A type of sailing vessel with two or more masts, with the foremast being shorter than the mainmast.
First recorded in 1716, possibly from the verb 'scoon' meaning 'to skip along the water'. The word may have originated in Gloucester, Massachusetts, though its exact etymology remains uncertain. Some suggest it comes from Scottish 'skuun' meaning 'to skip stones'.
Schooners were the workhorses of 18th and 19th-century maritime trade, perfectly designed for coastal sailing with their efficient fore-and-aft rig. Interestingly, the largest schooner ever built had seven masts and was longer than a football field, though these giants proved unwieldy and the design was eventually abandoned.
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