lift

A lift is a wire rope or fiber rope that runs from a point high on the mast down to the outer end of a yard (the horizontal spar that spreads a sail). Its primary job is to support the weight of that yard end and keep it at the correct angle. Without lifts, the yard would sag or drop under its own weight and the load of the sail, making the sail shape useless and straining the mast.

Ships typically carry multiple lifts on the same yard, one on each side. On a square-rigged vessel, upper yards may have both a single lift (one rope per side) and a double lift (two ropes per side) depending on the yard's length and the sail's area. The lift is led from the masthead or from a point on the mast down to a block or sheave at the yard arm, then back down to the deck where it can be hauled tight or eased off to adjust the yard's trim.

Lifts differ from braces, which control the horizontal angle of the yard, and from jeers or slings, which support the yard's center. A lift works vertically or near-vertically; its tension prevents the outer end from dropping. On older wooden ships, lifts were manila or hemp rope. Modern steel-hulled vessels use wire rope, which resists chafe and weathering better and can handle greater loads.

Wear on lifts happens at the sheave or fairlead where the rope changes direction, and at the attachment points where constant motion and salt spray corrode the fitting. A frayed or broken lift must be replaced promptly, as loss of support on one side can cause the yard to tilt dangerously and the mast itself to bend under uneven load. On working ships and training vessels still under sail, lifts are part of the standing rigging that must be regularly inspected and maintained.