Using a real life example for illustration:

During the Constitution's action with Guerriere having taken down Guerriere's Mizzen Mast Constitution moved to make a bow rake on her crippled enemy. In the process of avoiding the rake the Guerriere's Bowsprit became entangled in Constitution's rigging. As Constitution held the weather gauge, and had the momentum she was able to break free of the entanglement, and in the process brought down Guerriere's Fore and Main Masts, which had already received some damage in the action causing Guerriere to finally strike and surrender. The Constitution suffered only a few parted lines to the sails of her Main Mast as I recall.