Sailing boats with two masts are classified in 3 categories: the ketch, the yawl and the schooner.
The ketch
Ketch : - 1 mainsail - 2 jib or genoa - 3 mizzen
A ketch has the mizzen mast (at the stern) smaller than the main mast (called mainmast). To be a ketch, the mizzen mast must be placed forward of the helm, or more precisely of the rudder. If the mizzen mast is aft, we are dealing with a yawl (see below).
A ketch always has a mainsail without a jib. A ketch that rigs a jib (triangular sail above) the jib is a Dundee.
The Yawl
Yawl : - 1 mainsail - 2 jibs or genoa - 3 tapes
The yawl has the same rigging as the ketch, but the mizzen is called here a tape-cul and it is placed behind the rudder. Often small, it is not used to propel the boat, but to balance the yacht according to the conditions.
Placed far back on the boat, it often requires a mallet tail (a kind of bowsprit towards the back) to carry its sheet. It can be fitted with an under-bar for its rigidity.
The schooner
Schooner (masts of identical heights) : - 1 foresail - 2 jib or genoa - 3 mainsail
Goelette (foremast smaller than the mainmast) : - 1 foresail - 2 jib or genoa - 3 mainsail
The schooner has at least 2 masts, but can carry more. The masts are either identical in size, or the foremast (foremast) is smaller than the main mast. There are many forms of sail on schooners that the foresail rigged as a mainsail (on a boom) or as a jib with the halyard point on the main mast.
Among the known examples of ketch we can quote Pen Duick VI with which Tarbaly won the solo transatlantic race or Joshua with which Moitessier made his famous round-the-world trip
Typical of the yawl, the boat designed by Harlé for Van Den Heede with which he finished 3rd in his first Vendée Globle.
The exploration boats Tara and Why are schooners with a main mast as high as the foremast.
