In Wikipedia, fairlead means a device such as a ring or block of wood with a hole in it through which rigging is passed to hold it in place or prevent it from snagging or chafing. Or a pulley, thimble, or the like that guides a rope forming part of the rigging of a ship or crane so as to prevent chafing. Fairlead rollers can be used with synthetic ropes or steel wire/cable, and have two primary purposes on a vessel: To maintain tension and straightness of the rope or wire whilst minimising wear by preventing the rope or wire from rubbing against the deck or structure of the ship; To reduce the lateral load tension on the winch.
