rope shackles - what stops them shaking loose?

[oldbilbo]

.....what stops a slack shackle from shaking loose?....

The rubber O-rings shown in Colligo Marine's online material hold the eye-splice closed.

You can achieve very much the same, should you make 'em yourself, by slipping on a couple of suitably-sized rubber O-rings from your box of spares in the garage. They don't need to be red. If you have none, then Aldi frequently do a box of varying sizes for not very much.

 

[Highndry]

Or ask your local shepherd. Those O rings look identical to the ones used for castrating lambs!

 

[onesea]

I've been thinking of trying one of those to connect the mainsheet block to the traveller so that I can easily move it out of the cockpit when in harbour. Would a soft shackle be suitable in that location?

The biggest danger is if there are sharp edges it will chafe... Try it...

Can someone remind me what the benefit is over tying each sheet into the cringle with a bowline? Not trying to be a smartarse, just decide if I want to go the same way

Agree with viv, I just made mine up the end of the summer they snag less... And are less likely to snag or come undone, than knots and less likley to brain you than proper shackles...

Are soft shackles OK for use on a foresail that's hanked on rather than on a furler? I suppose the question is, will the soft shackle be up to being attached/removed on a daily basis?

My sheets are currently attached to the fore with a heavy steel shackle. I like the idea of the weight saving but am slightly concerned at the turk's head going in and out of the shackle repeatedly!

I have used one for later part of season with no problem. Then I make my own so they are not expensive... As long as you have a spare if it looks worn...

I've tried purchasing dyneema to make them myself but have failed.

Q. Who sells them plz?

I got some from Mailspeed in Lymington, but to be honest with your self do you REALLY need dyneema? the shackle does not need to be small, what load do you put on your sheets? 1000kg?

Anyone thinking about using soft shackles google it youtube has idiot proof instructions on how to make them.

Once you have made one or 2 you will use them for everything...

I now have one to hold my bag handles together when I fly...

 

[Burnham Bob]

i've gone onto using a soft shackle and eye splices on the genoa sheets as its much less bulky and doesn't catch going across on a tack.

never worried about the soft shackle coming loose as it needs a definite sharp stroking to move the outside sheathing to loosen the shackle

 

[xeitosaphil]

Are soft shackles OK for use on a foresail that's hanked on rather than on a furler? I suppose the question is, will the soft shackle be up to being attached/removed on a daily basis?

My sheets are currently attached to the fore with a heavy steel shackle. I like the idea of the weight saving but am slightly concerned at the turk's head going in and out of the shackle repeatedly!

I made my own soft shackles up about 6 years ago now when I had my H22.

That had hank on sails, never heard of them before a friend said he used them in Canada so thought I would try them, and I never had one fall out in three years use. Actually I made a few up in case I lost any, but never used them.

If you have ever been hit in the head by a sail flogging with a steel shackle in the sheets you would appreciate the difference?

Incidentally I made mine from a small length of 12mm three strand polyester with the tightest eye I could splice in it, and used a figure of eight to stop it coming out. Once coupled up, squash the eye as tight as you can and when the tension comes on it from the sheet, it is absolutely fine.

Must get round to making a few for my current boat, but at the price you can buy them it hardly seems worth it