threemasted

Threemasted is an adjective used in maritime contexts to describe a sailing vessel that has three masts. The term is sometimes written with a hyphen as three-masted. In practice, three-masted ships are typically described by the arrangement of their rigging across the three masts from bow to stern: foremast, mainmast, and mizzenmast.

Common three-masted rig configurations include the three-masted barque and the three-masted full-rigged ship. A barque usually has square sails on the foremast and mainmast, with a fore-and-aft rig on the mizzenmast. A full-rigged ship has square sails on all three masts. Three-masted vessels may also vary in sail plan, hull design, and purpose, allowing a range of handling characteristics and cargo capacities.

Historically, threemasted ships were widespread from the 17th through the 19th centuries, serving roles in exploration, trade, and naval warfare. They offered a large sailing canvass with comparatively simpler rigging than four-masted designs, facilitating crew management and voyage endurance on long routes. In the modern era, three-masted ships are mostly seen as historical or ceremonial vessels, replicas, or educational platforms, though some contemporary tall ships use three masts to balance performance, maneuverability, and complexity.

See also: sailing ship rigs, barque, full-rigged ship, tall ships.