What are the proper sizes of masts and spars?


"Correct" size depends on period, use, and local conditions and practices; what might apply to a Galley would not necessarily apply to a ship-of-the-line.

The following table is derived from the 1815 Burney edition of Falconer.

Guns: 110 90 80 74 64 50 44 38
Mast or Spar Length
Ft - Ins
Diam
Ins
Length
Ft - Ins
Diam
Ins
Length
Ft - Ins
Diam
Ins
Length
Ft - Ins
Diam
Ins
Length
Ft - Ins
Diam
Ins
Length
Ft - Ins
Diam
Ins
Length
Ft - Ins
Diam
Ins
Length
Ft - Ins
Diam
Ins
Bowsprit 74 - 0  37 71 - 0  35 1/2 68 - 0  34 67 - 6  35 60 - 4  3l 1/2 56 - 0  29 52 - 6  26 1/4 55 - 0  27
Jibboom 53 - 0 15 1/2 50 - 0 14 1/2 48 - 6 14     48 - 6 14     43 - 0 12 1/2 40 - 0 11 1/2 37 - 6 11     39 - 3 1I 1/2
Fore Mast 103 - 6 34 1/2 100 - 0 33 1/2 95 - 9 31 7/8 98 - 6 32 3/4 89 - 7 29 3/4 81 - 6 26 3/8 78 - 0 23 5/8 80 - 0 23 5/8
Fore Topmast 62 - 10 20 3/4 59 - 0 19 3/4 59 - 9 19 1/4 58 - 8 19 3/4 53 - 0 17 5/8 48 - 0 16 47 - 0 15 3/4 48 - 0 16 1/8
Fore Topgallant Mast 31 - 0 10 3/4 29 - 0 9 5/8 28 - 6 8 1/4 29 - 4 9 3/4 26 - 6 8 3/8 24 - 0 8 23 - 6 7 3/4 24. - 0 8
Main Mast 117 - 0 39 112 - 0 37 1/4 107 - 0 35 5/8 110 - 0 37 101 - 0 33 1/2 92 - 0 29 88 - 0 26 1/4 90 - 0 27
Main Topmast 70 - 0 20 3/4 66 - 0 19 3/4 64 - 0 19 1/4 66 - 0 19 3/4 58 - 6 17 5/8 53 - 0 16 53 - 0 15 3/4 54· - 0 16 1/8
Main Topgallant Mast 35 - 0 11 5/8 33 - 0 11 32 - 0 10 1/4 33 - 0 11 1/4 29 - 3 \9 3/4 26 - 6 8 7/8 26 - 6 8 3/4 27 - 0 9
Mlizen Mast 101 - 4 23 96 - 6 22 1/4 93 - 0 21 1/8 95 - 0 22 1/4 86 - 0 19 3/4 78 - 9 19 3/8 74. - 6 17 7/8 75 - 7 18 1/8
Mizen Topmast 52 - 0 14 49 - 0 13 1/2 46 - 0 13 1/4 49 - 0 13 1/2 43 - 6 12 1/4 40 - 0 I11/8 4r0 - 0 11 41 - 0 11 1/4
Mizen Topgallant Mast 26 - 0 8 5/8 24 - 0 8 23 - 0 7 5/8 24 - 6 8 1/4 21 - 9 7 1/4 20 - 0 65/8 20 - 0 6 5/8 20 - 6 6 3/4
Spritsail Yard 64 - 6 13 3/4 61 - 0 12 7/8 58 - 0 12 1/4 62 - 0 13 57 - 6 12 1/8 52 - 6 11 52 - 0 10 3/4 53 - 0 11 1/2
Sprit Topsail Yard 43 - 0 8 5/8 40 - 6 8 1/4 40 - 0 8 1/4 40 - 6 8 1/4 34 - 6 7 31 - 6 61/4 32 - 0 6 5/8 32 - 9 6 1/2
Fore Yard 89 - 1 21 85 - 9 20 81 - 4 19 3/8 85 - 0 20 79 - 6 18 1/2 72 - 0 17 70 - 0 16 1/4 71 - 6 16 3/8
