topsail

thumb A topsail ("tops'l") is a sail set above another sail. On square-rigged vessels further sails may be set above topsails.

== Square rig == right|thumb|USS Constitution|USS Constitution sailing under (bow to stern) [[jibs, topsails, and spanker.]] On a square rigged vessel, a topsail is a typically trapezoidal shaped sail rigged above the course sail and below the topgallant sail where carried, on any mast (i.e., a fully rigged ship would have a foremast topsail, a mainmast topsail, and a mizzen topsail). A full rigged ship will have either single or double (i.e., "split" upper and lower) topsails on all masts, the single or lower topsail being the second sail above the deck and the upper topsail where so rigged being the third.