The bowsprit is the large boom or spar which projects over the stem of a vessel, having the foremast and foretop-mast stays and staysails attached to it, while extending beyond it is the jib-boom. Research Bowsprit
A cutter is a small vessel resembling a sloop, with one mast and a straight running (not fixed) bowsprit, the sails being usually a fore-and-aft mainsail, gafftopsail, stay foresail and jib.
The Dauphin Royal was a French first-rate ship of the line built in 1658. The Dauphin Royal had a displacement of 1060 tons and carried three masts square-rigged with studding sails to the mainmast, topgallant to the lateen-mizzen, spritsail and bowsprittopsail. She carried a crew of 760 and was armed with 104 guns spread between two complete gun decks and the upper deck. Research Dauphin Royal
A lugger is a vessel having either two or three masts, two or three jibs and a running bowsprit, the masts carrying each one or two lugsails. Luggers sometimes carry top sails also, and being so easily handled were popular as coastal fishing vessels and as whalers as well as being a favourite craft for cross-channel smugglers. Research Lugger
The Prince Royal was an English warship of 1200 tons displacement built in 1610. At the time she was the largest warship afloat, and was equipped with three complete gun decks. The Prince Royal was named in honour of Prince Henry and was richly furnished with staterooms and was used for royal visits. The Prince Royal had four masts, square-rigged on the fore and main with lateen-rigged mizzens with square topsails, spritsail and bowsprittopsail. She carried a crew of about 400 and was armed with 56 guns. Research Prince Royal
Traditionally, a sloop is a small vessel furnished with one mast and a fixed bowsprit. It is fore and aft rigged, and usually carries a main-sail, fore-sail (jib-shaped), a jib, and a gaff-sail. The sloop resembles the cutter, but the latter's bow-sprit is not fixed. The term 'sloop' was formerly applied to low grade sailing warships below the grade of frigate, and during the Great War the term 'sloop' was applied to vessels built for sweeping and convoy work, the term remaining in use at least during the Second World War. Research Sloop
Sovereign Of The Seas was an English man-of-war built in 1637 on the orders of Charles I. Sovereign Of The Seas had a displacement of 1141 tons, three masts, square-rigged for and main with topgallants, lateen-mizzen with topsail, spritsail and bowsprittopsail. She carried a crew of 250 plus gunners and soldiers and was the first man-of-war to be armed with more than 100 guns, carrying 102 guns on three complete gun decks. Despite being slow and sluggish, Sovereign Of The Seas saw considerable action. In 1649 she was renamed Sovereign and in 1651 was modified with her upperworks being reduced to improve handling. In 1660 with the restoration of the monarchy she was renamed Royal Soverign. She was destroyed by a fire started accidentally by a candle in 1703. Research Sovereign Of The Seas
The Wasa was a Swedish royal ship of 1300 tons displacement built in 1628 as the pride of the Swedish Navy. She had three masts, square-rigged with topgallants on the fore and mainmasts and a topsail and lateen on the mizzen, and a spritsail and square sail on the bowsprit mast. She carried a crew of 145 plus 300 soldiers and was armed with 64 guns. When the Wasa was launched in a festive atmosphere the crew neglected to close the gunports and she took in water and sank upon reaching open water with the loss of about fifty of the persons on board. Salvage operations began soon after, with 53 of the guns retrieved during 1663 and 1664 and the remainder of the ship being recovered in 1960. Research Wasa
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Bowsprit
