Brig

A brig was a fast and maneuverable vessel with two square-rigged masts. It was used as both naval warships and merchant vessels. A brig was generally built on a larger scale than the schooner, and varied in length between 75 feet and 165 feet. A brig made of pine in the 19th century was designed to last for about twenty years. In the early 19th century the brig was a standard cargo ship. It was seen as fast and well sailing, but required a large crew to handle its rigging. Brigs could not sail into the wind as easily as fore-and-aft-rigged vessels such as schooners, but had the advantage when travelling offshore in the trade winds where vessels sailed downwind for extended distances.