0 the most important and tallest mast (= a tall pole that supports the sails) on a boat or ship : --
Both the ketch and the yawl differ from the two-masted schooner, whose aft mainmast is taller than the foremast.
A mainmast added ahead of the aft funnel was still affected by the plume of the fore funnel and was not considered a success.
A platform for another director was added on the mainmast which was converted into a tripod to handle the additional weight.
The mainmast was lateen-rigged with a trapezoidal mainsail, but the foremast carried the conventional square course and square topsail.
We could see them up on the mainmast.
The ship is 106ft m long by 25ft m wide, 236 tons displacement, 4 masts (mainmast, foremast, mizzen, sprit), and 6 sails.
The distinguishing characteristic of a ketch is that the forward of the two masts (the mainmast) is larger than the after mast (the mizzen).
Two gunpowder-propelled catapults were located on the beam abaft the mainmast.
