Day 640.

The final sail to install is the fore topsail.  This sail is nearly identical to the main topsail, just a little smaller.

The sail was prepared using the normal process.

The fore topsail is made using the normal process.

Fore Topsail Clew

The clew is identical to the one on the main topsail.  It was added using the same process.  Small rings were installed on the sail along with blocks on three corners.  A rigging line was then run through the various blocks and rings and belayed to a pin.

Fore Topsail Halliard

The halliard holds the sail up.  It is pretty simple.  A block is attached to the fore mast, and another block is attached to the sail.  A line is run between the two blocks, then belayed to a pin.

The halliard is a simple run with two blocks.

Fore Topsail Sheets

The fore topsail has two sheets – one for port and one for starboard.  These are a little different than the sheets found on the other sails.

These sheets start by hooking onto the corner of the sail.  One sheet (on the side where the sail is positioned), then runs directly into a block on the end of the fore gaff.

Two sheets are hooked to the corner of the sail.  One runs directly into a block at the end of the gaff.

The sheet for the other side runs up over another rigging line, then down to the block.

The other sheet runs up over a rigging line, then into the block at the end of the gaff.

From there, both lines run to blocks on the other end of the fore gaff (near the mast).

Both sheets run along the gaff, through blocks near the jaws then down to belaying pins.

They then run down to belaying pins where they are tied off.

Fore Topsail Tack

The tack is routine at this point.  Two lines are seized to the bottom corner of the sail, and run to pins.  There is one tack for the port side, and one for the starboard side

Mast Hoops

Like the main topsail, main sail, and fore sail, the fore topsail is secured to the mast using mast hoops.  Like before, small pieces of rigging line are used to tie the sail to each hoop.

Mast hoops complete the fore topsail.

And with those in place, the fore topsail is finished.

The final sail is installed.