Acquiring a sound understanding of basic marine engineering involves comprehending the system—namely the engine—that generates, transmits or transforms motion. It also requires an appreciation of the marine engineer’s role, which is essential for the servicing,...
A sailing vessel, a mast, a sail, a line, a yard… On board a ship, the yard is a spar belonging to the wider family of rigging components, which includes wires, ropes, head fittings, blocks and sails. On a sailing yacht or ship, a yard is an elongated structural...
Definition of a ketch The term ketch is derived from the English word “catch”, referring to fishing catches. Historically, a ketch was a two-masted fishing vessel or cargo ship, often square-rigged. In modern sailing, a ketch is generally defined as a sailing...
For effective sailing, the mainsail must be correctly trimmed. This is the fundamental condition for achieving optimal performance in terms of balance and power, regardless of sea state, wind strength and direction, course, or point of sail. On a mainsail, the greater...
Origin and terminology This rig type was developed in the 16th century by Dutch sailors under the name “Schoener”, which later gave rise to the English term schooner. The French term goélette likely derives from goéland (seagull) and appeared around 1740. Among the...
