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

See Examples For:

trysail

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

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

The sheets of fore-and-aft sails may be hauled flat-aft, as the jib-sheet to pay her head off, the driver or trysail sheets to bring her head to the wind; hence, "flatten in the head-sheets."

From The Sailor's Word-Book An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc. by Belcher, Edward, Sir

The next morning the wind had increased to a heavy gale, and we were compelled to reduce our canvass to a close-reefed main topsail, staysail, and trysail.

From Borneo and the Indian Archipelago with drawings of costume and scenery by Marryat, Frank

In a few minutes vanished all idea of sending the mainsail adrift, and every thought was turned to the trysail.

From A Yacht Voyage to Norway, Denmark, and Sweden 2nd edition by Ross, William A.