What is a spar on a sailing ship?

What is a spar on a sailing ship?

It is one of the long timbers associated with the mast on which the sails are carried.

The main mast trunk and its spars performed different jobs. Spars were the long timbers on which the sails were carried, so replacements had to be stored where crews could inspect, preserve, and reach them for repairs. Their length and need for ready access explain why they occupied valuable exposed space aboard a sailing warship. This distinction also clarifies what a ship's carpenter was expected to maintain.