The spritsail is believed to have been introduced to south-east Norway and the Oslofjord in the 17th century. It was inspired by Dutch trading ships, and became a popular alternative to the square sail – the type of sail that the Viking ships had – which until that point had been the usual type in Norway.
The parts of a sail
The mainsail is called a spritsail – a large, rectangular sail that lacks the usual boom. It is held up by a diagonal spar called a sprit, fastened to the mast.
What does “sprit” mean?
The word “sprit” comes from the Old English sprēot, meaning “pole”. It is related to “sprout”.
Chosen by Randi, History student (26)
Artefact no. FMT.0221, the Oslofjord Museum