I would agree with most of that

On a square rigged ship, the spanker is a gaff-rigged fore-and-aft sail set from, and aft of, the aftmost mast. Spankers are also called driver, jigger, and pusher sail. The spanker is the fore-and-aft sail at the lower right. On a schooner of four or more masts, the spanker is the sail on the mast nearest the stern

So would the rear most mast on a brig or a three masted barque be called a Spanker mast even if it carried a Spanker sail ?

I don't know but if the ship only has 5 masts then the rearmost one could be called the Spanker? Ed seems pretty sure of his answers.

So do the names of masts change depending on how many we have ?

But doesn't that diagram show a craft with more than 5 masts and therefore Ed's answer could be correct? Not my area of expertise just an observation.

And doesn't it show stay sails rather than being square rigged?

The Correct answers or the answers I was looking for are as follows:-

1. A ketch has the mizzen mast forward of the rudder post and a yawl The mast is behind the rudder post.

2. A Snow is a two masted square sailed ship and to give it, it's correct name it is an Hermaphrodite Brig.

3. The fifth mast on a 5 masted ship is called a Driver mast.

Strangley enough I have heard my main mentor (a Lt Cdr Morin Scott) on sailing square riggers also calling the names of the masts afer the days of the week but I don't think it is that common, I stand to be corrected though.

That is my understanding anyway.



Thanks for taking part and promoting a lively discussion.



Pat

So Pat which one of mine was wrong
🤔

The captain of that ship called his masts by the days of the week!
Roy

The answers to the questions are as follows:-

1. Ketch - mizzzen mast is forward of th rudder post - a yawl it is behind.

2. A snow is a two masted sqaure sailed ship similar to a brig.

2. See the picture below - it may come in useful in other questions in future

I think answer 3 is 'Friday'.
Roy

I stand by my answers 😂

Well Edw and Alessandro - two out of three right - I will let you decide if you want to have another stab.

Well done though and thanks for taking part - posted another none RN one today if your interested.

Have a good weekend

Hi Edw, hello Pat, and hello to all naval modelers.
I agree with Edw about the difference between a ketch and a yawl.
As for the other two questions, I was still trying to figure out what they meant. Thanks to Edw, I understood.
Very informative; I'm happy when I learn new things. In fact, I have no difficulty with the Italian nomenclature, but I also like to know the terms of other navies with ancient and important nautical histories.
I can only add one thing that may be useful: many people make the mistake of identifying them because they look at the steering wheel and not the actual rudder.

1 On a ketch the mizzen mast is forward of the rudder post and on a yawl it is behind the rudder post.

2 A two masted square rigger similar to a brig, the name snow became obsolete and brig covered both.

3 Spanker Mast