What is "fore-topsail"

Usage examples of "fore-topsail".

The fore-topsail would give her the necessary way, but spreading it before she was before the wind would lay her over on her beam ends.

He ran his eyes aloft to make sure that the preparations for goose‑winging the fore-topsail were complete, and his gaze lingered for a while longer as he observed the motion of the spars relative to the wild sky.

Even now, when Hotspur was settled on the new tack with every inch of sail drawing, the Loire's fore-topsail was still shivering, her bows were still turning.

He ran his eyes aloft to make sure that the preparations for goose-winging the fore-topsail were complete, and his gaze lingered for a while longer as he observed the motion of the spars relative to the wild sky.

The clews of the fore-topsail showed themselves as the hands hauled on the sheets, and Hotspur surged forward with the impact of the wind upon the canvas.

Hornblower knew - with his vivid imagination he could feel the actual sensation up his arms - how uncertain and unsatisfactory was the feel of wheel and rudder when running before a following sea, the momentary lack of response to the turning spokes, the hesitation of the ship as a mounting wave astern deprived the fore-topsail of some of the wind that filled it, the uncontrolled slithering sensation as the ship went down a slope.

To balance the leverage of the fore-topsail they hauled up the mizzen staysail, which brought relief to the helmsmen even though it laid Hotspur over until her starboard gunports were level with the water.

And so Hotspur came in under goose-winged fore-topsail and storm mizzen stay-sail, round Berry Head, under the eyes of the Channel Fleet, to claw her way in towards Brixham pier and to round-to with her weary men furling the fore-topsail and to drop her anchors while with a last effort they sent down the topmasts and Prowse and Hornblower took careful bearings to make sure she was not dragging.

The Sophie braced round her yards to avoid any more damage, backed her fore-topsail and glided evenly along the cat's side.