What the flip is a Spanker-mast

[Elessar]

Mentioned on who wants to be a millionaire - no answer given!

 

[LittleSister]

By a process of deduction - the aft mast of a square-rigged ship, from and behind which a 'spanker' - a fore and aft sail - is flown.

See - Spanker (sail) - Wikipedia

 

[prv]

On a three masted ship the spanker’s set on the mizzen, but once they went to four or more masts in the late 19th century the terms started to get a bit flexible. So yes, this is probably the aftermost mast on a four or even five masted iron barque.

Pete

 

[elenya]

The masts on a square rigged run fore, main, mizzenmast, jigger, spanker.... and on.

A mizzen would be set on the mizzenmast mast, a main on the main mast and a spanker on the spanker mast.

There are up to 7 masts but my memory is not up to the remaining ones.

 

[prv]

A mizzen would be set on the mizzenmast mast, a main on the main mast and a spanker on the spanker mast.

Depends on the rig. The brigs I used to sail on set their spankers from the mainmast.

Pete

 

[STATUE]

... and I thought it was something I had often experienced in Shepherd's Market !

 

[Biggles Wader]

I thought that when masts became too numerous they just named them after the days of the week.

 

[scottie]

Quality of contestants has improved this time round!

 

[prv]

I thought that when masts became too numerous they just named them after the days of the week.

There was only ever one seven-masted schooner, and I understand they used more than one system at different times. Days of the week was indeed one of them.

Pete