Rig′ging.
（
Nautical.) The system of cordage on board a vessel.
See mast; rope.
1. The
standing rigging includes:—
a. The
pendants; strong ropes over the lower-mast heads, and having thimbles for attaching tackle.
b. The
shrouds; supporting the masts laterally, and having
ratlines by which they are ascended.
c. The
stays; supporting the masts forward.
d. The
back stays; passing from the mast-heads to the channels abaft the masts.
e. Ratlines; the steps of the shrouds.
f. Slings; by which the centers of the yards are secured to the masts.
g. Trusses and
parrals; for connecting the yards to the masts.
h. Gammoning; the lashing chain which secures the heel of the bowsprit.
i. Martingales; the stays of the jibboom and flying jibboom.
j. Guys; lateral jibboom stays.
k. Slings; by which the yards are suspended.
Also, —
| Heel-chains. | Ridge-ropes. |
| Crupper-chains. | Horses. |
| Man-ropes. | Stirrups. |
| Foot-ropes. | Flemish-horses, etc., etc. |
See under the respective heads.
2. The
running rigging comprises:—
a. The
halyards; by which a yard or
gaff is raised.
b. The
lifts; for raising and lowering the ends of the yards.
c. The
braces; for trimming the yards fore and aft.
d. The
sheets; by which the lower corners of a sail are extended.
e. The
clew-garnets for the courses, and
clew-lines for the upper sails; by which the
clews of the sail are drawn up to the yard in the process of furling.
f. The
tacks; ropes to confine the foremost lower corners of
courses and
stay-sails.
g. Bowlines; attached to the edges of a square sail, and hauled forward on the weather side, when the ship is on a wind.
h. Buntlines; ropes attached to the
foot of a square sail to raise it when taking it in.
i. Downhauls; by which fore-and-aft sails are drawn down.
k. Brails; ropes used to gather a fore-and-aft sail up to its gaff, for furling.
l. Reef-tackles; by which the
earings at the ends of the
reef-bands are drawn up to the yard in reefing.
m. Signal-halyards; by which flags are raised to the masthead or peak.
n. Outhauls; ropes used for extending the clews of a boom sail.
o. Inhauls; for rigging in the jibboom, studding-sail booms, etc.
p. Leechlines; lines attached to the leech-ropes of sails and passing up to blocks on the yards to haul the
leeches by.
q. Slablines; lines by which the feet of the mainsails or foresails are hauled up.
r. Spans; ropes connected by both ends to the object, the purchase being hooked to the bight.
s. Tripping lines; used to unring the lower topgallant yardarm when striking it or lowering it on deck.
t. Tyes; ropes made fast to yards and passing through the masts.
By tackle attached to the other ends of the tyes the yards are hoisted.
u. Vangs; to steady laterally the peak of a
gaff.
