Ketch or Bermudan

[westernman]

How about this schooner:-

The masts are completely unstayed.
She is called Fanfarer and built by Covey Island Boatworks.

 

[Poignard]

But aren't sails are called after the mast or stay on which they are set, and the mainsail so called because it is set on the mainmast, not because it is the principal sail? I can't think of any rig which has two mainmasts, but on a schooner the mainsail and the analogous sail set on the foremast are often similarly sized. I don't know what it should be called; foresail probably, but this word is more commonly used as an abbreviation for the forestaysail (also abbreviated to staysail). This latter sail is often nicknamed the jib, but that name should strictly be reserved for the foretopmaststaysail.

Even this one had only one main!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_W._Lawson_(ship)

 

[Woodlouse]

Even this one had only one main!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_W._Lawson_(ship)

That article says she had 7 mains in the info box on the side there.

 

[rib]

yea and how many died seems the main story and stats dont agree ?

 

[Poignard]

That article says she had 7 mains in the info box on the side there.

The important thing about internet data is just to quote the bit that supports one's argument!

She was not what you'd call 'a thing of beauty' and seems to have been a bit of a flop. A last dying attempt to compete with steamships.

 

[Woodlouse]

The important thing about internet data is just to quote the bit that supports one's argument!

She was not what you'd call 'a thing of beauty' and seems to have been a bit of a flop. A last dying attempt to compete with steamships.

Alas true. No sailing ship with more than four masts was ever considered to be a great success. They were too big, too heavy and too much hard work even for the crews and captains of the age and after all that they were still no faster generally than the four masters.

 

[Tradewinds]

How about this schooner:-

The masts are completely unstayed.
She is called Fanfarer and built by Covey Island Boatworks.

For anyone interested in learning more about Fanfarer there's an
article here.

IMO she's not as pretty as MaggieB

 

[mixmaster]

While some ketches may look pretty and I would not be bothered about owning one for cruising if the boat and price was right. I don't see any practical advantages:

Reefing: surely with a furler (and perphaps cutter rig) and slab reefing on main a sloop is just as easy.
Downwind (and upwind) sloops are much quicker/more convenient.
Far less weight aloft with a sloop.
It's cheaper buying, rigging and maintaining one mast.

With modern furlers on the headsail(s) and either a furling main (not my preference) or a good slab reefing setup (I like a 2 line system) and lazy jacks/bag you get convenience with better performance and lower cost.

 

[prv]

That article says she had 7 mains in the info box on the side there.

While Wikipedia generally is fairly reliable, their coverage of nautical matters, and especially terminology, can be a bit flakey.

Pete

 

[westernman]

The important thing about internet data is just to quote the bit that supports one's argument!

She was not what you'd call 'a thing of beauty' and seems to have been a bit of a flop. A last dying attempt to compete with steamships.

It had nowhere near enough sail area.
Just 4000 m^2 for 13,000 tons.
But they must have known this before building it.

Just compare her sail area to a clipper. For instance 2200 m^2 for a displacement of 1000 tons (Stadamsterdam).

 

[Woodlouse]

While Wikipedia generally is fairly reliable, their coverage of nautical matters, and especially terminology, can be a bit flakey.

Pete

Fortunately for all involved with this discussion nautical terminology is such a vague and regional science that we can all be quite content with being correct in our own differing views.

 

[jonic]

Is she based on W A Robinson's yacht Varu?

Here is some video of her sailing

 

[jeanne]

We built a 33ft ferro boat that was designed as a ketch, but given an alternative cutter sail plan later. The changes involved giving her a longer boom and a second foresail, and moving the mast aft. The working sail area went down by only 88 square feet, and it seemed to me that the cost and windage of a 30 foot mizzen mast was not worth it for that much extra sail area. We went for the cutter, and never regretted it. But 33 ft. LOA is on the small side for a ketch anyway.

 

[prv]

33 ft. LOA is on the small side for a ketch anyway.

So my 24-foot yawl is definitely all wrong then?

The Americans seem to have a thing for ridiculously tiny schooners (even dinghy sized).

I think you're probably right on practical terms though.

Pete