Rigging a Sailboat

The exact way you rig your sailboat depends on the type of sailboat, but no matter what, there are some basic thoughts you should consider.  When you rig a sailboat, you put on and raise the sails, and in some cases put in the centerboard, rudder and tiller.

Before you get started, you will decide whether you are going to rig your boat at the dock, or motor away from the dock and rig your boat on the water.  Either way, the best position to rig your boat is with the bow pointed towards where the wind is coming from.  This is allows you to raise the sails without the wind catching them when you are still at the dock.  If it is not possible to raise the sails while the boat is directed at the wind, you can ease the sheets to keep the sails from filling.

In most situations, it is best to completely prepare the boat in everyday before you raise the sails.  This includes putting in the centerboard, placing the rudder on the stern of the boat and attaching the tiller, and bending on (attaching) all the sails.  Since each boat is different I won’t go into detail as to how to rig each boat, but this basic instruction should give you a good idea of how to get started.