shrouds are sidestays. all they do is limit side to side movement. the forestay controls mast rake until the jib is tensioned, then the jib wire, tensioned by the jib halyard, should carry all the load and control rake. my forestay may have 2"-3" of slack for light air and as much as 8' of slack- before i leave the beach-when i anticipate heavy air. the amount of slack is controlled by tensioning the jib halyard. when i am sailing hard on the wind my blocks are almost touching and the forestay is barely slack, with the jib wire carrying all the load. the windward shroud is loaded and straight, the leeward shroud is slack.