For the people doing their first journey in the Eye, a manual was handed to everyone in order to explain vocabulary and sail handling. After a couple of days, one should have learned the names of the sails and their basic handling.

BASIC SAILING SHIP RIGGING VOCABULARY

BACKSTAY

Provides rearward support to a mast. A RUNNING BACKSTAY can be triced out of the way when not in use.

BOOM

Spar which extends the FOOT of a sail.

BOOM PREVENTER

Tackle rigged to prevent a BOOM from swinging out of control when a ship is rolling.

BRACES

Lines for altering the angle of the YARDS to suit the direction of the wind.

BUNTLINE

Line for gathering up the BUNT of a sail when it is being taken in.

CLEW

The lower after corner of a fore and aft sail. Also the lower corner of a square sail.

CLEWLINE

Line for gathering up the CLEW of a sail when it is being taken in.

DOWNHAUL

Line for pulling a sail down when it is being taken in.

FOOT

Bottom edge of a sail.

FOOTROPE

Ropes under the YARDS for standing on when aloft.

GAFF

Spar for extending the HEAD of a four cornered fore and aft sail.

GASKET

Rope for lashing sails secure after they have been taken in.

HALLIARD

Line for hoisting a sail when being set.

HEAD

The top edge of a sail.

LEACH

The vertical edge of a square sail. The after edge of a fore and aft sail.

LEACHLINE

Line for pulling in the leach of a sail when it is being taken in.

LIFT

Line to support the weight of a BOOM or YARD.

LUFF

The foreward edge of a fore and aft sail.

NOCK

The foreward top corner of a four cornered staysail.

PEAK

The after top corner of a fore and aft sail.

RATLINES

Lines tied across the SHROUDS to enable people to go aloft.

SHEET

Line for extending the CLEW of a sail when being set.

SHROUDS

Rigging providing sideways support to a mast.

TACK

The foreward lower corner of a fore and aft sail. The line used to extend the windward CLEW of a squaresail.

THROAT

The foreward top corner of a gaff sail.

VANG

Line to prevent a GAFF from swinging when a ship is rolling.