Fore Topsail Yard 64 - 6 13 3/8 61 - 0 12 7/8 58 - 0 12 1/4 63 - 0 13 57 - 6 12 1/8 52 - 6 11 52 - 0 10 3/4 53 - 0 11 1/2
Fore Topgallant Yard 43 - 0 8 5/8 40 - 6 8 1/4 40 - 0 8 1/8 40 - 6 8 1/4 34 - 6 7 31 - 6 61/4 32 - 0 6 3/8 32 - 9 6 1/2
Fore Royal Yard 27 - 0 6 7/8 25 - 0 6 3/8 24 - 0 6 1/8 25 - 0 6 1/2 23 - 0 6 23 - 0 51/2 23 - 0 5 3/8 23 - 0 5 3/4
Main Yard 102 - 4 24 98 - 0 22 1/2 93 - 0 22 99 - 0 23 90 - 4 21 82 - 0 191/4 80 - 0 18 1/2 81 - 9 19
Main Topsail Yard 73 - 0 15 1/2 70 - 0 14 3/4 66 - 6 14 1/8 72 - 0 15 66 - 0 13 5/8 60 - 9 12 1/2 57 – 6 11 7/8 59 - 0 12 ¼
Main Topgallant Yard 48 - 9 10 46 - 6 9 3/8 46 - 0 9 1/4 46 - 6 9 1/2 39 - 0 7 7/8 36 - 0 73/8 36 – 0 7 3/8 37 - 0 7 ½
Main Royal Yard 32 - 0 7 3/4 30 - 0 7 3/8 28 - 0 7 28 - 0 7 1/2 27 - 0 6 3/4 26 - 0 61/4 25 - 0 5 7/8 25 - 0 6 1/8
Mizen Yard 87 - 0 16 84 - 0 15 76 - 0 14 1/2 84 - 0 15 1/2 77- 0 14  
Mizen Boom   44 - 0 1I 1/2 36 – 8 11 38 - 0 II ½
Mlizen Gaff   31 - 6 6 1/4 32 - 0 6 3/8 32 - 9 6 ½
Crossjack 64 - 6 13 3/4 61 - 0 12 7/8 58 - 0 12 1/4 62 - 0 13 57 - 6 12 1/8 52 - 6 11 52 - 0 10 3/4 53 - 0 11 ½
Mizen Topsail Yard 49 - 0 10 1/8 47 - 0 9 3/4 43 - 0 8 7/8 47 - 0 9 3/4 43 - 3 9 39 - 6 8 1/4 39 – 6 8 40 - 0 8 ¼
Mizen Topgallant Yard 32 - 9 6 1/2 31 - 0 6 1/4 29 - 0 5 3/4 31 - 6 6 3/8 29 - 0 5 3/4 26 - 0 5 1/4 25 - 9 5 1/8 27 - 9 5 ½
Mizen Royal Yard 24 - 0 5 23 - 0 4 7/8 21 - 0 4 3/8 23 - 0 4 7/8 21 - 0 4 1/2 19 - 0 4 1/8 19 - 0 4 20 - 0 4-1/8
Stunsail Yards
Fore Topsail 25 - 6 5 1/8 24 - 6 5 23 - 4 4 3/8 24 - 6 5 22 - 9 4 1/2 20 - 6 4 1/8 20 - 0 4 20 - 6 4 1/8
Fore Topgallant 18 - 6 3 3/4 17 - 6 3 1/2 16 - 6 3 1/4 17 - 9 3 1/2 16 - 6 3 1/4 15 - 0 3 15 - 0 3 15 - 0 3
Main Lower 33 - 0 6 3/4 31 - 0 6 1/4 29 - 6 6 31 - 0 6 1/4 29 - 0 5 3/4 26 - 0 5 1/4 25 - 6 5 1/8 26 - 0 5 ¼
Main Topsail 29 - 6 6 28 - 0 5 3/4 26 - 6 5 1/4 27 - 3 5 1/2 25 - 9 5 1/8 23 - 6 4 3/8 23 - 0 4 3/4 23 - 6 4 ¾
Main Topgallant 21 - 0 4 1/4 20 - 0 4 19 - 0 3 3/4 20 - 0 4 18 - 9 3 3/4 17 - 6 3 1/2 16 - 6 3 1/4 17 - 0 3 ½
{John O. Kopf}
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