Convenient, reliable attachment points wherever you need them: Wichard stick-on padeyes and eye straps provide a simple and versatile solution for outfitting a boat, both on deck and inside the cabin.
Here, we give you the keys to making the right choice between the SoftEye 40, SoftEye 45 and Stick-on Eye Strap, provide a few tips for optimising the adhesion process, and explain when a traditional mechanical fastening should be preferred.
Stick-on deck hardware: simple, lightweight and drill-free
On board, not every fitting requires drilling or screws. For many items and accessories, a stick-on padeye or eye strap can quickly create a reliable attachment point while preserving the integrity of the boat's structure.
The principle is simple: the fitting is bonded directly onto a suitable surface, without creating a hole in the deck, bulkhead, or another structural component. This type of installation limits intervention on the substrate and avoids the risks associated with drilling: local weakening, water ingress, or the creation of a difficult-to-repair hole when the fitting is removed.
The Wichard SoftEye 40, SoftEye 45 and stick-on eye straps are particularly well-suited to everyday applications on board. They are compact, extremely lightweight, easy to install and accessible to everyone, provided that the recommended substrate preparation and adhesion procedures are followed. Their composite or polymer construction is corrosion-resistant, an obvious advantage in a marine environment.
Another advantage: these fittings are available in white or black, allowing them to blend discreetly with the boat's colour and design without compromising its overall elegance.
The 2026 Wichard catalogue positions the SoftEye 40 and SoftEye 45 among its stick-on fastening solutions, for applications ranging from sail and gear stowage to equipment suspension.
SoftEye 40: the proven bond-on textile padeye
The SoftEye 40 (Ref. 6661 and 6662), a stick-on textile padeye, is a particularly versatile solution for creating an attachment point without drilling, both inside and outside the boat.
Its compact glass-fibre base features a 3 mm Dyneema® loop. Weighing just 8 g, it remains almost unnoticed while providing a working load of 80 kg and a breaking load of 150 kg when bonded with Sika 292i. These values apply when the bonding procedure recommended by Wichard is followed.
Its applications are numerous: securing sail and gear stowage, retaining lines, textile handholds, suspending equipment such as fenders, and securing lazy jacks. Its low weight and compact footprint make it particularly relevant when every gram counts, for offshore racing sailors, for example.
The SoftEye 40 therefore combines functionality, discretion, and a carefully engineered finish.
SoftEye 40 – Technical data
- Materials: glass fibre and Dyneema®
- Rope diameter: 3 mm
- Working load: 80 kg*
- Breaking load: 150 kg*
- Weight: 8 g
- Installation: bonding, no drilling required
- Colours: white or black
* Loads given for bonding with Sika 292i.
The SoftEye 40 is the original stick-on padeye in the Wichard range. It is designed for those looking for a proven, lightweight and elegant fitting, backed by Wichard's manufacturing quality.
SoftEye 45: the compact and cost-effective moulded stick-on padeye
The SoftEye 45 (Ref. 6665 and 6666) complements Wichard's range of stick-on padeyes by offering a cost-effective alternative to the SoftEye 40. It is distinguished in particular by its moulded PA6 base, providing an excellent balance between strength, weight, and cost.
With a 45 mm fitting diameter, a 3 mm Dyneema® SK78 loop and a weight of just 12 g, it remains particularly discreet on board. It offers the same stated load ratings as the SoftEye 40: 80 kg working load and 150 kg breaking load.
One of its key advantages is the integration of the textile loop: the Dyneema® SK78 is secured by a stopper knot in a cavity located beneath the padeye. After use, the line can therefore be replaced. This extends the service life of the fitting and makes it easy to renew its textile component.
The SoftEye 45 is ideally suited to securing sail and gear stowage, textile handholds, accessory holders, retaining lines, lazy jacks, safety nets, and equipment such as life rafts or fenders. It is equally suitable for cruising projects and applications where low weight and simplicity are essential.
SoftEye 45 – Technical data
- Materials: glass-fibre-reinforced PA6 and Dyneema® SK78
- Rope diameter: 3 mm
- Injection-moulded fitting diameter: 45 mm
- Working load: 80 kg
- Breaking load: 150 kg
- Weight: 12 g
- Installation: bonding, no drilling required
- Colours: white or black
Stick-On Eye Strap: the small, essential fitting on board
Even more discreet, the Wichard Stick-on Eye Strap (Ref. 6663 and 6664) is designed for low-load applications. Its purpose differs from that of the SoftEye: it is not intended to create a loaded anchoring point, but rather to provide a quick attachment or guiding point for a wide range of small items of equipment.
Compact and extremely lightweight (just 4 g), it has an indicative working load of 50 kg and breaking load of 100 kg, based on tests carried out with Sika 292i.
The eye strap can be used as a cable pass-through, fairlead, accessory holder or for various small fastening applications. Its small size makes it possible to multiply attachment points without visually overloading the boat's interior or deck layout. It is a simple, discreet and affordable fitting.
Stick-On Eye Strap – Technical data
- Material: polymer
- Indicative working load: 50 kg*
- Indicative breaking load: 100 kg*
- Weight: 4 g
- Installation: bonding, no drilling required
- Applications: cable pass-throughs, fairleads, accessory holders
- Colours: white or black
* Indicative loads obtained during tests with Sika 292i. The eye strap is intended for low-load applications.
Which stick-on padeye should you choose for your boat?
