deadeyes

Deadeyes are components used in the standing rigging of traditional sailing ships. They are two circular wooden discs used in pairs with a lanyard to adjust tension on shrouds and stays.

A lanyard runs between the discs and through holes near their rims, forming a simple adjustable strap. By pulling the lanyard tight, the shroud or stay is tensioned, and the ends are secured with knots or pins. This deadeye and lanyard arrangement allows riggers to maintain mast alignment and rig tension as loads change with wind and sail.

Historically, deadeyes were common on square-rigged vessels from the 17th to the 19th century. They provided a straightforward, hardware-light method of adjusting rigging before the advent of modern devices like turnbuckles. Today, deadeyes are mainly seen on replicas and preserved ships, and the technique is discussed in nautical museums and historical literature.

The term deadeye also appears in nautical slang to describe a person with unusually steady aim—a highly skilled shooter. In broader popular culture, the phrase is used metaphorically to denote precision or accuracy.

See also: rigging, shrouds, lanyards, turnbuckles.