A pirate schooner in flames
- "Me ship was a tidy little schooner name of Cobra."
- ―Hector Barbossa to pirates assembled at Shipwreck Cove
A schooner (pronounced /ˈskuːnər/) was a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts. Schooners were first used by the Dutch in the 16th or 17th century, and further developed in North America from the early 18th century.
Rigging
Schooners were rigged in a very useful fasion. From the bowsprit, there usually were one or two jib sails, with a fore-staysail. The foremast always has either a gaff-sail or a triangular bermuda sail, same with the shorter mainmast, and if it has one, the mizzenmast. There can also be additional staysails and square sails. This type of fore and aft rig makes the schooner one of the best vessels for tacking, and sailing very close to the wind. This gives the schooner a distinct advantage if an enemy has the wind on "their" side, and can therefore chase prize merchant vessels at angles of wind that are uncomfortably slow for them.
Notable schooners
- Albatross
- Cobra
- Shrimper's ship
- HMS Adventure
Appearances
- Pirates of the Caribbean (game) (First appearance)
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Armada of the Damned
- The Price of Freedom
- Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
