gaff topsail

Also called fore-and-aft topsail. a jib-headed fore-and-aft sail set above a gaff.

a quadrilateral fore-and-aft sail set above the spanker of a bark, between the gaff of the spanker and an upper gaff.

Origin of gaff topsail

First recorded in 1785–95

I lost no time in calling Bob, and as soon as he came upon deck we got our gaff-topsail down and our topmast housed.

For Treasure Bound |Harry Collingwood
I got hold of the gaff-topsail yard and run it under his arms, and threw a rope over him, and sung out 'Hold on, Greenleaf!

Godey's Lady's Book, Vol. 42, January, 1851 |Various
First, the smallness of the yard to which the head of the gaff-topsail is laced; and secondly, the great size of the headsail.

King's Cutters and Smugglers 1700-1855 |E. Keble Chatterton
Within a minute the mainsail and gaff-topsail were hauled down, so that the ship might fall off, and the jib hauled down.

The South Pole, Volumes 1 and 2 |Roald Amundsen

Five minutes sufficed for this job, and we then reset our topgallant-sail and flying-jib, and shifted our gaff-topsail.

The Log of a Privateersman |Harry Collingwood

gaff-topsail

a sail set above a gaffsail