Standing Rigging, Masts, Etc.
1—Polemast. 2—Mast with topmast. 3—Mast with topmast and topgallant mast. 4—Bowsprit with jib boom. 5—Pole bowsprit. 6—Foremast. 7—Mainmast. 8—Mizzen mast. 9—Jigger or spanker mast.
A—Forestay. B—Backstays. C—Shrouds or side stays. D—Topmast stay. E—Fore topmast stay. F—Jib stay. F′—Foretopgallant stay. G—Flying jib stay. H—Fore royal stay. I—Mast or lower mast. J—Trestle or cross trees. K—Top mast. L—Topgallant mast. M—Topmast cap. N—Topmast trestle or cross trees. O—Lowermast cap. P—Royal mast. Q—Futtock shrouds. R—Ratlines. S—Spreader.
BT—Bowsprit. JB—Jib boom. FJB—Flying jib boom. BS—Bobstays. DS—Martingale or dolphin striker. MBR—Martingale back ropes. JBS—Jib boom martingale stays. FJBS—Flying jib boom martingale stays.
All these are parts of the running rigging while the standing rigging, in its simplest form, consists of stays which are ropes or wires stretched from the top of the mast to the hull to keep the mast in position, or which extend from the top of the mast to the bowsprit and from the bowsprit to the stem to keep the bowsprit in its proper place. The stays from the mast to the bowsprit are known as forestays and upon them small sails are run up or down which are known as jibs, forestaysails, etc. (Chapter IV). Many boats which do not have bowsprits or jibs nevertheless have forestays running from the top of the mast to the bow, to keep the mast in one position, while many boats with bowsprits have stays running from the end of the bowsprit to the sides of the boat, their purpose being to keep the bowsprit from bending sideways.
On large vessels the stays are very numerous and there are backstays to keep the masts from bending forward, stays between the masts and many other kinds of stays, but most of these are never necessary on small boats. If the boat has a topmast, however, there are always topmast-stays and usually backstays, the former being spread apart, where the topmast and lowermast join, by means of a wooden or metal crosspiece known as a spreader. So also on boats with a long bowsprit, or where a second piece known as a jib boom, extends beyond the bowsprit, there are stays known as bobstays which are spread down toward the water by means of a metal or iron piece known as the dolphin striker or martingale boom.
In mentioning these various parts of the rigging I have used the terms “masts,” “bowsprit,” etc., and while I suppose that nearly every reader will know what a mast and a bowsprit is, yet it may be well to add a few words about them and their names. The masts, of course, are the sticks which carry the sails and rigging, and if there are more than one used, the forward mast is always the foremast. The one back of this is the mainmast; the third from the bow is the mizzen, while in four-masted vessels there is the spanker mast or jigger mast. Where the front mast is very high and there is another very small mast at the stern the latter is also known as the jigger or mizzen and the forward mast becomes the mainmast. Masts may be made in one or more sections according to the rig of the vessel. If the mast is all in one piece it is known as a polemast and if another piece is placed above it this is known as the topmast, while in square-rigged vessels there are still other pieces known as topgallant masts, royal masts, etc.
The bowsprit is the stick which projects forward from the bow of a vessel and it may be either a pole bowsprit in one piece, or it may have a second piece attached to it and known as a jib boom, while on very large vessels there may be still a third part known as the flying jib boom. In addition to all these there are the various sticks or timbers which help spread the sails and which are known as spars, but as these vary in number and name according to the rig and sails used it is best to consider them in connection with the sails themselves.