mainsail is hoisted, are rove through single blocks on the gaff and on the masthead, the number of the blocks depending on the size of the sail. In Fig. 55 the peak halyards, 20, are such as would be used on a ten-ton cutter. The fall leads through the lower block on the mast, down the port side of the mast, to be belayed on the mast bitts. The standing part leads through the upper block and is then fastened to the peak purchase, which is fitted in the same way as the throat purchase. If no peak purchase is used there is no upper block on the mast, and the standing part of the halyard is hooked on an eyebolt at the masthead.
The tack tricing line is used to haul up the tack of the mainsail. This relieves a vessel considerably when caught in a squall, and also enables the man at the helm to see better ahead and avoid other vessels when sailing into a crowded harbour. One objection to the lacing of a mainsail to the boom is that the tack of the sail cannot be triced up unless the lacing is cast off.
On small craft the tack tricing line is made fast to the tack of the sail, passes through a block under the gaff close to the jaws, and then leads down the mast to the deck. The main tack, which, as has already been said, is on small vessels merely a rope spliced into the tack cringle and belayed to the boom gooseneck, must of course be cast off before the corner of the sail can be triced up. The tack tricing line also serves as a throat downhaul
