Fig. 125.—A sail.
The rigging of a boat consists of the ropes, or lines, attached to its masts and sails, but a boat's rig refers to the number of masts as well as to the shape of its sails.
Stays are strong ropes supporting the masts, fore and aft.
Shrouds are strong ropes reaching from the mastheads to the sides of the vessel; supports for the masts, starboard and port.
Ratlines are the little ropes that form the steps, or foot ropes, that run crosswise between the shrouds.
The painter is the rope at the bow of a small boat, used for the same purpose as is a hitching-strap on a horse.
The standing rigging consists of the stays and shrouds.
The running rigging consists of all the ropes used in handling yards and sails.
The sheets are the ropes, or lines, attached to the corners of sails, by which they are governed ([Fig. 126]).
The main sheet is the rope that governs the mainsail.