Triangular skysails on USS Constitution?

[Smile-n-Nod]

I've been looking through the USS Constitution "Anatomy of the Ship" book (though I don't have it in front of me right now).

 

If memory servers, several sail plans are shown, including one that was used for several years around the time of the War of 1812.

 

This circa-1812 sail plan shows skysails that are triangular: the foot is the width of the royal yard below, but the sail tapers in width to nothing at the top. These are tall sails, too: the height of the triangle is about twice the base.

 

I've never seen pictures of triangular sails at the tops of the masts of square-riggers.  Are there pictures or paintings of these sails in use on the Constitution or any other square-rigger?

[Bob Cleek]

These are known as raffee sails. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raffee_sail

 

 

Great Lakes schooner Denis Sullivan.

 

 

Edited April 2, 2021 by Bob Cleek

[Dr PR]

Bob,

 

Thanks for that information. I have seen pictures of schooners with this type of topsail, but I had no idea what they are called.

[popeye2sea]

The American captains of the early Navy were well known for crowding on as much sail as possible on the early frigates, which had very lofty rigs already.

These sky sails were sometimes added to the rig. 

 

Regards,