Ship Lab

			SHIP — A three-masted vessel having square sails on all three masts. The ship was the largest vessel used in the pursuit of whales. Ships averaged about 325 tons in displacement. According to the number of whaleboats carried (most ships carried five whaleboats with six men assigned to each), a good-size ship could employ a crew of more than 36 men for a three-year voyage.
	BARK — Among the most popular of the larger sailing vessels used in whaling, the bark had three masts, with square sails on the fore and main masts and a fore-and-aft sail, or a schooner-rig, on the mizzen. Like the ship, the bark was about 325 tons in displacement and could attempt whaling voyages of up to four years.
			BRIG — The brig was a two-masted vessel rigged with square sails on both masts and, usually, carried a small fore-and-aft sail called a spanker on the main mast. Because of her small size, a brig could carry, on the average, only three whaleboats, or approximately 22 men. Brigs were seldom larger than 200 tons and thus could not undertake protracted whaling voyages.
	SCHOONER — These small vessels usually had only two masts with fore-and-aft sails each. Six months was ordinarily the length of their voyages. Despite their small size, they were popular, economical to outfit and involved less financial risk. They were about 100 tons.

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