Which line stretches the foot of the sail?

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Multiple Choice

Which line stretches the foot of the sail?

The line that stretches the foot of the sail is the outhaul. It runs along the boom to the bottom edge (the foot) of the mainsail and, when you haul on it, it pulls the foot taut toward the end of the boom. Tightening the outhaul flattens the lower part of the sail, reducing the draft along the foot and changing the sail’s shape to better suit certain wind conditions. Other lines have different jobs: the halyard is used to raise the sail, the sheets control the sail’s angle to the wind, and the Cunningham adjusts tension along the luff (the sail’s edge along the mast).

The line that stretches the foot of the sail is the outhaul. It runs along the boom to the bottom edge (the foot) of the mainsail and, when you haul on it, it pulls the foot taut toward the end of the boom. Tightening the outhaul flattens the lower part of the sail, reducing the draft along the foot and changing the sail’s shape to better suit certain wind conditions.

Other lines have different jobs: the halyard is used to raise the sail, the sheets control the sail’s angle to the wind, and the Cunningham adjusts tension along the luff (the sail’s edge along the mast).

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