topsails
Mast's high sheets
Topsails are sails set above the lowest sail on a mast of a square-rigged ship, catching wind higher up where it blows more steadily.
On smaller vessels with fore-and-aft rigging, a topsail is a triangular or quadrilateral sail set above the gaff.
The term appears frequently in nautical literature and sea shanties: All hands aloft to set the topsails!
Fast ship or trimmer
- square-riggerShip with horizontal-yard sails
- barqueMulti-masted sailing vessel
- brigantineTwo-masted mixed-rig vessel
- schoonerMulti-masted sailing craft
frigate · galleon · man-of-war · ship-of-the-line · carrack · privateer · corvette · merchantman
Sail-hoisting tackle
- yardLinear measure or grounds
- mastVessel's sail support
- topmastShip's upper pole section
- shroudsWraps that hide
forestay · backstay · ratlines · crosstrees · belaying · cleat · block · tackle
Raising with effort
luffing · tacking · sheeting · windward · leeward · clew · close-hauled · running
Traveling through unknown regions
- naval warfareMilitary operations at sea
- trade routesPaths for exchanging goods
- voyagesExtended journeys by sea
- circumnavigationComplete journey around something
merchantmen · privateering · colonialism · maritime · Nelson · Trafalgar · tea trade · whaling
clipper
Fast ship or trimmer
- square-riggerShip with horizontal-yard sails
- barqueMulti-masted sailing vessel
- brigantineTwo-masted mixed-rig vessel
schooner · frigate · galleon · man-of-war · ship-of-the-line · carrack · privateer · corvette · merchantman · brig
halyard
Sail-hoisting tackle
shrouds · forestay · backstay · ratlines · crosstrees · belaying · cleat · block · tackle · furling
hoisting
Raising with effort
furling · luffing · tacking · sheeting · windward · leeward · clew · close-hauled · running · reaching
exploration
Traveling through unknown regions
- naval warfareMilitary operations at sea
- trade routesPaths for exchanging goods
- voyagesExtended journeys by sea
circumnavigation · merchantmen · privateering · colonialism · maritime · Nelson · Trafalgar · tea trade · whaling