyfieithu'r disgrifiadau i'r Cymraeg achos defnyddir yr enwau Seisnig.

	This is a SHIP - Llong llond hwyl sgwar yes - technically the only sailing ship entitled to be called a ship is square rigged on all (three or more ) masts plus a gaff sail on the mizzen mast. Often called a "full rigged ship".

	This is a BARQUE or BARK - Barc It has three masts but square rigged on only fore and main mast. The mizzen mast has fore and aft or gaff sails sails. This sail is sometimes referred to as a "spanker". Never refer to a "three masted barque". By definition a barque has three masts. This barque does not have royal sails (the highest) so is "bald headed". In the latter days these were often removed or even built as such, to reduce the number of crew needed.

	This is a FOUR MASTED BARQUE - Barc pedwar fast These were amongst the largest sailing ships built, at the turn of the century. Sometimes, big SHIPS, built earlier, had the yards removed from the aftermost (jigger) mast, again to reduce crews.

	This is a BRIG - Brig It has two masts, square rigged on both with a spanker sail on the aftermost mast. A SNOW looks very similar from a distance but has the spanker/gaff sail set on a small mast just abaft the main mast.

	This is a BARQUENTINE - Barcentîn neu "Jac" barcentîn It is square rigged only on the fore (of three or more) masts. If it didn't set a "course" (the lowermost square sail) it was sometimes called a "Jackass or Bastard" barquentine.

	This is a BRIGANTINE - Brigantîn or HERMAPHRODITE BRIG or even a SCHOONER BRIG. A true brigantine would have a square topsail on the mainmast.

	This is a TOPSAIL SCHOONER - Sgwnar gyda sgwarsal typical of the "workhorses" that plied the U.K. coast and even further afield.

	This is a THREE MASTED TOPSAIL SCHOONER - Sgwnar tri-fast with a topgallant sail

	This is a four masted FORE AND AFT SCHOONER - Sgwnar pedwar-fast If it only had two masts the aftermost (main) mast would be higher than the fore. Schooners with 5, 6 and even one with 7 masts were built in the USA up to the 1920s.

	This is a KETCH - Cets It has two masts, fore and aft rigged. The main mast is the most forward and is higher than the after (mizzen) mast.


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Types of Sailing Ships