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Bobstays: Support the bowsprit from
upward loads.
Bowsprit guys, some-
times called
bowsprit shrouds, support
jibbooms and bowsprits from side
forces. Bowsprits occasionally have a
vertical strut below the jibboom cap to
increase the stays’ downward pulling
force back to the hull. This strut is the
martingale or dolphin striker. Head
stays run through the jibboom, down
to the
dolphin striker. Head stays run
through the jibboom. down the dolphin
striker, and back to the bow. Martingale
stays
are separate, and start at the jib-
boom rather than continuing from the
head stays.
Running rigging: Lines that move, reeve
through blocks, or operate sails and spars.
Blocks: Wooden or metal shells with
sheaves (pulleys) for handling lines. A
purchase (tackle) consists of several
blocks and a line to provide a mechanical
advantage for handling sails and spars.
Halliards or halyards: Lines for raising
and lowering a sail, yard, boom, gaff, or
flag. The part of a halliard attached to a
yard is called a
tye. For gaffs, the outer
halliard is the
peak halliard. At the gaff
jaws is a
throat halliard, named for the
part of the sail it operates.
Downhauls,
outhauls, and inhauls drag a sail along a
boom or up and down a stay.
Sheets hold the lower corners of a sail or
boom. When not in use, sails are furled
(bundled on the yard, boom, or mast).
Clew lines pull up the corners of a
square sail,
leechlines pull up the sides,
and
buntlines pull up the belly for furl-
ing the sail.
Brails ar
e like buntlines,
except they pull loose-footed fore-and-
aft sails toward the mast for furling.
Bowlines, attached to the sides of a
square sail, pull it forward. These are
used primarily on 18th century and
older ships.
Reef bands: Horizontal reinforcing bands
on the sail. They have short lengths of
rope called reef points. In heavy weather,
sailors tie the reef points to a yard or
boom to shorten the sail.
Parr
els or parrals
: Lines or devices for
holding yar
ds, booms, and gaf
fs to their
respective masts and spars. A
truss, jeer,
and sling are similar to a parrel. These
lines or ir
on fittings hold a yar
d up
against the mast. They are most com-
mon on lower yards, which generally
don’t move up or down.
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