- 1). Inspect the boat's lines. Any line that pulls down the main sail must be freed from its cleat. The boom vang is either a line or a device that attaches from the mast to the boom. The Cunningham line runs from the bottom of the mast through a round metal eye called a crinkle, about 1 foot up the luff of the sail. The main sheet is the line that moves the sail from side to side. All of these lines run through a device called a cleat that clamps each line so that is does not run free. Verify that these lines are released.
- 2). Turn your boat so that its bow, or front, points into the wind. This ensures that the sail, when raised, can move freely without taking the boat along. Check that the bow of the boat is securely tied to the dock.
- 3). Locate the main halyard. All halyards are lines that raise sails, while sheets are lines that control side-to-side movement. The end of the halyard has a shackle. Open the shackle, and attach it to the head of the sail. Follow the main halyard with your eyes to the top of the mast to ensure that your line is clear.
- 4). Locate the end of the main halyard not attached to the sail, and begin pulling it slowly. If you come upon an obstruction, don't pull harder, but locate and fix the cause of the obstruction. Resume pulling until the head of your sail reaches the top of the mast. Be cautious of the boom, which is considered the most dangerous part of the boat.
- 5). Recleat all of the lines you released previously. The boom vang controls the angle that the boom sits in relation to the mast. Pull your boom vang line into its cleat until the boom sits at a 90-degree angle with the mast. The Cunningham line controls the luff of your sail. Pull it into the cleat so that no wrinkles or creases are along the inside of your sail. The outhaul line controls the foot of your sail. Pull it into the cleat to stretch it along the boom. Afterward, your sail is rigged and ready.
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