spanker-gaff

One of the shot of the first broadsides of the Kearsarge carried away the spanker-gaff of the enemy, and caused his ensign to come down by the run.

The Story of the Kearsarge and Alabama A. K. Browne

A shot had struck the spanker-gaff on the enemy and her ensign had come down on the run.

Famous Privateersmen and Adventurers of the Sea Their rovings, cruises, escapades, and fierce battling upon the ocean for patriotism and for treasure Charles Haven Ladd Johnston 1910

The same glance apprised him of an English ensign, union down, tattered and frayed to half its size, at the end of the standing spanker-gaff, with the halyards made fast high on the royal-backstay, above the reach of bungling blind fingers.

"Where Angels Fear to Tread" and Other Stories of the Sea Morgan Robertson 1888

Well now, I had passed the last becket, and I sang out to the men to sway away, and I was standing on the jaws of the spanker-gaff, with my left hand on the bolt-rope of the trysail, so that I could feel when it was board-taut, and I wasn't thinking of anything except being glad the job was over, and that we were going to heave her to.

Man Overboard! 1881

Some ten or fifteen minutes after the commencement of the action our spanker-gaff was shot away, and our ensign came down by the run.

The Fight Between the Alabama and the Kearsarge off Cherbourg 1864