What does forestay mean?
The forestay is the sturdy rope or wire that runs from high on a sailboat's foremast down to the bow, forming the forward edge of the standing rigging that keeps the mast upright. Together with the shrouds and backstay, it resists the powerful pull of the sails; without it, the mast would tend to pitch forward under load. On many boats the forestay also serves as the luff, or leading edge, for a headsail such as a jib or genoa, which is hanked on or hoisted along it, and modern cruising yachts often fit roller-furling gear to the forestay so the sail can be rolled away quickly. The word belongs firmly to the specialized language of sailing and appears chiefly in manuals, chandlery catalogues, and the conversation of sailors. Its counterpart at the stern is the backstay, and the two are easily confused by landlubbers.
nounA strong rope or wire running from the head of a sailing vessel's foremast down to the bow, used to support the mast and to which headsails may be hanked or hoisted.
- A rope or wire stay leading from the head of the foremast to the bow of a sailing vessel, supporting the mast and often carrying the headsail.
"The crew tensioned the forestay before hoisting the genoa."
"The crew tensioned the forestay before hoisting the genoa."
"Her roller furling was fitted along the forestay, letting her reef the jib in seconds."
Plural form is rare but standard, referring to multiple such stays on vessels rigged with more than one.
"Both forestays were inspected for corrosion during the survey."
Without the forestay, a sailboat's mast would simply topple forward — one slender wire holds back the full push of every sail.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of forestay
The word combines 'fore', denoting the front of a vessel, with 'stay', a nautical term for a rope that supports a mast. The term 'stay' in this rigging sense was borrowed into English from Middle Low German or Middle Dutch 'stage' during the age of sail, when northern European maritime vocabulary flowed freely into English. The compound 'forestay' arose as rigs grew more complex and each supporting rope needed a name reflecting its position, distinguishing the forward stay from the backstay and other stays.
Related word forms
How forestay is actually used
A technical term of sailing and rigging, familiar mainly to sailors and boatbuilders; it is almost always used in nautical contexts and is standard vocabulary in both British and American yachting.
Easily confused with forestay
A backstay runs aft from the top of the mast to the stern, while a forestay runs forward from the mast to the bow.