A cringle is an eye through which to pass a
rope
A rope is a group of yarns, plies, fibres, or strands that are twisted or braided together into a larger and stronger form. Ropes have tensile strength and so can be used for dragging and lifting. Rope is thicker and stronger than similar ...
. In nautical settings, the word refers to a small hole anywhere along the edge or in the corner of a
sail, rimmed with stranded cordage and worked into the
boltrope. Typically it encloses a metal
grommet
Curtain grommets, used among others in shower curtains.
A grommet is a ring or edge strip inserted into a hole through thin material, typically a sheet of textile fabric, sheet metal or composite of carbon fiber, wood or honeycomb. Grommets ar ...
for reinforcement and to reduce wear. In this context, ''cringle'' and ''grommet'' coincide enough that the two are sometimes used interchangeably.
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References
Sailboat components
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