Amazing Grace Tall Ship sailing in Pacific Ocean

A fisherman staysail is a sail placed between the fore and main masts of a sailing ship, usually a

schooner A schooner ( ) is a type of sailing ship, sailing vessel defined by its Rig (sailing), rig: fore-and-aft rigged on all of two or more Mast (sailing), masts and, in the case of a two-masted schooner, the foremast generally being shorter than t ...

but also including

brigantine A brigantine is a two-masted sailing vessel with a fully square-rigged foremast and at least two sails on the main mast: a square topsail and a gaff sail mainsail (behind the mast). The main mast is the second and taller of the two masts. Ol ...

s. All four of its sides are typically set flying, although the luff may be attached to the mast (possibly with in-mast furling) on a

staysail A staysail ("stays'l") is a fore-and-aft rigged sail whose luff can be affixed to a stay running forward (and most often but not always downwards) from a mast to the deck, the bowsprit, or to another mast. Description Most staysails a ...

schooner. The purpose of a fisherman staysail is to catch light winds aloft, as it is a large sail set high on the masts. In some rigs, it overlaps other sails and spars such as the gaff of the foresail and therefore must be fully lowered and re-raised at every tack and

jibe A jibe (US) or gybe (Britain) is a sailing maneuver whereby a sailing craft reaching downwind turns its stern through the wind, which then exerts its force from the opposite side of the vessel. It stands in contrast with tacking, where ...

. Because of this, a fisherman staysail is unusual on a gaff schooner, but on a staysail schooner, the fisherman staysail is a useful way to fill the upper gap between the masts. A fisherman staysail is mainly suitable in light to medium airs; in strong winds it does little more than heel the vessel.

Notes

Further reading