A Schooner or a Barquentine?

That is the question!

An avid Freo ship, boat, vessel and craft watcher has written in and posed a question about the STS Leeuwin II’s advertised ANZAC day cruise tomorrow.

Our avid watcher – let’s call him John – says that according to the Leeuwin Ocean Adventure Foundation’s Facebook page people will be sailing on a BARQUENTINE. That’s a 3-masted ship with the foremast square rigged. A la –

But, says John, the vessel tied up at the wharf is a SCHOONER. THAT’S A 3-masted ship rigged fore-and-aft on all three masts. A la –

John says the publicity for the vessel always shows a barquentine. But Leeuwin II has remained militantly schooner-rigged ever since its return from repairs.

So, John asks, is it now a schooner? Or did they lose some spars?

What do you reckon?

*By Michael Barker. Images supplied by John

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