What is the first step in rigging the mainsail?

• A. feed the foot into the groove in the boom, clew corner first
• B. unroll sail, check for battens
• C. attach tack, then clew, and finish with the head
• D. loosen mainsheet and vang

Answer: (A)

First, feed the sail’s foot into the groove in the boom, clew corner first. This anchors the bottom edge of the sail in the boom’s track, giving you a stable base to attach the tack to the mast and the clew to the end of the boom, and then hoist the head up the mast. Securing the foot in the boom first prevents the sail from slipping, keeps the sail aligned with the boom, and makes the remaining steps—attaching the tack, attaching the clew, and raising the head—smooth and correct. Other steps like unrolling the sail and checking battens, or adjusting the mainsheet and vang, are done after the sail is secured and ready to sail.