Chain-plates

Chain-plates, on shipboard (wood vessels), are iron plates bolted below the channels to serve as attachments for the dead-eyes, through which the standing rigging or shrouds and back-stays are rove and secured. In most of the modern iron-steel vessels rigging-screws take the place of the older dead-eyes, the chain-plates to which they are attached consisting simply of flat palms, having an eye projection, riveted to the inside of the sheer or top strake of shell plating.