Spar
From Free net encyclopedia
- For other uses, see Spar (disambiguation).
Image:Mast Boom.png In sailing, a spar is a round pole of wood or metal, used on a sailing ship. In modern usage it almost always refers to the mast, but historically the term was also used for booms, gaffs, yards, etc.
Spars of all types are used in the rigging of sailing ships to resist compressive and bending forces, and to provide support for the sails.
Wooden ships from the age of sail often carried many extra spars of all types for repairs while at sea. The spar deck of a frigate was so named because it was used to carry spare spars.