Sailboat diagram. The forestay is identified by the number 16.
On a
sailing vessel, a
forestay, sometimes just called a stay, is a piece of
standing rigging which keeps a
mast from falling backwards. It is attached either at the very top of the mast, or in
fractional rigs between about 1/8 and 1/4 from the top of the mast. The other end of the forestay is attached to the
bow of the boat.
Often a
sail is attached to the forestay. This sail may be a
jib or a
genoa. In a
cutter rig, the jib or jibs are flown from stays in front of the forestay, perhaps going from the masthead to a
bowsprit. The sail on the forestay is then referred to as the
staysail or stays'l.
A forestay might be made from stainless steel wire on a modern yacht, solid stainless steel rod, carbon rod, or
ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (such as Spectra or Dyneema) on a high-performance racing boat, and galvanised wire or natural fibers on an older cutter or square-rigged ship.
Contrast with
backstay and
shrouds.
Category:Nautical termsCategory:Sailing vessels and riggingbg:Форщагda:Forstagde:Vorstages:Puntalfr:Étai (marine)it:Strallonl:Voorstagno:Forstagpl:Forsztagscn:Appuntiddufi:Etuharussv:Förstag
