Stays

The term stay refers to standing rigging on a boat that runs either fore or aft of a mast. Stays are similar to shrouds in that they are usually steel cables that help hold up the mast, except that shrouds are on the sides of the mast. Boats with a single mast, such as a sloop, usually have a single forestay and a single backstay.

Forestay

It is common for sloops longer than 20 feet to have a jib roller furling system. In this case, the forestay is not a steel cable, but is an extruded aluminum band with one or more slots for the jib or genoa to slide into.

Backstay

The backstay is usually a steel cable. This cable is usually fixed in place and tensioned with a turnbuckle. Some boats have a system for changing the tension on the backstay while under sail. Increasing the tension on the backstay creates more bend in the mast, which flattens the mainsail, which may be desired in different wind conditions.