mastist

Mastist is an informal, self-applied label for a person who specializes in the study, design, restoration, or modeling of ship masts and related rigging. The term is not widely recognized in formal nautical references and tends to appear in hobbyist communities, historical reenactment groups, and speculative-fiction contexts.

Etymology: The word is formed from the English noun mast, referring to a vertical pole on sailing ships, with the agentive suffix -ist. Variants and related terms such as mastmaker or mastwright are more common in older maritime vocabulary, but mastist has emerged in modern niche usage to emphasize expertise or interest in masts broadly.

Scope of work: A mastist may engage in historical research on mast construction, rope rigging, and sail plans; perform or supervise restoration of old masts; or create scale models and diagrams. In some contexts, the term is used descriptively or humorously to describe enthusiasts who collect books, artifacts, or plans about masts and rigging.

Usage and reception: Because mastist lacks formal certification, practitioners typically demonstrate expertise through project work, museum collaborations, or published articles in hobbyist or historical journals. The term remains niche and is rarely used outside specialized circles.

See also: Nautical archaeology, Ship rigging, Mast (nautical), Shipbuilding.