Snap Shackles on guard rails?

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BGarner

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Hi

Does anyone have an opinion on fitting snap shackles to the end of the guard rail cable.
I would like to be able to open the guard rails for boarding from dinghy, or maybe in a MOB situation.
I have not used these shackles much so I don't know if they are likely to come undone under stress, ie if someone falls on the guard rail.

Any thoughts?

Brian
 
BGarner said:
Hi

Does anyone have an opinion on fitting snap shackles to the end of the guard rail cable.
I would like to be able to open the guard rails for boarding from dinghy, or maybe in a MOB situation.
I have not used these shackles much so I don't know if they are likely to come undone under stress, ie if someone falls on the guard rail.

Any thoughts?

Brian
Click to expand...

Ive got snap shackles on short lashings.

Not always easy to open and darned near impossible to close again with one hand from the dinghy.

I dont think they would be strong enough to withstand someone falling against the guard rail. My boat is too small for that to happen ... you'd fall over the top of them.

Look at "pelican hooks"
 
even with pelican hooks its very difficult to tension a whole guardwire adequately, If you going to do it properly you need gates, support legs which will drive the price up substantially.
 
Pelican Hooks Would Be My Choice

I have sailed a few boats with a variety of devices. The best in my opinion is the Pelican Hook. It allows moderately tight guard wires to be released and refastened again to a moderate tension. My own boat guard wires have just been replaced and fitted with the piston type hooks. The piston is very difficult to release under moderate tension. I still have one set of gates on the Pelican Hook and it is the easiest by far; its the cam like action that helps.
 
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Snap shackles are fine across a gate, but I would not use them at the end of the wire where a lashing is more suitable. I have always regarded guardwires as fine for hanging a fender on temporarily, but purely decorative as far as safety is concerned.
 
I have pelican hooks and have no problem with tension, although I don't have my lifelines super tight as I like to lean out on them when sitting on the side of the cockpit.
 
Word to the wise.

Even pelican hooks on gates dont readily close completely when you shut them-have a look at the pin, is it fully seated or just a tad?
 
BGarner said:
Hi

Does anyone have an opinion on fitting snap shackles to the end of the guard rail cable.
I would like to be able to open the guard rails for boarding from dinghy, or maybe in a MOB situation.
I have not used these shackles much so I don't know if they are likely to come undone under stress, ie if someone falls on the guard rail.

Any thoughts?

Brian
Click to expand...

Hi Brian
I have used Pelican hook connections on my Guard rails for 6 years and never had a problem and they do pull tight.

Mike

CaerUrfaBirdseyeview.jpg
 
I like this type. They have an adjustment screw, so you can keep lifelines nice and tight, and a safety locking bar.
 
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Blueboatman said:
Word to the wise.

Even pelican hooks on gates dont readily close completely when you shut them-have a look at the pin, is it fully seated or just a tad?
Click to expand...

A brass plumbing olive slides over the shank and provides a belt & braces fix.


Yes I know brass does not last long,but it is easily replaced.
 
Boo2 said:
Where from ? Can't see them on your website, are you selling them yourself, John ?

Boo2
Click to expand...

No, we don't sell them. The one in the picture is original equipment on my current boat, which is US built, from C. Sherman Johnson, American supplier of some really good stainless gear. There are similar devices from other suppliers, I've had them on a couple of boats and really like them.
 
Vital kit

I have Gibb pelican hooks on my guardwires, and they are probably the single most important modification I've made since building my boat 34 years ago.

They have an 'over centre' action, so do tension the wires, and talk of 'how far is a pin engaged' makes me think someone is referring to the ghastly tiny weak brass things intended for old dinghy spinnaker poles, which I have seen used on guardrail wires !

Proper pelican hooks are chunky stainless steel, no pin, the hook doubles back on itself then the two parts are locked together with a sliding collar.

They are available as either ready to swage on to the wire ( get your measurements right ! ) or with an eye to shackle on to the wire's hard eye, which of course also means allowing for the length of the pelican hook.

Last I heard, these hooks ( not sure if they're Gibb, but pukka jobs ) were available from Seateach chandlery, Emsworth Hants.

I would urge everyone to fit pelican hooks ( not necessarily from Seateach ! ) these are so very useful; for boarding from a tender or pontoon too, not 'just' MOB.

In the old days people used to lash guardwires at the ends, to avoid 'quadrantal error' on RDF sets; that no longer applies, we can have metal fastenings all round, and cutting a lashing to help recover a MOB for example, leaves at least one side of the boat without guardwires, quite possibly in rough conditions when they are most required, and most difficult & dangerous to re-lash.

Or one can simply undo then refasten a couple of clips !
 
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