Sailing Vessels Quiz

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Date:

Instructions: Hoist the sails and test your recall of historic and modern sailing vessels

1.
A 'schooner' is a sailing vessel typically characterized by having what type of rigging?
A
A single triangular sail
B
Square sails only
C
No sails, only oars
D
Two or more masts with fore-and-aft sails
2.
The America's Cup is the oldest international competition in which sport?
A
Sailing
B
Swimming
C
Rowing
D
Canoeing
3.
A 'sloop' is a single-masted sailboat with how many sails in its basic configuration?
A
One
B
Three
C
Two (a mainsail and a jib)
D
Four
4.
What is the 'keel' of a sailing vessel?
A
The steering wheel
B
The structural backbone along the bottom of the hull
C
The top of the mast
D
The anchor chain
5.
A 'brigantine' is a two-masted vessel with what sail arrangement?
A
Lateen sails on both masts
B
Fore-and-aft sails on both masts
C
Square sails on both masts
D
Square sails on the foremast and fore-and-aft on the mainmast
6.
The 'Cutty Sark,' a famous 19th-century ship preserved in Greenwich, was what type of vessel?
A
Frigate
B
Barque
C
Clipper ship
D
Galleon
7.
A 'dhow' is a traditional sailing vessel associated with which region?
A
Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea
B
Scandinavia
C
Pacific Islands
D
Caribbean
8.
What is the 'boom' on a sailboat?
A
The anchor mechanism
B
The sound the hull makes on waves
C
The emergency horn
D
The horizontal pole extending from the mast to hold the foot of the sail
9.
A 'junk' is a traditional sailing vessel from which part of the world?
A
Europe
B
Africa
C
East Asia (China)
D
South America
10.
The term 'starboard' refers to which side of a ship?
A
Right
B
Front
C
Left
D
Back
11.
A 'yawl' differs from a 'ketch' primarily in what way?
A
It uses square sails
B
It has more masts
C
Its mizzen mast is positioned aft of the rudder post
D
It is always larger
12.
The 'spinnaker' is a type of sail used for what purpose?
A
Sailing downwind for extra speed
B
Slowing the boat down
C
Anchoring the boat
D
Sailing directly into the wind
13.
A 'felucca' is a traditional wooden sailing boat found along which river?
A
Danube
B
Ganges
C
Nile
D
Amazon
14.
What does it mean to 'tack' when sailing?
A
To anchor the boat
B
To increase speed
C
To lower all sails
D
To change direction by turning the bow through the wind
15.
The 'Kon-Tiki' was a raft sailed by Thor Heyerdahl across which ocean in 1947?
A
Indian
B
Atlantic
C
Pacific
D
Arctic

Answer Key

Question 1

D. Two or more masts with fore-and-aft sails

Question 2

A. Sailing

Question 3

C. Two (a mainsail and a jib)

Question 4

B. The structural backbone along the bottom of the hull

Question 5

D. Square sails on the foremast and fore-and-aft on the mainmast

Question 6

C. Clipper ship

Question 7

A. Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea

Question 8

D. The horizontal pole extending from the mast to hold the foot of the sail

Question 9

C. East Asia (China)

Question 10

A. Right

Question 11

C. Its mizzen mast is positioned aft of the rudder post

Question 12

A. Sailing downwind for extra speed

Question 13

C. Nile

Question 14

D. To change direction by turning the bow through the wind

Question 15

C. Pacific

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