maintopsail

Her new maintopsail and brand new spencer were blown away like tissue paper; and five sails, furled and fast under double gaskets, were blown loose and stripped from the yards.

MAKE WESTING 2010

Off Ship Island Light the reefs were shaken out, and at Charley's suggestion a big fisherman's staysail was made all ready for hoisting, and the maintopsail, bunched into a cap at the masthead, was overhauled so that it could be set on an instant's notice.

Charley's Coup 2010

At about ten P. M., the maintopsail-yard took fire.

Roundabout Papers 2006

The foresail was still standing, also half of the maintopsail.

Grace Darling Heroine of the Farne Islands Eva Hope

Item, if the fleet should happen to be scattered by weather, or other mishap, then so soon as one shall descry another, to hoise both topsails twice, if the weather will serve, and to strike them twice again; but if the weather serve not, then to hoise the maintopsail twice, and forthwith to strike it twice again.

Sir Humphrey Gilbert's Voyage to Newfoundland Edward Hayes

No; nor, indeed, did we learn his name until after the topsails had been double-reefed and hoisted again and the ship hove-to with her maintopsail to the mast -- which was accomplished in less time, I believe, than was ever known before, the operation not taking more than three minutes from first to last!

Crown and Anchor Under the Pen'ant John B. [Illustrator] Greene

So, fearing that we might get pooped, we now furled the foretopsail and lay-to under our close-reefed maintopsail and storm staysails; thus awaiting what might further be in store for us, although it did not then seem possible that anything could be worse!

Crown and Anchor Under the Pen'ant John B. [Illustrator] Greene

Later on, the weather seemed calming down and all were very busy repairing damages; but, in the evening, a tremendous sea broke on board carrying away the bulwarks and chain-plates fore and aft on the port side, the accompanying violent gust of wind jerking the maintopsail as if it had been tissue paper out of the ship.

Teddy The Story of a Little Pickle

In the midst of one of these sharp squalls, the maintopsail was blown to pieces with a report that sounded as if a gun had been fired off close to my ear; and, at the same moment, there was a loud crack heard from the top as if something had given way in addition to the sail.

Crown and Anchor Under the Pen'ant John B. [Illustrator] Greene

Coming on deck, we found the ship scudding under close-reefed maintopsail and reefed foresail, with the wind on her larboard quarter.

The Mutineers Charles Boardman Hawes