A longitudinal brace used to temporarily repair a cracked or broken spar, mast, or yard. The structural splint is laid across the fracture and tightly lashed or bolted in place to restore the spar's bending strength. It gets its name from its traditional convex shape, which tapers at both ends to distribute the load without creating a new stress point.
Heard on the job
The main yard cracked in the squall, so the carpenter is shaping a fish to lash over the break.