mizen topgallantstaysail

reesetee Those nautical types sure do apostrophize a lot. Mar 5, 2008

chained_bear I like saying "staysail" as if it were pronounced "staysail" instead of "staysl," and "studdingsail" as if it were not "studsl." These shortened things bug me. "Fo'c's'le" is one of them, though it's hard to hate a word with three apostrophes in it.

Bowsprit's a fine example. It's pronounced "bowsprit," but it sounds like it should have three apostrophes in it. My kinda word. Mar 5, 2008

reesetee They are fun to say out loud. Makes me feel like a pirate.

Aargh. Mar 5, 2008

mollusque My favorite is the panvocalic lug foresail. Mar 5, 2008

chained_bear I know! I love these words! Even if they aren't pronounced with any sense of logic. (Like "Worcestershire" and "Cholmondeley.") Mar 5, 2008

palooka The names of sails are so beautiful & evocative. Reading them puts you right there in the midst of the flying salt spray & groaning masts. Mar 5, 2008

chained_bear See also mizen topgallant staysail, which you should also tell your grandchildren about. Mar 5, 2008

reesetee I will never forget. Feb 14, 2008

chained_bear "'You can see 'em even better from the hances,' said Jack, leading him to the side, and carefully following the admiring gaze of all eyes on the quarterdeck Stephen perceived an array of overlapping triangular sails along the bowsprit and beyond it, well beyond it. 'There,' said Jack. 'There you have the whole shooting-match. Fore and foretopmast staysails, of course, inner jib, outer jib, flying jib, spindle jib, and jib of jibs!'... He named a large number of other staysails, the spanker and driver... 'Now you will really have something to tell your grandchildren,' observed Mowett; and pointing upwards he added, 'And you must not forget the mizen topgallantstaysail, whatever you do.'"
--Patrick O'Brian, The Ionian Mission, 210-211 Feb 14, 2008