Crossword clues for forestay
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Forestay \Fore"stay`\, n. (Naut.) A large, strong rope, reaching from the foremast head to the bowsprit, to support the mast. See Illust. under Ship.
Wiktionary
Etymology 1 alt. (context nautical English) A stay that extends from the top of the foremast to the bow or bowsprit of a sailing ship n. (context nautical English) A stay that extends from the top of the foremast to the bow or bowsprit of a sailing ship vb. (context transitive English) To stay beforehand; secure or fasten with or as with a forestay. Etymology 2
alt. (context transitive English) To stay, delay, postpone, or hinder beforehand; forestall; prevent. vb. (context transitive English) To stay, delay, postpone, or hinder beforehand; forestall; prevent.
WordNet
n. an adjustable stay from the foremast to the deck or bowsprit; controls the bending of the mast
Wikipedia
On a sailing vessel, a forestay, sometimes just called a stay, is a piece of standing rigging which keeps a mast from falling backwards. It is attached either at the very top of the mast, or in fractional rigs between about 1/8 and 1/4 from the top of the mast. The other end of the forestay is attached to the bow of the boat.
Often a sail is attached to the forestay. This sail may be a jib or a genoa. In a cutter rig, the jib or jibs are flown from stays in front of the forestay, perhaps going from the masthead to a bowsprit. The sail on the forestay is then referred to as the staysail or stays'l.
A forestay might be made from stainless steel wire on a modern yacht, solid stainless steel rod, carbon rod, or ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (such as Spectra or Dyneema) on a high-performance racing boat, and galvanised wire or natural fibers on an older cutter or square-rigged ship.
Contrast with backstay and shrouds.
Usage examples of "forestay".
He woke at dawn to find someone hanging upside down from a forestay above his head.
Shifting his grip on the forestay, he sprang forward off the mast top.
He heard Thom bite off an oath as his fall was cut short and he dangled from the forestay by his hands.
It slid between the mast and the forestay, its right wing up and the tip of the left pointing almost straight down toward the deck.
Presently the outlines of the two tunnel towers came out of the clearing mist and I clambered to my feet, holding onto the forestay to peer at the broad channel between them.
I did not wake him but walked forward into the bows and stood holding onto the forestay, staring into the darkness.
Auguste and Gilbert, and a moment later the net and two sacks came crashing down on the deck again, making the little fishing boat shudder as it caught the forestay a glancing blow and set the mast shuddering.
The bow is long, and curves into a lofty stem, like that of a Roman galley, finished with a beak head, to secure the forestay of the mast.
The mess on deck had been policed up, loose line secured and a jury-rigged forestay had been erected from the mainmast to the bowsprit.
He held tight to the frayed rope that stretched down from the forestay sail as the stubby craft pitched, laboring to stay afloat in the heavy seas.
The captain was perched on the stem, clutching a forestay, gazing off to larboard with his glass.
Tristam could make out someone, clutching a forestay, brandishing a belaying pin, and then another dark form, crouched two yards away.
Chalcus ran the forestay to the bow, then set his foot against a bitt and tensioned the rope before he took a quick lashing through the deadeyes.
It was raked forward to give the foresail room, as though it had been pulled out of true by the forestay and the laboring jib.
She had no time to test the forestay before Anthony hoisted the jib and allowed it to flap while he turned the sloop head-to-wind so he could attach the mainsail.