trysail

American  

[trahy-seyl, trahy-suhl] / ˈtraɪˌseɪl, ˈtraɪ səl /

noun

Nautical.

1. a triangular or quadrilateral sail having its luff hooped or otherwise bent to a mast, used for lying to or keeping a vessel headed into the wind; spencer.

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trysail British  

/ ˈtraɪˌseɪl, ˈtraɪsəl /

noun

1. Also called: storm trysail.  a small fore-and-aft sail, triangular or square, set on the mainmast of a sailing vessel in foul weather to help keep her head to the wind

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Etymology

Origin of trysail

First recorded in 1760–70; try + sail

Example Sentences

We have been sailing at around 80 percent with just the No. 4 jib, a trysail and triple-reefed mizzen, but now we have also damaged the mizzen luff track.

From Time Magazine Archive

Two days later, the Flame blew into Cowes at dawn under a trysail because her mainsail had been ripped the day before.

From Time Magazine Archive

When we went by the Nannie O her crew were getting the trysail out of the hold, and they finished the race with that, and made good going of it, as we saw afterward.

From The Seiners by Connolly, James B. (James Brendan)

The next task was to set the jib as a trysail.

From The Wireless Officer by Westerman, Percy F. (Percy Francis)

There were signs of worse weather coming, so we prepared for it by striking the topmast, lowering our mainsail, and setting our trysail.

From The Cruise of the 'Alerte' The narrative of a search for treasure on the desert island of Trinidad by Knight, E. F. (Edward Frederick)