What does forestaysail mean?
A forestaysail is a triangular headsail carried on a forestay, a rope or wire running forward from the foremast toward the bowsprit or bow. Because the sail is mounted well forward, it catches clean wind and helps a vessel convert that wind into forward motion while its sails are working. On a conventional fore-and-aft-rigged sailing boat, the forestaysail is the sail usually called the jib; the more specific term matters when discussing older sailing rigs, in which sails on different stays could differ in shape, position, and function. Forestaysails also appear in the vocabulary of sailmakers, yachtsmen, naval historians, and descriptions of traditional vessels. Outside nautical contexts the word is uncommon, so readers are likely to encounter it in a historical account, technical manual, or discussion of square-rigged and staysail vessels. It is ordinarily counted as a countable noun, and its narrow, technical sense makes it more informative than the general word “headsail.”
nounA triangular headsail set on a forestay, a rope or wire running forward from a mast toward the bowsprit or bow. On a conventional fore-and-aft-rigged vessel, it is the sail commonly called the jib.
- A triangular sail carried on a forestay at the front of a vessel, especially the forward jib of a sailing ship.
"The old barque's crew hoisted the forestaysail before the wind rose."
"The old barque's crew hoisted the forestaysail before the wind rose."
"A forestaysail snapped free and clattered against the stays."
The usual plural for references to multiple such sails.
"The crew inspected the forestaysails before leaving the dock."
Call the rope the forestay; call the canvas the forestaysail.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does forestaysail come from?
The word is a transparent English compound of fore-, meaning “at or toward the front,” the nautical term stay, and sail. Its components reflect older English terminology: fore- is inherited from Old English, while stay and sail are also long-established English words, the first originally denoting support before becoming a standard term for a supporting rope. The compound emerged within sailors' vocabulary, with its sense attached to the sail carried on the forward stay rather than to the stay itself.
How forestaysail is actually used
This is chiefly nautical and technical terminology, encountered in sailing literature, ship descriptions, and historical accounts. The closed form is standard in both British and North American English, although the separated spelling “fore staysail” also occurs.
Easily confused with forestaysail
A forestay is the rope or wire supporting the forestaysail, whereas the forestaysail is the triangular sail set on it.