For versatile, lightweight and drill-free fastening applications, the SoftEye 40 and SoftEye 45 are particularly attractive solutions. The SoftEye 40 combines a proven glass-fibre construction with a premium finish and optimised weight, while the SoftEye 45 provides a robust, moulded and more cost-effective alternative.
For small, low-load fastening applications, the Stick-on Eye Strap is a simple and discreet solution for guiding, securing or organising equipment.
Conversely, when loads become structural or when sailing safety directly depends on the attachment point, a forged padeye or suitable mechanical fastening should be preferred.
Stick-on deck hardware is therefore not intended to replace every traditional solution. Instead, it offers an intelligent alternative in certain low-load applications: quick to install, lightweight, drill-free, corrosion-resistant and highly versatile.
Need help choosing the right fitting for your boat? Ask your local Wichard dealer for advice.
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Which adhesive should you choose for a stick-on fitting on a boat?
Choosing the right adhesive is essential to ensuring the reliability of a stick-on fitting, but it should always be considered as a system combining the fitting, adhesive, and substrate. Several adhesive families can be used depending on the application.
Structural polyurethane adhesives, such as Sikaflex 292i, are particularly well-suited to marine structural sticking subjected to dynamic stresses (vibration and movement). This adhesive is compatible with aluminium, including anodised aluminium, two-component paint systems, and certain plastics, subject to testing on the actual substrate. Its application temperature is between 10 and 40°C, with an optimum range of 15 to 25°C (Sika Industry). This bonding system is particularly suitable for securing SoftEyes. It also makes removal of the product easier should this ever be required.
Structural epoxies, on the other hand, provide a durable bond and should be preferred when the bond is intended to remain permanent, provided that the product is suitable for structural bonding. With this type of solution, dismantling or debonding is considerably more difficult.
Finally, cyanoacrylate may be suitable for certain very lightweight applications, such as a small stick-on Eye Strap, but should not be generally used for fittings intended to withstand higher loads.
Beyond the type of adhesive, the differences between these solutions therefore lie in their strength, behaviour under movement and vibration, degree of permanence and, above all, compatibility with the fitting and substrate. Published performance figures cannot be compared independently of the bonding conditions: they depend on the adhesive used and the surface onto which the fitting is installed.
How should you prepare the substrate before bonding?
Substrate preparation is equally critical. Before sticking a fitting to a deck, bulkhead, or spar, the surface must be sound, clean, dry and free from wax, grease, oil, and dust. Depending on the material and adhesive selected, mechanical preparation and the use of a primer or activator may be required.
There is no universal method: cleaning, degreasing, surface preparation and any primer application must always follow the recommendations of the adhesive and fitting manufacturer.
The following recommendations should therefore be followed, bearing in mind that they are not exhaustive:
- Determine the maximum load, dynamic load, direction of pull and risk of shock loading.
- Check the substrate: condition of the gelcoat or paint, underlying structure, flatness and rigidity.
- Position the padeye (or eye strap) in line with the direction of pull.
- Prepare and degrease the substrate according to the procedure specified for the selected adhesive.
- Prepare the fitting according to the manufacturer's instructions. A surface that has already been treated or pre-conditioned at the factory should not be sanded systematically.
- Respect the adhesive joint geometry. For 292i, Sika recommends a triangular bead to achieve a uniform bond-line thickness (Sika Industry).
- Assemble before skin formation. For 292i, Sika specifies a typical open time of 30 minutes at 23°C and states that this time decreases as the atmosphere becomes warmer and more humid.
- Keep the fitting in position without moving it during curing.
- Allow the adhesive to fully cure before applying any load.
- Record the installation: date, adhesive used, batch number, substrate, preparation, temperature and installer. This will allow you to analyse any failures or reproduce a successful process at a later date.
Stick-on option or screw: which fastening should you choose on a boat?
A stick-on fitting does not systematically replace a forged padeye or mechanical fastening. The choice should always depend on the load, direction of the force, application, and required level of safety.
For a jackline, harness attachment point, shroud, turnbuckle or heavily loaded structural fitting, a suitable mechanical fastening is required. A screwed or through-bolted padeye can then provide significantly higher resistance levels.
The Wichard 8 mm folding padeye (Ref. 6605, an intermediate size, as the product is also available in 6 and 10 mm), for example, is designed for heavily loaded applications: shrouds, turnbuckles, jacklines, blocks or anchoring points. Made from high-strength 17-4 PH or 316L stainless steel, it has a working load of 2,400 kg and a breaking load of 5,000 kg. Its compact footprint when folded, silicone bumper designed to reduce vibration and noise, and carefully engineered design complete its technical advantages.
Another option is the Wichard watertight U-bolts, which combines a 316L stainless steel padeye with a black elastomer providing watertightness. It is designed for easy installation without an additional sealing gasket and is particularly suitable for shrouds, jacklines and blocks. Its design combines mechanical strength, UV protection, watertightness and an attractive finish.
The difference between a stick-on and mechanical fastening is therefore both technical and practical. A screw provides greater mechanical strength and a fastening system that is less dependent on bonding quality. On the other hand, it requires drilling into the boat's structure. Once the fitting has been removed, the hole remains and may need to be filled and the finish restored.
Sticking, meanwhile, offers a clear advantage: no drilling and simple installation. However, its performance depends directly on surface preparation, adhesive selection, compliance with the application procedure and operating conditions. In short, a poorly prepared or incorrectly sticked fitting can come loose.
At a glance
* Loads given for bonding with Sikaflex 292i.
** Indicative loads obtained during tests with Sikaflex 292i.