swig
To take up the last bit of slack in rigging by taking a single turn around a cleat, then hauling on the line above and below the cleat while keeping tension on the line.
swig: pulling slack out of rope the hard way
A swig is a rigging technique used to remove the last few inches of slack from a rope or wire that is already under tension and secured at one end. The method involves wrapping the line once around a cleat, post, or other fixed point, then hauling upward and downward on the segments of line above and below the turn while maintaining grip on the main line. This mechanical advantage allows a single worker to take up slack that cannot be removed by normal pulling alone.
The swig works because the turn around the cleat creates a pivot point. By pulling up on one side and down on the other simultaneously, or by working them alternately with a pumping motion, tension transfers through the turn and advances the line incrementally. Each stroke gains only a few inches, but repeated swigs can recover significant slack over time. The technique is especially useful when rigging is already taut enough that direct hauling becomes physically impossible.
When and where it matters
Swigs appear most often in standing rigging work, where shrouds, stays, and lifelines must be tensioned to precise specifications without mechanical tackle. Shipyard workers use this method during commissioning to fine-tune tension on wire rope before it is permanently seized or welded. The technique is also common in sail handling aboard traditional vessels, where squaring yards or tensioning braces requires the last measure of adjustment without cranking a winch.
The name likely derives from the pumping or swinging motion of the worker's arms and body during the haul. Unlike 'sweating' a line, which pulls it hand-over-hand, or 'heaving', which uses sustained force, a swig is measured and incremental. It requires feel and timing rather than brute strength, which is why experienced riggers are trusted to swig critical standing rigging without over-tensioning and damaging the wire or spar.
Common mistakes include losing tension on the main line while working the segments, which collapses the mechanical advantage and wastes effort, and over-swallowing the turn around the cleat, which makes the line difficult to slide freely and can fray or flatten the lay. Proper swigs preserve line condition and avoid the need for mechanical tensioning that can introduce uneven loads across adjacent rigging.