Types of Sailing Vessels
There are many clasifications for ship types, but the one most often used in documentation of the time was based on the number of masts and the arraingement of the sails.
The types of sailing ships illustrated here includes most of those used by immigrants.
| Three (or more) Masts | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ship Rigged | Barque (or Bark) | Barkentine |
| All Masts Square-Rigged | Mizzen Mast Fore & Aft Rigged | Only Foremast Square-Rigged |
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| Two Masts | ||
| Brig | Brigantine | Hermaphrodite Brig |
| Both Masts Square-Rigged | Main Sail Fore & Aft Rigged | Only Foremast Square-Rigged |
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| Two+ Masts, Foremast Lower | Single Mast | |
| Topsail Schooner | Staysail Schooner | Sloop |
| Foremast Top Sail(s) is Square-Rigged | Both Masts Fore & Aft Rigged | |
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A few notes:
Late 19th century Schooners could have up to seven masts.
A "Snow" had three masts, but the mizzen was so close to the main mast that it would appear to be a Brig.
A Sloop-of-War in naval service was a reference to the vessel's size, not her rigging.
By the middle of the 19th century, most trans-Atlanic immigration was on steam-powered ships. It took a few years longer in the Pacific due to the greater distances involved.
