18:11 May 2, 2010 |
English language (monolingual) [PRO] Ships, Sailing, Maritime / Possible sailing idiom | |||||
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| Selected response from: Tony M France Local time: 11:07 | ||||
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3 +6 | to sail at full speed |
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to set topsails to sail at full speed Explanation: Yes, that's right; more usually spelt 'topsails', I think you'll find. The topsails were the last sails to be used, usually in fair weaher (possibly light winds), in order to gain just that last bit of speed... The sort of thing that would date from the days of the clippers, and the races between them to be the first to reach port with their merchandize. |
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