Standing Rigging: Terminals, Turnbuckles and Fittings for Your Rig
Standing rigging is the fixed wire or rod that holds the mast up, plus the fittings at each end of it: terminals, turnbuckles, toggles, stemballs, chainplates and the gauges that set tension. It carries a constant load for years, unlike running rigging that you handle every day. This page is the parent of the standing rigging sub-collections, which are organised by part type. The parts are sold by wire diameter and construction (1x19, 7-strand or compacted) and by thread and pin size, so you start from what is already on your boat. Brands include Sta-Lok, Hayn, Ronstan and C. Sherman Johnson, with Spinlock, Loos & Co and Cyclops Marine for tension.
Standing Rigging Families in This Collection
- Turnbuckles: open and closed body, with eye, toggle, jaw and swage end combinations and blank bodies, in the Turnbuckles sub-collections. Hayn tubular closed-body stainless turnbuckles are listed by thread, for example the 3/8-24 closed body; Sta-Lok Supajust bodies have a 316 stainless body with bronze thread inserts sealed in each end to prevent seizing and galling (5/8 in thread). For repeatable tension, the Ronstan calibrated turnbuckles are laser-etched so you can set and reset rig tension accurately, like the 5/16 in thread model with lock nut.
- Shroud terminals, T-terminals and stemballs: Sta-Lok shroud terminals for wire from 3/16 in to 1/2 in and threaded versions from 1/4 in to 3/4 in thread (for example the swage terminal for 9/32 in wire), T-terminals such as the swage T-terminal for 9/32 in wire, and stemballs: swage stemballs for wire from 5/32 in to 3/4 in, swageless stemballs from 7/32 in to 3/8 in and threaded stemballs from 1/4 in to 1 1/8 in thread. C. Sherman Johnson deck terminals with splice eye are also here.
- Forks, eyes, studs and toggles: Forks (swage, aircraft, metric, swageless and threaded), eye terminals (swage, swageless, long eye, threaded eye, eye rods and insulator eye kits), studs (swage, swageless, extended and metric) and toggles (double jaw, eye and jaw, fork, swage, swageless and threaded T-bolt jaws). The swageless stemball for 1/4 in wire is a good example of the Sta-Lok self-fit style.
- Connectors, links, rings and wedges: Sta-Lok swageless stay connectors for wire from 1/4 in (6 mm) to 1/2 in (12 mm); Hayn Hi-MOD compression splice links, extenders and insulators sold by wire size (with Sta-Lok insulator eye kits); Hi-MOD replacement crown rings for wire from 1/8 in to 5/8 in (1x19) and 5.0 to 16.0 mm Dyform wire, such as the crown ring for 5/8 in 1x19 wire; and the wedges and formers in cones, wedges and formers.
- Hardware around the turnbuckle: nuts (Hayn hex nuts, left and right hand, in 5/8-18, 7/8-14 and 1.0-12), Sta-Lok turnbuckle extension bars for threads from 7/16 in to 1 in, adjusters (Hayn, Ronstan and C. Sherman Johnson), Ronstan stainless chain plates such as the 8 in chain plate, and Ronstan handle kits.
- Tension gauges and wire rope grips: rig tension gauges from Spinlock (Rig Sense for 2-5 mm and 5-8 mm wire), Loos & Co (PRO gauge PT1M for 2.5 to 4.0 mm wire, plus a gauge for rods) and Cyclops Marine; and wire rope grips for wire from 3 mm (1/8 in) to 12 mm (1/2 in), in Ronstan sizes 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10 and 12, plus Wichard grips for 5, 8 and 8.7 mm wire.
Swage or Swageless Terminals
- Swage: needs a swaging machine, so it is shop work. The Sta-Lok swage shroud and T-terminals are made for rotary and fixed-die machines and call for a minimum hole depth of 10 x the wire diameter.
- Swageless: assembled with basic hand tools, no pre-measurement and reusable. Sta-Lok packs its swageless terminals for 1x19 wire as standard, with different wedges for 7-strand and compacted wire. Hayn Hi-MOD terminals use a reusable 316 stainless cone and an aluminum bronze crown ring that keeps the strands evenly spaced.
Matching Wire, Terminal and Turnbuckle
- Measure the wire: diameter and construction (1x19, 7-strand or compacted). Size from the wire already on your boat or its rig plan, not from the length of the boat.
- Choose the terminal: every terminal here is sold for a specific wire size, in inch or metric.
- Match the turnbuckle: its thread and pin must fit the terminal and the chainplate hardware, then choose open or closed body. For example, the Hayn 3/8-24 open-body turnbuckle is listed for 3/16 to 1/4 in wire with a 3/8 in pin.
- Set and check tension: use a gauge or calibrated turnbuckle, and inspect each terminal for corrosion, cracks or broken strands where the wire enters it.
Our guide How to Choose Standing Rigging for a 35 ft Sailboat works through this with real examples.
Who It's For
Owners replacing shrouds and stays against a rig plan, refit projects that need terminals and turnbuckles to match, sailors who want to fit swageless terminals themselves, and racers who want repeatable rig tension. Looking for tension tools? Browse the rig tension gauges, or compare the turnbuckles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between standing and running rigging?
Standing rigging is the fixed wire or rod that supports the mast and carries constant tension for years. Running rigging, such as halyards and sheets, is the line you handle every day. See How to Tell Running Rigging from Standing Rigging.
How do I size standing rigging for my boat?
Start with the wire on your boat: measure its diameter and note its construction, or read the rig plan. Terminals are sold by wire size, for example Sta-Lok shroud and T-terminals for 7 mm / 9/32 in wire and a swageless stemball for 1/4 in wire. If you have neither wire nor plan, ask the rig builder or a rigger before ordering.
Should I choose swage or swageless terminals?
Swage terminals need a swaging machine. Swageless terminals, such as Sta-Lok self-fit or Hayn Hi-MOD, go on with hand tools and can be reused. The Sta-Lok swageless stemball should be assembled with threadlock.
Which turnbuckle goes with my terminal?
The one whose thread and pin match the terminal and chainplate hardware, in open or closed body. For Sta-Lok Supajust bodies read How to Choose Sta-Lok Supajust Eye and Blank Turnbuckles.
How do I check rig tension?
With a tension gauge sized for your wire: the Spinlock Rig Sense reads tension directly in kilograms with one hand and covers wire or rope from 5 to 8 mm (3/16 to 5/16 in); the Loos & Co PT1M is for 2.5 to 4.0 mm wire. Ronstan calibrated turnbuckles let you reset a known setting. See How to Choose a Sailboat Rig Tension Gauge.