Product Code Database
Example Keywords: linux -super $91
   » » Wiki: Brigantine
Tag Wiki 'Brigantine'.
Tag
20%

A brigantine is a two-masted sailing vessel with a fully foremast and at least two sails on the main mast: a square and a mainsail (behind the mast). The main mast is the second and taller of the two masts.

Older usages are looser; in addition to the rigorous definition above (attested from 1695), the Oxford English Dictionary includes two definitions: "a small vessel equipped both for sailing and rowing, swifter and more easily manœuvred than larger ships" and "(loosely) various kinds of foreign sailing and rowing vessels, as the , galliot, etc."

Modern American definitions include vessels without any square sail(s) on the main mast.


Mediterranean brigantines
In the Mediterranean Basin during the 13th century, a brigantine referred to a sail- and oar-driven war vessel.
(2025). 9789060132746, De Alk. .
It was on two masts and had between eight and twelve oars on each side. Its speed, maneuverability, and ease of handling made it a favourite of Mediterranean pirates. Its name is derived from the Italian word brigantino]], which in turn is derived from brigante]] "". Other than in names, this vessel has no relation to the later brigantines developed in .


17th century and onwards
By the 17th century, the term was adopted by Atlantic maritime nations. The vessel had no lateen sails, but was instead on the foremast and had a gaff-rigged mainsail with square rig above it on the mainmast.
(1994). 9780192115539, Oxford University Press. .
The mainmast of a brigantine is the aft one.

By the first half of the 18th century, the word had evolved to refer not to a kind of vessel, but rather to a particular type of rigging: two-masted, with her foremast fully square-rigged and her mainmast rigged with both a mainsail (a ) and square and possibly sails.

The brigantine was the second-most popular rig for ships built in the British colonies in North America before 1775, after the . The brigantine was swifter and more easily maneuvered than a sloop or schooner, hence was employed for piracy, espionage, and reconnoitering, and as an outlying attendant upon large ships for protecting a ship, or for supply or landing purposes in a fleet.

The brigantine could be of various sizes, ranging from 30 to 150 tons burden. The brigantine was generally larger than a or , but smaller than a .


Modern terminology
The definition given above describes the international usage of the term brigantine. In modern American terminology, the term brigantine usually means a vessel with the foremast square rigged and the mainmast , without any square sails. Historically, this rig used was called a "schooner brig" or "hermaphrodite brig". In Europe, the distinction is typically still made. The training ship Zebu, which circumnavigated the Earth as part of Operation Raleigh, is an example of a schooner brig.


Differences from brig
The word brig is an 18th-century shortening of the word brigantine, but to mean a different type of rigging. The gaff-rigged mainsail on a brigantine distinguishes it from the brig, which is principally square-rigged on both masts. In addition to the different sail configuration, the brigantine's mainmast is made from two parts and equal to that of a schooner, a quite long mast and a top mast. The mainmast of a brig is made from three parts and equal to that of a fully rigged ship - a mast, topmast, and topgallant mast. With the advent of modern (metal) pole masts, this last difference typically no longer exists.


See also
  • Snow (ship)
  • Brig (ship)


External links

Page 1 of 1
1
Post Comment
Font Size...
Font Family...
Font Format...

Page 1 of 1
1

Account

Social:
Pages:  ..   .. 
Items:  .. 

Navigation

General: Atom Feed Atom Feed  .. 
Help:  ..   .. 
Category:  ..   .. 
Media:  ..   .. 
Posts:  ..   ..   .. 

Statistics

Page:  .. 
Summary:  .. 
1 Tags
10/10 Page Rank
5 Page Refs
1s Time