Editing Running rigging (section)

==Fore-and-aft rigged vessels==
Fore-and-aft rigged vessels have rigging that supports, shapes, and adjusts the sails to optimize their performance in the wind.

===Supporting===
* [[Halyard]]s (sometimes haulyards), are used to raise sails and control luff tension. In large yachts the halyard returns to the deck but in small racing dinghies the head of the sail is attached by a short line to the head of the mast while the boat is lying on its gunwale.<ref name=HowardDoane/>
* [[Topping lift]]s, which hold booms and yards aloft.<ref name=HowardDoane/>
* [[Brail]]s run from the [[Parts of a sail#Edges|leech]] of a fore-and-aft rigged sail (a [[Spanker (sail)|spanker]] or [[lateen]] mizzen, for example) to the gaff and mast and serve the same function as buntlines: to haul in the sail when furling. In this case, however, the action is more horizontal than vertical, hauling the sail forwards, toward the luff and a bit up, towards the gaff.<ref name = Biddlecombe>
{{cite book
 | last = Biddlecombe
 | first = George
 | title = The Art of Rigging: Containing an Explanation of Terms and Phrases and the Progressive Method of Rigging Expressly Adapted for Sailing Ships
 | publisher = Courier Corporation
 | series = Dover Maritime Series
 | date = 1990
 | location =
 | pages = [https://archive.org/details/artrigging00steegoog/page/n173 155]
 | language =
 | url = https://archive.org/details/artrigging00steegoog
 | isbn = 9780486263434 }}</ref>

===Shaping===
*Barber haulers, which adjust the spinnaker/jib sheeting angle by pulling the sheet/sail inboard or outboard at right angles to the sheet. Consists of  either a ring or clip on the sheet attached to cordage which is secured and adjusted via fairlead and cam cleat.<ref name = Schweer>
{{cite book
 | last = Schweer
 | first = Peter
 | author-link =
 | title = How to Trim Sails
 | publisher = Sheridan House, Inc
 | series = Sailmate
 | date = 2006
 | location =
 | pages = 105
 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=UMqngdGSpdgC&pg=PA42
 | isbn = 9781574092202 }}</ref>
* [[Boom vang|Kicking straps / boom vangs]], which control a boom-footed sail's leech tension by exerting downward force mid-boom. Normally this is a system of highly geared blocks, of flexible stainless steel wire and low stretch cordage but recently some sail boats have a short spar instead, often of carbon fibre. When sailing downwind the kicking strap (kicker) is tensioned to stop the boom lifting.<ref name=HowardDoane/>
* [[Cunningham (sailing)|Cunningham]]s, which tighten the luff of a boom-footed sail by pulling downward on a cringle in the luff of a mainsail above the tack. The idea is to flatten the main sail in heavier weather or when sailing to windward. In its simplest form a stainless steel hook that goes through the cringle. From the hook a cordage tail passes through a turnblock on the deck at the base of the mast and back to a cleat on the deck. Often the tail is split so the cunningham can be operated from either sidedeck in a racing dinghy.<ref name = HomeEvans/>
* [[Downhaul]]s, which lower a sail or a yard, and can be used to adjust the tension on the luff of a sail.<ref name=HowardDoane/>
* [[Outhaul]]s, which control the foot tension of a boom-footed sail. This is one of the main controls for sail fullness. In a racing boat the boom outhaul runs from the sail clew through a turning block along the inside of the boom and out through another turning block at the fore end of the boom. For simplicity many small racing craft have the boom outhaul attached to a powerful hyfield lever mounted on the boom or deck. The lever is let off for down wind sailing, so the main sail becomes full. Alternatively the outhaul tail can be attached to a block and tackle system so that it can be adjusted to many positions.<ref name=HowardDoane/>
* Jib [[Fairlead]]s, which determine the sheeting angle, depth of the sail, height of the clew, leach tension and other sail trim variables.<ref>Sailtrim 101, Sailing Magazine, 27 July 2008,  Retrieved 2 October 2024, https://sailingmagazine.net/article-17-sail-trim-101.html,</ref>

===Adjusting angle to the wind===
* [[guy (sailing)|Guy]]s, which control spar angle with respect to the apparent wind.
*[[Preventer]], is cordage attached to the end of the boom and fixed to (or running through a block) on the rail athwart or forward of the mast.  Its most common purpose is to prevent potentially dangerous movement of the spar in an accidental gybe.<ref name=HowardDoane/>
* [[Sheet (sailing)|Sheet]]s, which control foot tension of loose-footed sails, angle of attack with respect to the apparent wind and/or the amount of leech "twist" near the head of the sail. Central sheeting refers to main sheets that attach to the centre of the boom.  Sheets are made from thin low stretch cordage in racing yachts.<ref name=HowardDoane/>

===Stability===
* [[Trapeze (sailing)|Trapeze]] wires, which are narrow gauge flexible stainless steel wire, running from about the cross trees on the mast to the harness worn by a crew member and sometimes skipper on a high speed racing skiff. The lower section often has a system of small blocks which are used by the crew to alter the length of the trapeze wire as the crew moves aft on a broad reach. When the boat changes tack the crew unclips the hook, the wire is automatically sprung into the gunwale by an elastic tail.<ref name = HomeEvans>
{{cite book
 | last = Holmes
 | first = Rupert
 | last2 = Evans
 | first2 = Jeremy
 | title = The Dinghy Bible: The Complete Guide for Novices and Experts
 | publisher = A&C Black
 | date = 2014
 | location =
 | pages = 192
 | language =
 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Dc6EAAAAQBAJ&pg=PT61
 | isbn = 9781408188002 }}</ref>