The Ballad of Robert Jeffrey

Windjammer

A windjammer is a collective name for a general class of large sailing ship built to carry bulk cargo for long distances in the nineteenth and early twentieth century. Windjammers were the largest of merchant sailing ships, with three to five tall masts and square sails, giving them a characteristic profile. They usually carried lumber, guano, grain or ore from one continent to another, typically following the prevailing winds and circumnavigating the globe during their voyages. Several survive, variously operating as school ships, museum ships, restaurant ships, and cruise ships. Due to rising fuel costs and environmental concerns, there has been consideration of constructing modern cargo ships utilizing wind energy in various ways. more »