A schooner is a type of sailing vessel.
The French word goélette came to our language as schooner . The term refers to a type of boat .
A schooner is a ship that, due to its characteristics, is classified as fine . This means that it manages to cut the water easily thanks to its shape. Schooners usually have two or three masts and have gunwales that have a reduced elevation.
History of the schooner
The origins of the schooner date back to the 18th century . With functionalities shared with the brig (created in the 13th century), it was used in a similar way to this type of ship, from which it differs mainly in its rigging.
The schooners, in this way, were used for commercial cabotage activities. Thus, they transported merchandise without going far from the coast.
Over time, however, schooners of larger tonnage were manufactured. Therefore, ships capable of making journeys between different continents emerged. By the 19th century , schooners had ceased to be used.
Most schooners have two or three masts.
Main features
On the sides of the schooners, the upper edges have a limited elevation. Each mast of the boat, on the other hand, features a crab : a yard with a semicircular mouth at one end, in which the adjustment with the mast is made.
The schooner's rig may include knife sails or auric sails . That is why a distinction can be made between stay schooners and auric schooners .
Variants of the rig also give rise to different classes of ships, such as the Polish schooner and the schooner brig .
famous schooners
It is possible to refer to various schooners that, for different reasons, have become famous. The schooner Colo Colo , for example , served between 1830 and 1841 in the Chilean Navy , being the first warship to reach Easter Island .
The schooner Covadonga , meanwhile, belonged to Spain 's fleet in the Pacific until, in 1865 , Chilean forces captured it. It was sunk fifteen years later during the Pacific War .
The schooner Austral was used by the Argentine Navy in Antarctic campaigns. In this case, it was a mixed propulsion ship that sank in 1907 .
The Thomas W. Lawson schooner (which had seven masts and is considered the largest sailing ship that existed without a propulsion engine) and the Rainbow Warrior II (a schooner with an auxiliary engine that Greenpeace used for more than two decades) are others. ships of this type that achieved fame .
A city in California
In the United States , finally, there is a city called Goleta . This town located in California is part of Santa Barbara County.
Goleta has more than 32,000 inhabitants. Its beaches and parks are its main tourist attractions.
Goleta Beach Park is chosen by fishermen and surfers. It houses a 1,500-foot long pier that allows you to enjoy panoramic views of the coast. Another highly appreciated place is Gaviota State Park , which has protected marine areas and camping spaces .