What made a topman an elite sailor?

What duties did topmen perform?

They handled the highest sails and rigging in all weather, a dangerous job requiring the best balance, confidence, and seamanship aboard ship.

Topmen worked the uppermost sails and rigging, high above the deck in wind and bad weather. They needed to move confidently on narrow spars while managing sail with little margin for error. Their physical assurance resembled that of steelworkers walking exposed frames on early skyscrapers. The role explains why 'topman' became a term for a sailor at the peak of the shipboard skill hierarchy.