Definition of spritsail in English:
spritsail
nounˈsprɪtseɪlˈsprɪts(ə)l
1A sail extended by a sprit.
Example sentencesExamples
- She was given a tall mizzen mast, with a large gaff sail, well forward of the wheel and a smaller spritsail.
- The spritsail flapped emptily and the boat righted to an even keel, causing the two men swiftly to change position.
- Three sails are carried on the bowsprit along with the spritsail that hangs from the spritsail yard.
- Sails named for parts of the ship include gaff sails, jib-headed sails, spritsails, and lateen and lugsails.
- It is also fitted with two small masts rigged with spritsails, a sailing rig that is still used by Thames sailing barges today.
- 1.1 A sail extended by a yard set under a ship's bowsprit.
Example sentencesExamples
- The spritsail was a simple triangular sail, whose leading edge was fastened to the mast by a rope.
- By the beginning years of the 19th century the dolphin-striker and martingale were invented, which provided a permanent truss but interfered with the spritsail, which became obsolete.
- Most of the small coastal vessels have spritsails which was the commonest rig for small vessels at this period.
- During the reign of Henry the Eighth, ships with two and three masts carried main and top sails, lateen mizzen sails and spritsails set under the bowsprit.