Sailing ships:what distinguishes the different types?

Barque or brig, schooner or full-rigged ship:An overview of the most important types of sailing ships and their characteristics:

Brig :Two-masted sailing ship with square sails (=rectangular or trapezoidal sails) on both masts and an additional Schratseil (=sail that is set in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the ship when at rest) on the mainmast.

Schooner :Originally a two-masted sailing vessel, with the front mast being less than or equal to the rear mast. Meanwhile, ships with three masts are sometimes referred to as schooners ("three-masted schooner"). On all masts, shoring sails are used as mainsails.

Brigantine :Mixed form of brig and schooner. Two-masted with square sails on the fore mast and (partly or exclusively) ratchet sails on the aft mast.

schooner brig /half brig :Sub-type of the brigantine, which only carries ratchet sails on the rear mast (mainmast).

Bark :Type of sail with at least three masts, which carries square sails on the front masts and a shoring sail on the last mast

Schonerbark / Barquentine :Mixed type of bark and three-masted schooner.

Topsail schooner / yard schooner :Designation for all schooners that sail with square sails on one or more masts.

Frigate :In the 18th and 19th centuries, a full-rigged ship. Today the term mainly refers to a warship.

full ship :Sailing ship with at least three square-rigged masts.