This is the Success departing Littlehampton under sail in a postcard by Frank Spry, probably from around 1930. The prominent vertical spar in the bow is her bowsprit which has been "steeved up" to enable closer manoeuvring in the confined waters if the harbour.

The peak of the mainsail is supported by the sprit which is attached to the foot of the mainmast and is the crucial spar of the rig. An account of the Littlehampton Sea Epic, involving a similar vessel, Lady Maud, notes that this "went", which means that it would have severely disabled the craft, hence the need to pick up a tow into safety.

Success was steel hulled example, whereas Lady Maud was a wooden craft, but the rigging and sails were essentially similar. Both had flat bottomed hulls and leeboards to minimise sideways drift when under sail. When fully laden they had very little freeboard, so that large waves would regularly sweep the deck, hazarding the crew.