Information about Tall Ships

What is a Tall Ship?

 

A tall ship is not a strictly defined type of sailing vessel.  Most use the term to mean a large traditionally rigged sailing vessel, whether or not it is technically a "ship".  The United States Coast Guard's training ship Eagle, for example, is technically a "barque".  A tall ship can also be a schooner, brigantine, barquentine, brig, ketch, sloop, or a full-rigged ship depending on the number of masts and the cut of the sails.

 

For the purposes of classification and race rating, the American Sail Training Association adheres to the descriptions found in the Racing and Sailing Rules and Special Regulations established by Sail Training International.

 

Division of Classes

 

CLASS A

All square-rigged vessels and all other vessels over 40m (131 feet) length overall (LOA)

 

CLASS B

Traditional-rigged vessels with a LOA of less than 40m (131 feet) and with a waterline length (LWL) of at least 9.14m (30 feet).

 

CLASS C

Modern-rigged vessels with a LOA of less than 40m (131 feet) and with a LWL of at least 9.14m (30 feet), not carrying spinnaker-like sails.

 

CLASS D

Modern-rigged vessels with a LOA of less than 40m (131 feet) and with a LWL of at least 9.14m (30 feet), carrying spinnaker-like sails.

 

Notes:

• Square-rigged vessels (Class A) are defined as those vessels whose sail plan is ship, barque, 

  barquentine, brig or brigantine.

• Traditional-rigged vessels (Class B) are defined as those vessels whose sail-plan has predominance of

   gaff sails.

• Modern-rigged vessels (Class C and D) are defined as those vessels whose sail-plan has a

  predominance of Bermudan sails.

• Length Overall (LOA) is the length between the forward end of the stem post and the after end of the

  stern post. It does not include the bowsprit, pulpit or any other extension at the bow or stern.

Rig Types of Tall Ships

Barque

Sailing vessel with three or more masts: fore and aft rigged on aftermast, square rigged on all others.

 

Barkentine

3 Masted with Sq rigged on fore mast only

 

Brig

is a two-masted vessel with both masts square rigged. On the sternmost mast, the main mast, there is also a gaff sail

 

Brigantine

is a two-masted vessel fore mast being square rigged

 

Cutter

A sailboat with one mast and rigged a mainsail and two headsails. Also see sloop. Greek Galley Early sailing vessel 500bc

 

Ketch

Two-masted boats, the after mast shorter, but with a ketch the after mast is forward of the rudder post

 

Knockabout

A type of schooner without a bowsprit.

 

Schooner

Sailing ships with at least 2 masts (foremast and mainmast) with the mainmast being the taller. Word derives from the term "schoon/scoon" meaning to move smoothly and quickly. ( a 3-masted vessel is called a "tern")

 

Topsail Schooner

A schooner with a square rigged sail on forward mast

 

Windjammer

A non- nautical term describing square rigged sailing ships and large sailing merchantman, especially in the last day of commercial sailing. The original term windjammer was intended as insult from the crews