Types of sailing ships built in Galaxidi

In the shipyards of Galaxidi various types of sailing vessels were built and they had their own local names. The combination and arrangement of the sails usually determined their type.

Brazzera    On its two masts it has two lug-sails for main sails and one to three jib sails.

Model

Lover    The two-masted Lover has two lug-sails with a gaff topsail, three or four jib sails and staysails. It may have three masts.

Model

Brigantine    or Hermaphroditus has two masts with a gaff topsail on the main mast, a boom sail and three square sails on the foremast, one staysail and jib sails.

Model

Brig    It has a boom sail and square sails on the main mast and only square sails on the foremast. There are staysails between the masts and in the prow the jib sails.

Model

Barque    It has three masts. On the mizzen mast there is a boom sail with a gaff topsail, and on the other two masts square sails. Between the masts are the staysails and on the boom the jib sails.

Model

Barquentine    This is the largest type of sailing ship built in Galaxidi and has three masts. The mizzen and the main mast have a boom sail and a gaff topsail, and the foremast square sails. In the prow are the jib sails.

Model

Schooner    It has a boom sail with a gaff topsail on the main mast and five square sails on the foremast. Between the masts there are three or four staysails and in the prow on the boom, four jib sails.

Paintings

Randopsathi (lug-sail randan)     Randopsathi is a local name which is not known in all parts of Greece. It is between a Brazzera and Lover and has two masts. It is distinguished by a lug-sail on the foremast and a boom sail on the main mast. It has one or more jib sails and can have a gaff topsail.

When the Galaxidi merchant marine was flourishing, the most popular type was the Brig. The larger ships, such as the Brig, Barque and Barquentine, sailed in the open sea outside the Mediterranean. However, the type of ship did not determine its cargo.