What is "staysails"

Usage examples of "staysails".

He drove her and her people hard, with jibs and staysails perpetually flashing in and out and with the utmost nicety of weather-helm, himself standing at the con watch after watch.

This was the first time, apart from practice, that the Worcester had spread her royals and loftier staysails since she came into the Mediterranean - the first time that her present complement had ever done so in more than a capful of wind - and although the fine urgent leeward lean of the ship, the strong rush of water along her side, and the white bow-wave spreading wide lifted Jack's heart, he looked very thoughtful indeed as he watched some of the orders being carried out.

Fore and foretopmast staysails, of course, inner jib, outer jib, flying jib, spindle jib, and jib of jibs!

The transport dropped her topgallants and flashed out jib and staysails in a most seamanlike manner.

The Worcester hauled her wind, the sail-trimmers leapt to the braces and flew aloft to set the upper staysails, but she could not lie as close to her quarry by nearly a whole point, nor, without her mainsail, could she run on a bowline so fast by two knots and more.

She was single-masted and lateen-rigged, and in calm weather could supplement her triangular mainsail with square staysails rigged from spars spread either side of her mast.

The triangular mainsail and the square staysails stood taut against the blue sky.

But the channel split and split again, and with each turn it grew narrower until at last the staysails and their spars had to be drawn in.

The crew mended the staysails and tightened lanyards and stays through deadeyes.

Then, as the wheel was slowly put hard over, the 'tween mast staysails were dropped.

She was turning, with the jibs, staysails, and sails on the foremast aback to help push the bows around, and the decks a web of ropes.

Then the mizzenmast was braced around, jibs and staysails sheeted home, 'tween mast staysails reset, course steadied, and the spanker eased off.

The hands aloft by the mast at the upper staysails stood on the cranlines.

The bentincks holed like sieves, two staysails hanging limp, foretopsail in rags.

In order to keep rigidly to her station in the Amphion's wake, the Lively was perpetually reefing, dewing up, hauling down jibe, staysails, spanker, starting sheets.