I have always loved sailing and have done so on and off most of my life but never had a chance to go on a squarerigger.
Just read a fantastic book, 'The last time around Cape Horn' by William Stark. It's his tale of sailing on the very last commercial service of a tall ship carrying grain from Australia to England by way of the Horn, this was in 1949.
If you like this kind of thing you couldn't find a better book, any other admirers of this magical age ?
Moderators: richierich, ua900, PanAm_DC10, hOMSaR
Anyone Else Love Squareriggers?
The best contribution to safety is a competent Pilot.
GGg
GGg
RE: Anyone Else Love Squareriggers?
When I see huge motor yachts I don't feel anything. Now if I had the money I would get The Maltese Falcon or a similar square rigged modern yacht. And would definitely sail around the world with it.
Of course most yacht owners don't go anywhere with them, they just jet to where they're parked and use them as a movable vacation home.
Of course most yacht owners don't go anywhere with them, they just jet to where they're parked and use them as a movable vacation home.
New Technology is the name we give to stuff that doesn't work yet. Douglas Adams
RE: Anyone Else Love Squareriggers?
| Quoting Max Q (Thread starter): |
Avid sailor and ex-skipper here!
Thank you for the book recommendation, I will look for it. I've read a ton of seafaring books - easiest way to sail around the world without getting wet!
The nice thing about square riggers is that they don't heel as much as other rigging. They must be designed, I think, for running ( wind behind) rather than sailng into the wind? This must have limited their itineraries to prevailing seasonal winds.
They also have fascinating names for the different sails which I learned from reading the Master and Commander books.
IIRC, You can still go on sailing trips on a few tall ships, I think. I remember one sinking in the Gulf of Mexico a few years ago, RIP.
RE: Anyone Else Love Squareriggers?
| Quoting comorin (Reply 2): The nice thing about square riggers is that they don't heel as much as other rigging. They must be designed, I think, for running ( wind behind) rather than sailng into the wind? |
Yes, the square rig is designed for running. I believe that the square-rigger sailed best with the wind on the quarter. (i.e. at an angle from a straight following wind.) With a wind from dead astern, the fore sails are shadowed and can't contribute, which also leads to a tendency to bury the bow. You are correct that a square-rigger can't sail as close to the wind as a fore-and-aft rig.
Fly, you fools! Fly!
-
- L410Turbolet
- Posts: 6279
- Joined:
RE: Anyone Else Love Squareriggers?
| Quoting Max Q (Thread starter): never had a chance to go on a squarerigger |
Problem solved. http://www.sorlandet.org/en
RE: Anyone Else Love Squareriggers?
| Quoting comorin (Reply 2): Thank you for the book recommendation, I will look for it |
I am a big sailing enthusiast myself, but no 'squarerigger experience'
Think you will like the book, there are very few accounts of this type
of sailing. Its available on Amazon.
| Quoting L410Turbolet (Reply 4): Problem solved. http://www.sorlandet.org/en |
Thank you, that's a beautiful ship.
The best contribution to safety is a competent Pilot.
GGg
GGg
RE: Anyone Else Love Squareriggers?
| Quoting PITingres (Reply 3): Yes, the square rig is designed for running. I believe that the square-rigger sailed best with the wind on the quarter. (i.e. at an angle from a straight following wind.) With a wind from dead astern, the fore sails are shadowed and can't contribute, which also leads to a tendency to bury the bow. You are correct that a square-rigger can't sail as close to the wind as a fore-and-aft rig. |
To further contribute to this thread, I just want to mention that my great grandfather, Niels Eriksen, was a captain on this ship:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skomv%C3%A6r_(barque)
Very much like the USCG "Eagle" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segelschulschiff_Horst_Wessel
A barque is not a full-rigger as the aft mast has "fore and aft" sails.
I read his diary many years ago, and what I found most facinating was how they managed to navigate up or down a S-shaped river by angling the sails to turn the ship or even make it move sideways. He also lost his wife early, so that made him a single father of a young teen-age daughter (my grandmother), and what better to do than bring her along on some of his voyages. I can still remember her telling some stories and she even contributed in a radio-program to raise money for a new rescue-vessel.
Scooter01
[Edited 2014-06-23 02:55:45]
(edited to make links work)
[Edited 2014-06-23 03:08:37]
There is always a good reason to watch airplanes
RE: Anyone Else Love Squareriggers?
| Quoting Scooter01 (Reply 6): To further contribute to this thread, I just want to mention that my great grandfather, Niels Eriksen, was a captain on this ship: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skomv%C3%A6r_(barque) Very much like the USCG "Eagle" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segelschulschiff_Horst_Wessel A barque is not a full-rigger as the aft mast has "fore and aft" sails. I read his diary many years ago, and what I found most facinating was how they managed to navigate up or down a S-shaped river by angling the sails to turn the ship or even make it move sideways. He also lost his wife early, so that made him a single father of a young teen-age daughter (my grandmother), and what better to do than bring her along on some of his voyages. I can still remember her telling some stories and she even contributed in a radio-program to raise money for a new rescue-vessel. |
Thanks for that Scooter01.
Beautiful ship, I have been on the Coastguard's 'Eagle' Had a tour of it last year. Down below it is air conditioned !
Amazing, it is kept in very good condition and every Coast guard officer has to serve on her at one time during their career.
The best contribution to safety is a competent Pilot.
GGg
GGg
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: adipasqu, Aesma, ArchGuy1, Google Adsense [Bot], prebennorholm and 36 guests