What is the main difference between sailing a schooner and a ketch?

Question

What is the main difference having the main sail in the front or the back of the boat?

Answer 1

I personally would prefer a ketch (or yawl) for heavy weather.  With a ketch you can take down the main, reef the mizzen, put up a storm jib and have a boat that is easy to handle and control under the worst conditions.

Answer 2

the after mast on a schooner is taller or at least the same height as the fwd mast. A ketch has a shorter mast aft unless  it is aft of the rudder post/steering position which makes it a yawl.The idea of this is for ease of sail handling in different wind and load conditions. Hope this helps.

Answer 3

The mainsail is midships in a ketch and aft in a schooner. The main differences would be sail trim in heavy weather and choices for reducing sail.

Answer 4

the main difference is a ketch....or yawl or sloop or cutter.......will point higher to the wind and be a bit faster to windward......most noticeably if the main on the schooner is a gaff.....

otherwise, the jib on a schooner will be smaller than on a ketch.....a little easier to handle but once again not as efficient up wind;

the advantage is the schooner rig  gives three more easily handled sails and , as Sterling Hayden said, you can carry the fors'l till h**l freezes over.

Plus schooners look neat!