🔍 Key Concepts

• Difference between standing rigging and running rigging on a sailboat • Which lines or wires support the mast permanently versus which are used to trim and control sails • Typical roles of stays, sheets, halyards, and downhauls on a sailing rig

💭 Think About

• Ask yourself: Which of these items is usually fixed in place to hold up the mast, and is not constantly adjusted while sailing? • Which items are regularly pulled, eased, or adjusted to change sail shape or position? • Think about where on the boat each item is found: attached to the mast for support, or led back to the cockpit/cleats for active sail control?

✅ Before You Answer

• Verify which option is part of the permanent support structure of the mast • Identify which options are control lines used to hoist, lower, or trim sails • Eliminate any option that is regularly adjusted during maneuvers such as tacking, jibing, or reefing