Standing or Running Rigging

[Concerto]

Topping lift is definitely running rigging, the same as a spinnaker pole lift.

Standing rigging is not always necessary as in Freedom yachts!

Generally standing rigging will be wire holding a mast up and running rigging is generally rope to setting sails.

 

[flaming]

I'm going to call a running backstay running rigging, based on the fact that it has a rope tail and is normally adjusted with a winch, not a bottlescrew.

Also, you need to attend to it through a tack or gybe, unlike standing rigging.

 

[Twister_Ken]

I'm going to call a running backstay running rigging, based on the fact that it has a rope tail and is normally adjusted with a winch, not a bottlescrew.

Also, you need to attend to it through a tack or gybe, unlike standing rigging.

Is your backstay normally adjusted with a bottlescrew?

 

[flaming]

Is your backstay normally adjusted with a bottlescrew?

On some boats....

But either a cascade block system, or an inline adjuster of some sort. I think that's bluring the line too though, as the backstay on most modern boats has more to do with shaping the main than holding the mast up.

 

[Simondjuk]

To confuse the issue further, I'd say that the wire/PBO/whatever runner itself is standing rigging and the rope runner tail is running rigging.

To elaborate on that, the reason being that to me the running rigging, well, runs, though blocks etc. Likewise I'd say that the wire part of an adjustable backstay is standing rigging, the rope cascades running rigging.

In short, if it moves longitudinally to any significant degree, it's running rigging. If it doesn't, it's standing rigging.

 

[FistralG]

Chapman's Pilotage has an interesting take on the subject. It defines standing rigging as the structure required to support the sails - including the mast. It says that because modern boats have adjustable standing rigging - backstay adjuster, for example - "the line between standing and running rigging is becoming blurred".

I'll go with standing rigging attaches to the mast, running rigging attaches to the sails.

What does that make a topping lift, though?

Perhaps we need a new term to describe modern developments.

How about rusting rigging.