How to Rig the Mainsail on a Sailboat

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By eHow Contributing Writer

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Rigging the headsail on a sailboat is a fairly complicated process, particularly for first-timers, but ensuring that the mainsail is rigged correctly will save you some problems when you are out on the water.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Mainsail with sheets ropes and lines
Sailboat

Step 1

Remove your mainsail from its bag and spread it out on the deck.
Step 2

Locate the 3 corners of your sail--head (top), tack (bottom inside) and clew (bottom outside).
Step 3

Attach the tack to the base of the mast with the forestay.
Step 4

Attach the bottom of the mainsail to the boom, if applicable.
Step 5

Release the halyard from its cleat.
Step 6

Attach the halyard to the headboard at the head of the mainsail.
Step 7

Feed the mainsail into the groove in the mast.
Step 8

Take the slack out of the halyard and secure it into a cleat.
Step 9

Tie the sheet to the clew of the boom with a bowline.
Step 10

Coil your lazy sheets flat and lay them in the cockpit or hang them on a cleat.
Step 11

You are now ready to raise the mainsail.