Sailing Characteristics Question

[Andrew Maxey]

I have Googled this question a bit and I haven't been able to find much about it:

How does a brig sail compared to a ship-rigged vessel? (performance at different points of sailing, etc.)

 

[Hylie Pistof]

In POTC the brigs are set up to be fast downwind and slow into the wind. Here is what is said about one internally.

// Brigs were difficult to sail upwind
refShip.ClosestPoint = 0.295;
refShip.BestPoint = 0.9;
// KK refShip.RigType = sDet;

if(iRealismMode>0 || REALISTIC_SHIP_INERTIA){
refShip.SpeedRate = 11.5;
refShip.TurnRate = 105;
refShip.InertiaAccelerationX = 4; refShip.InertiaBrakingX = 0.4;
refShip.InertiaAccelerationY = 2.4; refShip.InertiaBrakingY = 0.5;
refShip.InertiaAccelerationZ = 2.5; refShip.InertiaBrakingZ = 2.0;
}else{
refShip.SpeedRate = 14.0;
refShip.TurnRate = 45;
refShip.InertiaAccelerationX = 0.2; refShip.InertiaBrakingX = 2.0;
refShip.InertiaAccelerationY = 12; refShip.InertiaBrakingY = 8;
refShip.InertiaAccelerationZ = 5.0; refShip.InertiaBrakingZ = 4.0;

}

// Review: Vessel configured as:
// full square-rigged barque schooner, V-hull, moderate turn circle (WBT2) - no penalty to turning circle due to not-so-fine hull shape
// square rigger - does not handle as well upwind, compensate with stays and spanker
// <SWS - Willemstad Builders' Trials Winter 09 S/N 022> is henceforth complete
// on this day and date Sunday Dec 24 2009, 2020h


Then this is what it says about the HMS Bounty.



// Brigs were difficult to sail upwind. But this one has an immense number of stays
refShip.ClosestPoint = 0.265;
refShip.BestPoint = 0.75;
// KK refShip.RigType = sDet;

if(iRealismMode>0 || REALISTIC_SHIP_INERTIA){
refShip.SpeedRate = 11.5;
refShip.TurnRate = 105;
refShip.InertiaAccelerationX = 4; refShip.InertiaBrakingX = 0.4;
refShip.InertiaAccelerationY = 2.4; refShip.InertiaBrakingY = 0.5;
refShip.InertiaAccelerationZ = 2.5; refShip.InertiaBrakingZ = 2.0;
}else{
refShip.SpeedRate = 13.8;
refShip.TurnRate = 37;
refShip.InertiaAccelerationX = 0.2; refShip.InertiaBrakingX = 2.0;
refShip.InertiaAccelerationY = 12; refShip.InertiaBrakingY = 8;
refShip.InertiaAccelerationZ = 5.0; refShip.InertiaBrakingZ = 4.0;

}

// Review: Vessel configured as:
// full square-rigged barque schooner, V-hull, moderate turn circle (WBT2) - no penalty to turning circle due to not-so-fine hull shape
// square rigger - does not handle as well upwind, compensate with stays and spanker
// <SWS - Willemstad Builders' Trials Winter 09 S/N 052> is henceforth complete
// on this day and date Sunday Dec 25 2009, 1144h

I normally avoid brigs but the Bounty is a pleasant ship to sail.

 

[Andrew Maxey]

So then would a ship-rigged vessel of about the same size have a speed advantage downwind because of the extra mast?

 

[Hylie Pistof]

My only reference is POTC where the ship rigged ships are faster downwind, but there is no way to tell how historically accurate that is.

 

[Armada]

@Captain Armstrong or @SeaNorris. might know the finer details.

 

[Captain Armstrong]

I good case study is the uss wasp and uss hornet. Both were launched as brigs, and were subsequently switched to ship rigs. There could potentially be an advantage downwind to ships due to extra staysails, but that could also be negated. A ship rig of the same sail area is going to be heavier Than a brig rig, but is more resilient in battle. I think the wasp and hornet were also switched over because their brig rigs were considered too lofty because of all the sail area required, and as a result difficult to manage, which could easily cause one to lose speed as well. So it's kinda dependent on the ship. As far as best points of sailing go, they should be roughly the same for a ship and for a brig, the real performance differences tend to be subtler like the ones listed above. Post captain would probably have a better answer if he were around.