cleat

The center cleat prevents the boards from buckling while the sides are tightly held by these simple flat fasteners.

Where the strain is not too great the holders may be used without a cleat, making an effective flat fastening.

When the squalls came he slackened up or drew in around the cleat as became necessary.

The young man, clinging to a cleat and watching the struggles of their craft, waved a mittened hand to signify that he agreed.

Then I made fast the end of the line round the main-sheet cleat, for that told me that the man had caught on.