Wichard Eye Bolts & Ring Bolts

Wichard Eye Bolts & Ring Bolts: Forged for the Marine Environment

When an attachment point fails at sea, the consequences can be severe. That is why sailors and marine professionals worldwide turn to Wichard for their most critical fastening hardware. The brand's eye bolts and ring bolts carry the same forging heritage that has defined Wichard since its founding in 1919 in Thiers, France — a region historically celebrated for its metalworking craftsmanship.

Single-Piece Forged Construction

What sets Wichard's eye bolts apart from cast or welded alternatives is their single-piece forged design. Forging eliminates internal voids and weld seams — the two most common failure points in lower-quality hardware. Each eye bolt in the Wichard lineup is produced as a complete, one-piece forged unit, resulting in a consistent grain structure throughout the metal and dramatically higher resistance to shock loads and fatigue.

The product line spans metric thread sizes from M6 through M12, with shaft lengths ranging from 40 mm to 120 mm, giving riggers the flexibility to match the right bolt to the exact installation depth of their deck, spar, or structural fitting. Specified working and breaking loads are published for every size — for example, the M10 eye bolt carries a working load of 1,600 kg and a breaking load of 2,700 kg for nautical applications — so engineers and boatbuilders can design to known safety margins rather than guessing.

316L Stainless Steel — Marine Grade by Design

Every Wichard eye bolt is manufactured from 316L stainless steel, the alloy of choice for prolonged saltwater exposure. The "L" designation (low carbon) reduces sensitization during welding and heat treatment, making the material more resistant to intergranular corrosion in chloride-rich environments. Combined with Wichard's forging process, this material choice ensures that hardware remains structurally sound and visually clean through seasons of ocean sailing, coastal powerboating, watersports towing, and other demanding nautical use cases.

Versatile Applications Across the Vessel

Wichard's eye bolts and ring bolts are engineered for a broad range of fastening tasks: securing blocks, tethers, and safety lines to deck; towing and waterskiing line attachment points; rigging anchor points on spars and transoms; and structural fastenings where a permanent, high-load loop is required. The threaded shank provides a secure, stable installation, and the specified maximum tightening torques for each size help installers achieve consistent, repeatable clamping without over-stressing the hardware.

For sailors who demand the same level of engineering rigor across all deck hardware, it is worth exploring the complete Wichard brand catalog — a century of forging expertise expressed across shackles, pad eyes, swivels, and more. And if you are building out a broader rigging or fastening system, the full Eye Bolts & Ring Bolts category offers additional options to consider alongside Wichard's offerings.

Why Wichard's Eye Bolts Earn Their Reputation

• Single-piece forged 316L stainless steel — no welds, no seams, no hidden weak points
• Published working and breaking loads for every size, rated for nautical applications
• Wide size range from M6 to M12, with multiple shaft lengths per thread size
• Proven applications including towing, waterskiing attachment, and structural deck fastenings
• ISO 9001-certified manufacturing based entirely in Thiers, France
• Over 100 years of forging expertise behind every product