Spar (sailing)

In sailing, a spar is a pole of wood, metal or lightweight materials such as carbon fibre used on a sailing vessel. Spars of all types (e.g. booms and masts) are used in the rigging of sailing vessels to provide (direct or indirect) support for the sails, and to resist compressive and bending forces.

Wooden ships from the age of sail often carried many extra spars of all types for repairs while at sea. The spar deck of a frigate was so named because it was used to carry spare spars.