Rigging

The system of spars, stays, shrouds, lines and fittings that supports and controls a vessel’s sails or other elevated equipment.

Standing rigging primarily supports masts and resists relatively fixed loads, while running rigging moves or controls sails, spars and equipment. The term can include terminals, chainplates, blocks, tracks, winches and related hardware, and non-sailing vessels also have rigging for cargo gear, antennas or signals.

Loads are shared across the complete system, so material, geometry, tension and attachment condition matter. Corrosion, fatigue, chafe, ultraviolet damage, broken strands and seized fittings require inspection, and altering one component can change loads elsewhere.

Standing rigging normally includes shrouds and stays. Running rigging includes halyards, sheets, guys, lifts and associated blocks and winches. As a verb, rigging means fitting, arranging or preparing the equipment; inspection must account for the different wear modes of wire, rod, fibre, terminals, chainplates, blocks and ropes.