Mast

From WikiPOBia

A 'mast is a vertical spar, usually rigged to carry sails. A ship has three masts, fore mast, main mast and mizzen mast, a brig or schooner usually has only two, a fore and main mast. These were either solid cylinders of wood from whole tree trunks or made masts which were composed of a number of pieces of wood shaped and bonded to make a cylindrical mast.

The mast was stepped on the keel of the ship and passed through the decks. In most ships, the full mast was made up of sections, the mast, the topmast, the topgallant mast and the royal mast. Each of these sections was attached to the one below and could be struck down in heavy weather to avoid the ship carrying too much weight aloft.

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