Lifting Eyes & Cleats
Seachoice 30190 304 Stainless Steel Threaded Rod for Bow Lifting 5/8-11 x 36 Inch
What Are Marine Lifting Eyes & Cleats?
Lifting eyes and cleats are specialized marine hardware designed to provide safe, rated attachment points for hoisting, trailering, and storing your boat. While they may look similar to standard mooring cleats or bow eyes, these components are engineered specifically to handle the full weight of a vessel during vertical or angled lifts — a task that ordinary hardware simply isn't built for.
Using the wrong fitting for a lift can be dangerous. Lifting eyes and cleats are purpose-built with defined working load limits (WLL), proper backing plate interfaces, and corrosion-resistant alloys that keep crews and boats safe every time the vessel leaves the water.
How Lifting Eyes & Cleats Work
A complete bow or stern lifting system typically consists of three key components working together: a lifting eye or lifting ring cleat mounted to the deck or hull, an adapter plate that distributes the load across the hull structure, and a threaded rod that connects the two. The eye or ring cleat is the visible external fitting that slings, straps, or crane hooks attach to, while the plate and rod spread stress over a wider area to prevent hull damage.
Some designs combine the lifting ring and cleat into a single dual-purpose fitting, serving double duty as a mooring cleat when the boat is dockside and as a lifting point when it's time to haul out. This integrated approach keeps deck hardware to a minimum without sacrificing functionality.
What to Look for When Shopping
- Material: Marine-grade 316 stainless steel offers the best corrosion resistance for saltwater environments. 304 stainless is common for components that see less direct exposure, such as threaded rods or interior hardware.
- Working Load Limit (WLL): Always verify the rated WLL matches or exceeds your boat's weight. Exceeding the WLL risks hardware failure and injury.
- System Compatibility: Lifting eyes, adapter plates, and threaded rods are often designed to work together as a matched system. Confirm thread sizes and mounting dimensions before purchasing individual components.
- Fastener Backing: High-load hardware should always be installed with appropriately sized backing plates and marine sealant to spread loads and prevent water intrusion into the hull.
- Form Factor: Fixed, folding, and swivel styles address different deck clearance requirements and load angles, so choose the style that best fits your haul-out setup.
Top Brands in Lifting Eyes & Cleats
Seachoice is a trusted name in marine hardware, offering a well-rounded lineup of stainless steel lifting eyes and lifting ring cleats built to rigorous standards. Their bow lifting system components — including lifting eyes, adapter plates, and threaded rods — are designed to work as a cohesive, compatible system, making it straightforward to specify and install a complete, properly rated setup for your vessel.