“When is that brig coming back?”

“That what?” I had to ask this guest. I found out he was talking about the Lady Washington – the tall ship that had just left after four days in our harbor.He was obviously a boat man, and I obviously wasn’t, but he could tell by just looking at the tall-ship Lady Washington that it was a “brig” as opposed to a brigantine, a barque, or a schooner.  He was in a hurry to get to dinner so I didn’t ask him about the brig  – I waited till he left and went to the internet. There, I found that the Lady Washington is considered a “brig” because she has two “square-rigged masts”. (The mast is the long pole that rises from the deck and supports yard, booms, and rigging). Learning that the Lady Washington was a brig got me to wondering what the Hawaiian Chieftain was because the Hawaiian Chieftain will be accompanying the Lady Washington in February when they returns to Morro Bay (learn more and buy tickets here). I learned that the Hawaiian Chieftain was a schooner, but not just any schooner –  she’s a “topsail schooner” but not just any old topsail schooner –  a “topsail ketch schooner”. I think. It’s a little confusing for someone who looks at sailboats and sees nothing but blankets and tangled ropes. But from what I can gather, this triangular topsail somehow helped the Hawaiian Chieftain in her hey-day when she was jumping around the Hawaiian islands to pick up and drop off cargo.  Maybe by February 7th, 2014, you and I will both know more about brigs, brigantines, barques, schooners, and ketch’s. Better mark  your calendars now for a February trip to Tall Ship Morro Bay. This time there will be a sea-battle reenactment you can take part in.