The term SPARS is an acronym for the five components of a sailing vessel's rigging: BOXES, MASTS, GAFFS, YARDS, and SPRITS. TOPMASTS are also part of a sailing vessel's rigging, but they are not included in the acronym SPARS. BOXES refer to the wooden or metal frames that support the MASTS, MASTS are the vertical poles that hold up the sails, GAFFS are the horizontal poles that support the upper edges of the sails, YARDS are the horizontal poles that support the lower edges of the sails, and SPRITS are the diagonal poles that support the corners of the sails. TOPMASTS are additional MASTS that are placed above the main mast.