tongue

In standing rigging, a tongue is a short length of rope spliced into the upper end of a backstay, forestay, or similar line. It projects upward and carries the eye or loop through which the stay is secured to the mast or spar. The tongue bears the full working load of the stay, so it must be made from sound rope and spliced with precision. On older vessels, tongues were often served with twine to protect against chafe and weather.

When a mast is built from multiple pieces of wood rather than a single spar, the upper main piece is also called the tongue. This section sits at the head and typically carries the highest stresses, particularly those created by the interaction of stays, braces, and running rigging. The tongue must be of sufficient diameter and quality timber to handle these concentrated loads without failure.

Variants and practical details

The length and diameter of a tongue in rope rigging depend on the size of the stay and the vessel's design. In heavy weather, a damaged tongue can be quickly replaced by cutting out the old splice and splicing in new rope, whereas replacing a wooden tongue on a built-up mast requires more extensive work. The term reflects practical necessity: the tongue is a small but critical piece handling large forces at a vulnerable junction.

Tongues are less common on modern vessels fitted with wire rope rigging and mechanical terminals, but the principle endures in naval architecture drawings and traditional rigging manuals. Riggers and shipwrights still use the term when discussing the upper terminations of standing rigging or the composition of composite masts, particularly on traditional sailing vessels and heritage ships.