These sails are spread by means of running rigging. First, the halyards, by means of which the sails are hoisted. The mainsail usually has two halyards, one line being attached to the gaff near where it touches the mast, which is called the “throat halyards.” The other is smaller, encountering less strain, and is termed “peak halyards,” as it raises that part of the sail after the luff has been hoisted.
The gaff-topsail of a regular yacht also has two halyards, one of which raises the edge next the mast, and the other draws its foot out to end of gaff.
The “jibs” are each raised by one “halyard” attached to head or upper corner.
In a small boat like that we are considering, one halyard for each sail will be amply sufficient. In fact it is a frequent practice to keep the sails permanently spread; which has this in its favor, that they are much smoother, much less wrinkled, than when furled between cruises.
The “topping lift” is a line which leads from the head of the “mast” to the outer end of the “boom,” which it keeps from falling on deck when sail is lowered.
The sheets are not sails, as the reader not conversant with nautical expressions would suppose, but ropes, or lines, which keep the sails in their proper position in respect to the wind. The main-sheet, which controls the mainsail, is attached to the boom at a point just above the stern, to which the other end is led. Here it is fastened to a cleat.
The sheets of the headsails are fastened to their “clews” or lower aft corners, and led to cleats near foot of mast. In large craft the sheets are passed through a number of pulleys in order to secure sufficient purchase.
In addition to the rigging already mentioned, many other ropes might be enumerated, such as the “downhauls,” “outhauls,” “spinnaker brace and guy,” “bowsprit shrouds,” etc., but as has already been said, the less confusion of cords in a miniature craft, the better.
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